Kinds of Sentences (According To Structure) : Dr. Armando L. Pama NDMU, Koronadal City

KINDS of SENTENCES
(According to structure)
Dr. Armando L. Pama

NDMU, Koronadal City
A sentence has a subject and a
verb and expresses a complete
thought.
SIMPLE SENTENCE
• Simple sentences contain one independent

clause and no dependent clauses.
Ex: The machine was designed for high- speed

work.
COMPOUND SENTENCE
• Compound sentences contain two or more

independent clauses connected by
conjunctions.
Ex: The machine was designed by his boss but

he promoted it.
COMPLEX SENTENCE
• Complex sentences contain one independent

clause and one or more dependent clauses.
• Ex: When all the preparations are done, the

construction begins.
COMPOUND COMPLEX SENTENCE
• Compound- complex sentences have two

independent clauses and one or more
dependent clauses.
Ex: If this project is to succeed, the supervisor

should visit the site everyday and the workers
must work efficiently.
EXERCISE: Identify each of the following
sentences as simple, compound, complex,
compound-complex.
1.Nancy wanted to go to the dance, but she had to
baby- sit.
2. When the rabbit saw us, it ran into the bushes.
3. You should either buy a new bicycle or fix your
old one.
4. Leroy knew the plan, and he assigned us each a
part.
5. Before the game started, all the football players
ran out unto the field, and everyone cheered.
6. Yes, that seems like the right answer to
me.
7. The pig broke out of its pen and trampled
the flowers.
8. Beyond that building and around the
corner, the line stretched all the way down
the block to the movie theater.
9. Is the movie playing at the drive-in, or do
we have to go to the theater in the mall?
10. Lawrence caught the ball but then
dropped it.
Answer Key
1.Compound 6. Simple
2. Complex 7. Simple
3. Simple 8. Complex
4. Compound 9. Compound
5. Compound-Complex 10. Simple
A simple sentence may have a compound
subject(1), a compound verb(2), or
both(3).
1. Beth and Sheila won Olympic medals.

2.The pig broke out of its pen and trampled the
flowers.
3. The astronomer and her assistant studied
the heavens and wrote reports on their
findings.
The Clause
A clause is a group of words that contains a verb
and its subject and is used as a part of a sentence.
However, not every clause expresses a complete
thought, as all sentences do.
Clauses that express a complete thought are called
independent clauses.
Clauses that do not express a complete thought by
themselves are called subordinate clauses. Like
phrases, they can serve as nouns, adjectives, and
adverbs.
The Independent Clause
Since it was my mother’s birthday, I bought

her a cake.
The Subordinate Clause
Subordinate means “lesser in rank or
importance.” Since a subordinate
clause cannot stand by itself, it is
considered “below the rank” of an
independent clause. Some subordinate
clauses begin with words such as since,
when, if, as, who, which, or that.
1. Since most plants die without
light, we moved our house plants
closer to the window.
2. John, who was on the debating

team last year, won his argument
with the teacher.
EXERCISE: Draw one line under each
independent clause and two lines under each
subordinate clause.
1. The detective show appeared on television for
several weeks before it became popular with viewers.
2. As studies continued, many important facts about
nutrition were discovered.
3. While the crew was constructing the sets, the
performers continued their rehearsal, which went on
the night.
4. A group of popular singers, who donated their time,
recorded a song that made people aware of the
problems in cities.
PHRASES
• A phrase is a group of words that functions in
a sentence as a single part of speech. Phrases
do not contain a subject and verb.
• Prepositional Phrase: under the window, near
them, at the store
Adjective Phrase: with blue eyes, of the team
Adverb Phrase: after a two-hour delay, in the
cabinet
The Prepositional Phrase
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins
with a preposition and usually ends with a noun or
pronoun.
1. During the night, the horse ran off.
2. Maria operates her computer from her wheelchair.
A prepositional phrase may contain two or more
objects.
3. The dish is filled with crackers and cookies.
4. The group traveled through Spain and Italy.
The Adjective Phrase
An adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase
that modifies a noun or a pronoun. Note that
adjectives and adjective phrases do the same
work: they modify a noun.
Adj.: The lighthouse beacon stayed all night.

A.P. : The beacon from the lighthouse stayed
on all night.
The Adverb Phrase
An adverb phrase is a prepositional phrase
that modifies a verb, an adjective, or an
adverb.
1. The snow fell like feathers. (how?)

2. Her dress is too short at the back. (where?)
3. We arrived early in the morning. (when?)
Exercise: Identify the prepositional phrases in the
following sentences. Tell whether they are adjective or
adverb phrases. Write also the words they modify.
1. The food is fantastic beyond belief.
2. Almost everyone has gone to the new
place.
3. Only small children rode in wagons.
4. Carol read a book on the origins of words.
5. Imagine what would happen if everybody in
every house in the city had a bad day.
Answer Key
1. beyond relief; adverb phrase; fantastic
2. to the new place; adverb phrase; gone
3. in wagons; adverb phrase; rode
4. on the origins, of words; adjective
phrase; book, origins
5. in every house, in the city; adjective
phrase; everybody, house

Kinds of Sentences (According To Structure) : Dr. Armando L. Pama NDMU, Koronadal City

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KINDS of SENTENCES

Dr. Armando L. Pama

• Simple sentences contain one independent

Ex: The machine was designed for high- speed

• Compound sentences contain two or more

Ex: The machine was designed by his boss but

• Complex sentences contain one independent

• Ex: When all the preparations are done, the

• Compound- complex sentences have two

Ex: If this project is to succeed, the supervisor

1. Beth and Sheila won Olympic medals.

Since it was my mother’s birthday, I bought

2. John, who was on the debating

Adj.: The lighthouse beacon stayed all night.

1. The snow fell like feathers. (how?)

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