Sentence Types

A simple sentence is a sentence with one independent clause. I love simple sentences. That's easy enough. It is obviously one independent clause.

But look at this: Being an English teacher with a penchant for syntactical complexity, I love simple sentences.

It's longer, more challenging and contains bigger words, but it's still a simple sentence.

Being an English teacher with a penchant for syntactical complexity" is a ____________ phrase. "With a penchant" and "for syntactical complexity" are ____________ phrases. participial prepositional

Look at this: Being an English teacher with a penchant for syntactical complexity, I love to read simple sentences upon getting up and before going to bed.

Amazingly, it's still a simple sentence. I am piling on phrase after phrase, but the sentence still contains only one _______________clause. independent

A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses.

Example: I love conjunctive adverbs, but my students love each other. The independent clauses? The dependent clauses?

Example: I love conjunctive adverbs, but my students love each other. (The independent clauses are in blue. This sentence contains no dependent clauses)

Sometimes a compound sentence contains more than two independent clauses. Example: I love conjunctive adverbs; my students love each other, and we all love holidays.

I love conjunctive adverbs; my students love each other, and we all love holidays.

A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

Because life is complex, we need complex sentences. The independent clause? The dependent clause?

Because life is complex, we need complex sentences. (The independent clause is in blue. The dependent clause is italicized.)

Because people know that I am an English teacher, they make allowances for how I dress and what I say.

Because people know that I am an English teacher, they make allowances for how I dress and what I say. This sentence contains four dependent clauses. The independent clause is in blue. Note that two of the dependent clauses are inside of and part of the independent clause.

A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

Because I am an English teacher, some people expect me to speak perfectly, and other people expect me to write perfectly.

Because I am an English teacher, some people expect me to speak perfectly, and other people expect me to write perfectly. The dependent clause is underlined, and the independent clauses are in blue.

Some people tell me that my grading is too tough, and others tell me that my assignments are boring.

Some people tell me that my grading is too tough, and others tell me that my assignments are boring. The independent clauses are in blue. The dependent clauses are italicized. Note that the dependent clauses occur within the independent clauses. It often happens.

Practice: Identify whether the sentences are simple, complex, compound or compound-complex. Please underline dependent clauses where it applies. 1.Vampires Dairies is my favorite television show, but I also love True Blood. 2. The student wiped the white board that was filthy with last week’s notes. 3. The trendy fashion designer released her new line on Wednesday. 4. Trina and Hareem went to a bar in Hollywood to celebrate their anniversary. Simple Complex Compound

Practice: Identify whether the sentences are simple, complex, compound or compound-complex. Please underline dependent clauses where it applies. 5. Wicked Regina cast a spell on the entire city, so the citizens decided to rebel. 6. While waiting for the paint to dry, Angela went to Home Depot, and Martin organized the kitchen appliances. 7. After listening to the Kanye West CD, I have new respect for his music. 8. After the teacher chose groups, John and Sara were selected as partners for a project, yet Sarah did most of the work. Compound Compound-complex Complex Compound-complex