Sentence Types

By Douglas Jones Language and Culture Center University of Houston

 Simple  Compound  Complex

SUBJECTPREDICATE

Mary plays tennis. SUBJECT PREDICATE

Mary plays tennis. SUBJECT PREDICATE one subject one predicate

play tennis.Tom and Mary Compound Subject &

play tennis and swim. Tom and Mary Compound Subject Compound Predicate & &

Tom and Mary play tennis.

Tom and Mary play tennis and swim.

Hi, I’m Punctuation Pete!

No comma before “and” in compound subjects and predicates! Tom and Mary play tennis and swim.

SUBJECTPREDICATE SUBJECT PREDICATE and

Tomswims, Maryplays tennis. and

FOR AND NOR BUT OR YET SO

Tom swims, and Mary plays tennis. Clause 1 Clause 2 Independent

Tom swims, and Mary plays tennis. Comma before “and” in compound sentences!

MOREOVER HOWEVER OTHERWISE THEREFORE

Bob is handsome; moreover, he is rich. Clause 1 Clause 2 Independent

Note: Semicolon before conjunctive adverb and comma after conjunctive adverb! Bob is handsome; moreover, he is rich.

Note: Place commas before and after a conjunctive adverb in the middle! Bob is handsome; he is, moreover, rich.

Bob is handsome; he is rich, moreover.

Note: Place a comma before a conjunctive adverb at the end! Bob is handsome; he is rich, moreover.

 “ If the relation between the ideas expressed in the main clauses is very close and obvious without a conjunction, you can separate the clauses with a semicolon ” (Little, Brown Handbook, 9th Edition, p. 361).

Matt has benefited from his exercise program; he is slim and energetic.

SUBJECTPREDICATE SUBJECTPREDICATE even though

Bobis popular heis ugly. even though

EVEN THOUGH WHEN BECAUSE UNLESS WHEREAS ADVERB CLAUSES

Bob is popular even though he is ugly. Clause 1 Clause 2 Independent Dependent

Even though Bob is ugly, he is popular. Clause 1 Clause 2 Dependent Independent

When the MAIN clause is first, it is usually NOT followed by a comma! Bob is popular even though he is ugly.

When the ADVERB clause is first, it is followed by a comma! Even though Bob is ugly, he is popular.

Mikeis popular heis good looking, because heis not very happy. but

Punctuate each clause according to its rules! Mike is popular because he is good looking, but he is not very happy.

Punctuation Review!

No commas before “and” in compound subjects and predicates! My friends and I play tennis and go bowling every weekend. SIMPLE SENTENCE

Comma before coordinating conjunction! Men may exercise harder, but they may not exercise as regularly as women do. COMPOUND SENTENCE: Coordinating Conjunction

Semicolon before conjunctive adverb Comma after conjunctive adverb! Native and nonnative English speakers have different needs; however, some schools fail to distinguish between these groups. COMPOUND SENTENCE: Conjunctive Adverb

Semicolon after first independent clause-- Commas before and after conjunctive adverb! Native and nonnative English speakers have different needs; some schools, however, fail to distinguish between these groups. COMPOUND SENTENCE: Conjunctive Adverb--in the middle

Semicolon after first independent clause-- Comma before conjunctive adverb! Native and nonnative English speakers have different needs; some schools fail to distinguish between these groups, however. COMPOUND SENTENCE: Conjunctive Adverb at the end

When main clause is first, it is not usually followed by a comma! People had continuous moderate exercise when they had to hunt for food. COMPLEX SENTENCE: Adverb Clauses--Subordinating Conjunction

When the adverb clause is first, it is followed by a comma! When people had to hunt for food, they had continuous moderate exercise. COMPLEX SENTENCE: Adverb Clauses--Subordinating Conjunction

Writing Academic English, Second Edition, by Alice Oshima and Ann Hogue. White Plains: Addison, Wesley, Longman, The Little, Brown Handbook, by H. Ramsey Fowler and Jane E. Aaron, Pearson, 2004.