Consists of a single independent clause. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane. Keep in mind that you can have either a compound subject, compound predicate, or both. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane and improving the bicycle.

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses joined in one of two ways. I. With a semicolon ; The semicolon works independently to join the sentences together. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane; Robert Fulton invented the steamboat.

II. With a comma and a conjunction. The conjunctions spell out the acronym FANBOYS. For, and, nor, but, or, yet, & so. The comma and conjunction work as a team and both are needed to form a compound. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane, but Robert Fulton invented the steamboat.

Comma splice- If you omit the conjunction, you end up with a comma splice. Remember, a comma can’t join two complete sentences. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane, Robert Fulton invented the steamboat.

Comma splice: The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane, Robert Fulton invented the steamboat. You can correct the comma splice in three ways: A. Add a conjunction (FANBOYS) after the comma. : The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane, but Robert Fulton invented the steamboat.

B. Remove the comma and place a period. Begin the next sentence with a capital. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane. Robert Fulton invented the steamboat. C. Take out the comma and insert a semicolon. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane; Robert Fulton invented the steamboat.

Run on- a compound sentence formed without a comma (or without any joining punctuation.) The conjunction can’t join the compound on its own. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane but Robert Fulton invented the steamboat. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane Robert Fulton invented the steamboat.

Run on: The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane but Robert Fulton invented the steamboat. You can correct the run-on in three ways: A. Add a comma before the conjunction(FANBOYS). The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane, but Robert Fulton invented the steamboat.

B. Remove the conjunction and place a period. Begin the next sentence with a capital. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane. Robert Fulton invented the steamboat. C. Take out the conjunction and insert a semicolon. The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane; Robert Fulton invented the steamboat.

Did you notice how the conjunction (FANBOYS) and comma work together? Leave out the conjunction (FANBOYS) and you have a comma splice sentence. Leave out the comma and you have a run on sentence.

A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. Although Robert Fulton invented the steamboat, the Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane. “The Wright brothers are credited for inventing the airplane” is an independent clause. “Although Robert Fulton invented the steamboat” is a dependent clause.

Depending on their function in a sentence, dependent clauses may be adverb clauses or adjective clauses.

afteralthoughas as ifas though because beforeeven thoughif in order thatnow thatonce rather thansince so that thatthoughunless until when whenever wherewhere aswherever while

thatwhatwhatever whichwhowhose whomwhoeverwhomever Keep in mind that the dependent clause can appear at any point in the sentence.

It’s important to realize that dependent clauses can’t stand on their own. When this happens, a fragment is created. Although Robert Fulton invented the steamboat. The term “although” sets up a two part idea. Although this – that. To correct a fragment either delete the subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun (if appropriate), or add the fragment to an independent clause.

A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses. Although the Wright brothers made improvements to the bicycle, they are credited for inventing the airplane; they were given the first patent for their wing warping design.

To help you express ideas more fluently To show a complexity of thought To create audience interest To make points really stand out – simple sentence To bury bad news – compound-complex Try to use a variety of sentence types in your writing.