Simple Compound Complex and Compound Complex Sentences

A simple sentence consists of only one clause.
A compound sentence consists of

two or more independent clauses. A complex sentence has at least one
independent clause plus at least one dependent clause.[1] A set of words with no
independent clause may be an incomplete sentence, also called a sentence
fragment.
A sentence consisting of at least one dependent clause and at least two
independent clauses may be called a complex-compound sentence or compound-
complex sentence.
Sentence 1 is an example of a simple sentence. Sentence 2 is compound because
"so" is considered a coordinating conjunction in English, and sentence 3 is
complex. Sentence 4 is compound-complex (also known as complex-
compound). Example 5 is a sentence fragment.
1. I like trains.
2. I don't know how to bake, so I buy my bread already made.
3. I enjoyed the apple pie that you bought for me.
4. The dog lived in the garden, but the cat, who was smarter, lived inside the
house.
5. What an idiot.
The simple sentence in example 1 contains one clause. Example 2 has two
clauses (I don't know how to bake and I buy my bread already made), combined
into a single sentence with the coordinating conjunction so. In example 3, I
enjoyed the apple pie is an independent clause, and that you bought for me is a
dependent clause; the sentence is thus complex. In sentence 4, The dog lived in
the garden and the cat lived inside the house are both independent clauses; who
was smarter is a dependent clause. Example 5 features a noun phrase but no
verb. It is not a grammatically complete clause.
Independent clauses can be joined by using a semicolon or by using a comma
followed by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet, etc.).
In the following example sentences, independent clauses are underlined, and
conjunctions are in bold.
Single independent clauses:
 I have enough money to buy an ice cream cone.

 My favourite flavour is chocolate.
Multiple independent clauses:
 I have enough money to buy an ice cream cone; my favourite flavour is

chocolate.
 I have enough money to buy an ice cream cone, so let's go to the shop.
In Indo-European languages, a dependent clause usually begins with a
dependent word. One kind of dependent word is a subordinating conjunction.
Subordinating conjunctions are used to begin dependent clauses known
as adverbial clauses, which serve as adverbs. In the following examples, the
adverbial clauses are bold and the subordinating conjunctions are italicized:
 Wherever she goes, she leaves her luggage

(The adverbial clause wherever she goes modifies the verb leaves.)
 Bob enjoyed the movie more than I did.

(The adverbial clause than I did modifies the adverb more.)
A subordinating conjunction can also introduce a noun clause:
 I know that he likes me.

(The noun clause that he likes me serves as the object of the main-clause
verb know.)
Another type of dependent word is the relative pronoun. Relative
pronouns begin dependent clauses known as relative clauses; these
are adjective clauses, because they modify nouns. In the following
example, the relative clause is bold and the relative pronoun is
italicized:
 The only one of the seven dwarfs who does not have a beard is
Dopey.
(The adjective clause who does not have a beard describes the
pronoun one.)
A relative adverb plays the part of an adverb in a relative clause,
as in
 That is the reason why I came.

(The relative clause why I came describes the noun reason, and within
the relative clause the adverb why modifies the verb came.)
 That is the place where he lives.

(The relative clause where he lives describes the noun place, and within
the relative clause the adverb where modifies the verb lives.)
An interrogative word can serve as an adverb in a noun
clause, as in
 No one understands why you need experience.

(The noun clause why you need experience functions as the direct
object of the main-clause verb "understands", and within the noun
clause why serves as an adverb modifying need.)
Coordinating conjunctions, also called coordinators, are conjunctions that

join, or coordinate, two or more items (such as words, main clauses, or
sentences) of equal syntactic importance. In English,
the mnemonic acronym FANBOYS can be used to remember the
coordinators for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.[4] These are not the only
coordinating conjunctions; various others are used, including[5]:ch. 9[6]:p. 171 "and
nor" (British), "but nor" (British), "or nor" (British), "neither" ("They don't
gamble; neither do they smoke"), "no more" ("They don't gamble; no more do
they smoke"), and "only" ("I would go, only I don't have time"). Types of
coordinating conjunctions include cumulative conjunctions, adversative
conjunctions, alternative conjunctions, and illative conjunctions.[7]
Here are some examples of coordinating conjunctions in English and what they
do:
 For – presents rationale ("They do not gamble or smoke, for they are
ascetics.")
 And – presents non-contrasting item(s) or idea(s) ("They gamble, and they
smoke.")
 Nor – presents a non-contrasting negative idea ("They do not gamble, nor do
they smoke.")
 But – presents a contrast or exception ("They gamble, but they don't
smoke.")
 Or – presents an alternative item or idea ("Every day they gamble, or they
smoke.")
 Yet – presents a contrast or exception ("They gamble, yet they don't
smoke.")
 So – presents a consequence ("He gambled well last night, so he smoked a
cigar to celebrate.")
Subordinating conjunctions, also called subordinators, are conjunctions that join

an independent clause and a dependent clause, and also introduce adverb
clauses. The most common subordinating conjunctions in the English language
include after, although, as, as far as, as if, as long as, as soon as, as
though, because, before, even if, even though, every time, if, in order
that, since, so, so
that, than, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever,
and while.
Simple sentences[edit]
A simple sentence structure contains one independent clause and no dependent
clauses.[2]
 I run.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, I,
and one verb, run.
 The girl ran into her bedroom.

This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one
subject, girl, and one predicate, ran into her bedroom. The predicate is a verb
phrase that consists of more than one word.
 In the backyard, the dog barked and howled at the cat.

This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one
subject, dog, and one predicate, barked and howled at the cat. This predicate
has two verbs, known as a compound predicate: barked and howled.
This compound verb should not be confused with a compound sentence. In the
backyard and at the cat are prepositional phrases.
Compound sentences[edit]
A compound sentence is composed of at least two independent clauses. It does
not require a dependent clause. The clauses are joined by
a coordinating conjunction (with or without a comma), a semicolon that
functions as a conjunction, a colon instead of a semicolon between two
sentences when the second sentence explains or illustrates the first sentence and
no coordinating conjunction is being used to connect the sentences, or a
conjunctive adverb preceded by a semicolon. A conjunction can be used to
make a compound sentence. Conjunctions are words such
as and, but, or, nor, so, and yet. Examples:
 I started on time, but I arrived late.

 I will accept your offer or decline it; these are the two options.
 The law was passed: from April 1, all cars would have to be tested.
 The war was lost; consequently, the whole country was occupied.
The use of a comma to separate two independent clauses without the addition of
an appropriate conjunction is called a comma splice and is generally considered
an error (when used in the English language).[2] Example:
 The sun was shining, everyone appeared happy.
Complex and compound-complex sentences[edit]

Main article: Dependent clause
A complex sentence has one or more dependent clauses (also called subordinate
clauses). Since a dependent clause cannot stand on its own as a sentence,
complex sentences must also have at least one independent clause. In short, a
sentence with one or more dependent clauses and at least one independent
clause is a complex sentence. A sentence with two or more independent clauses
plus one or more dependent clauses is called compound-complex or complex-
compound.
In addition to a subject and a verb, dependent clauses contain a subordinating
conjunction or similar word. There are a large number of subordinating
conjunctions in English. Some of these give the clause an adverbial function,
specifying time, place, or manner. Such clauses are called adverbial clauses.
 When I stepped out into the bright sunlight, from the darkness of the movie
house, I had only two things on my mind. (S. E. Hinton, The Outsiders)
This complex sentence contains an adverbial clause, When I stepped out into the
bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house. The adverbial clause
describes when the action of the main clause, I had only two things on my mind,
took place.
A relative clause is a dependent clause that modifies a noun or noun phrase in
the independent clause. In other words, the relative clause functions similar to
an adjective.
 Let him who has been deceived complain. (Miguel de Cervantes, Don
Quixote)
 You, who have never known your family, see them standing around
you. (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)
In the first example, the restrictive relative clause who has been
deceived specifies or defines the meaning of him in the independent clause, Let
him complain. In the second example, the non-restrictive relative clause who
have never known your family describes you in the independent clause, You see
them standing around you.
A noun clause is a dependent clause that functions like a noun. A noun clause
may function as the subject of a clause, or as a predicate nominative or
an object.
 What she had realised was that love was that moment when your heart was
about to burst. (Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
In this sentence the independent clause contains two noun clauses. The noun
clause What she had realized serves as the subject of the verb was, and that love
was that momentserves as complement. The sentence also contains a relative
clause, when your heart was about to burst.
Incomplete sentence[edit]
An incomplete sentence, or sentence fragment, is a set of words which does not
form a complete sentence, either because it does not express a complete
thought[1] or because it lacks some grammatical element, such as a subject or a
verb.[3] A dependent clause without an independent clause is one example of an
incomplete sentence.
Some prescriptive grammars[4] consider sentences starting with
a conjunction such as but or and to be incomplete sentences, but this style
prescription has "no historical or grammatical foundation".[5] Computer
grammar checkers often highlight incomplete sentences. If the context is clear
from the rest of the paragraph, however, an incomplete sentence may be
permissible.[6][unreliable source?]
Run-on (fused) sentences[edit]
A run-on or fused sentence consists of two or more independent clauses (i.e.
clauses with subject and predicate) that are joined without any appropriate
punctuation. An example of such a stylistically incorrect sentence could be, "It
is nearly half past five we cannot reach town before dark." Some common
remedies would be to separate the two independent clauses (between "five" and
"we") with either a period [...five. We...], a comma and conjunction (...five, and
we...), or a semicolon (...five; we...). Joining the two independent clauses with
only a comma is considered a different stylistic error, the comma splice. James
Joyce's novel Ulysses employs streams of consciousness, which takes literary
license by intentionally breaking this grammatical rule by use of long,
punctuation-free, run-on sentences, particularly in the final chapter "Penelope".
In general, run-on sentences occur when two or more independent clauses are
joined without using a coordinating
conjunction (i.e. for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or correct punctuation (i.e.
semicolon, dash, or period).[7][8][9] A run-on sentence can be as short as four
words, for instance: I drive she walks, or even I drive, she walks, because in
these short cases, there are two subjects paired with two intransitive verbs.
An imperative sentence like "Run walk" can be a run-on even if it only has two
words.
While some sources view comma splices as a form of run-on sentence,[8] others
limit the term to independent clauses that are joined without punctuation.[7][10]

Simple Compound Complex and Compound Complex Sentences

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Simple Compound Complex and Compound Complex Sentences

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What are the different types of sentences?

What are the different types of sentences?

What are the different types of clauses?

What are the different types of clauses?

A simple sentence consists of only one clause.

A compound sentence consists of

 I have enough money to buy an ice cream cone.

 I have enough money to buy an ice cream cone; my favourite flavour is

 Wherever she goes, she leaves her luggage

 Bob enjoyed the movie more than I did.

 I know that he likes me.

 That is the reason why I came.

 That is the place where he lives.

 No one understands why you need experience.

Coordinating conjunctions, also called coordinators, are conjunctions that

Subordinating conjunctions, also called subordinators, are conjunctions that join

 The girl ran into her bedroom.

 In the backyard, the dog barked and howled at the cat.

 I started on time, but I arrived late.

 The sun was shining, everyone appeared happy.

Complex and compound-complex sentences[edit]

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