Sentence Types
Structurally there are three types of sentences, simple, compound, and complex.
Simple Sentences
A sentence is a statement about someone or something doing something or being something.
- My dog ate my homework.
- He is a bad dog.
- My teacher doesn't believe me.
The three sentences above are each about one action or state of existence. They are simple sentences.
Compound Sentences
If we join two related simple sentences, the result is a compound sentence.
- Rover ate my homework, but Miss Grundy didn't believe me.
- I didn't have my homework, so I got in trouble with Miss Grundy.
- Miss Grundy is very strict, and she assigns lots of homework.
The two parts of each of these sentences are joined by a coordinating conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions include words like " but," " so," " and,"" or"," yet." Coordinate means that the two parts of the sentence are of equal value. Notice that in these sentences there is a comma before the conjunction. The two parts of a compound sentence are sometimes called independent clauses. That means that each part could be a sentence by itself:
- Rover ate my homework.
- Miss Grundy didn't believe me.
A clause is a group of words having a subject and verb. It is joined to another clause to make a longer sentence, such as a compound sentence.
Complex Sentences
Complex sentences also contain two clauses. However, only one of those clauses is independent. The other is dependent. It has a subject and a verb, but it doesn't express a complete thought.
The sentences below are complex. The independent clause in each one is underlined. The rest of the sentence is the dependent clause. It has a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete thought. The subjects and verbs in the dependent clauses are italicized.
- If you want a quick answer, ask Mr. Know-it-all.
- Mr. K., who thinks he knows everything, doesn't know beans.
- You tell me what you want to do.
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