Advanced Sentence Structures Complex, Compound, and Complex-Compound Sentences

Review Terms Subject: Who/ What the Sentence is about Verb: The action or statement of being in the sentence Action State of being Clause (group of words with a subject and a verb) Independent-strong, stands alone Dependent-subordinate-weak, needs support Phrase (group of words that is missing a S, V, or both)

Simple Sentences A simple sentence contains only one independent clause, but it can have more than one subject or verb: Compound subject - TWO OR MORE SUBJECTS: The student and his friend yawned. Compound verb - TWO OR MORE VERBS : The student yawned and fell asleep. Compound subject/ verb – The student and his friend yawned and fell asleep. -- Even though they may have more than one subject or verb, these are all still considered simple sentences, because they contain only ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.

Compound Sentence A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses that are usually joined by a semicolon or a coordinating conjunction: Coordinating Conjunctions – F.A.N.B.O.Y.S! Coordinating conjunctions are words that help you connect two independent clauses. An easy way to remember them is to use the FANBOYS acronym: F or A nd N or B ut O r Y et S o

Examples of Compound Sentences COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS: Henry got a new job, so he has to move. I have a lot of homework, but I am not going to have time to study tonight. The experiment was deemed successful, yet our results were unsatisfactory. The students were unhappy with their professor, for he often wasted their time in class. Compound sentence without coordinating conjunctions: While most compound sentences are formed with a coordinating conjunction, often good writers decide to eliminate the conjunction and simply add a semicolon: The ambitious student initiated the research; the teacher was pleased by her efforts. The students were unhappy with their professor; he often wasted their time in class.

Complex Sentence Complex sentence A complex sentence has an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses attached. Examples: After I came home, I made dinner. (dependent clause: "After I came home") (indpendent clause: I made dinner) We visited the museum before it closed. (dependent clause: before it closed.) (independent clause: We visited the museum)

Compound vs. Complex COMPOUND sentence: TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES!! (John was tired, but he finished his homework..) COMPLEX sentence: ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE + ONE DEPENDENT CLAUSE!! (Although John was tired, he finished his homework.)

Compound-Complex Sentences A complex - compound sentence contains two independent clauses + at least one dependent clause Although John was tired, he finished his homework; he went to bed at 10pm. Independent Clause: He finished his homework Independent Clause: He went to bed at 10pm. Dependent Clause: Although John was tired

Complex-Compound Sentences We decided that the movie was too violent, but our children, who like to watch scary movies, thought that we were wrong. independent clause: "We decided that the movie was too violent" independent clause: "(but) our children thought that we were wrong" dependent clause: who like to watch scary movies