Classifying Sentences by Structure

A simple sentence has one complete subject and one complete predicate. The complete subject names who or what the sentence is about. The complete predicate tell what the subject does or has. Sometimes it tells what the subject is like.

Simple Sentence Examples The snow fell. (with one subject and one verb.) Snow and ice are common. (With a compound subject.) The window squeaked and shook (with a compound verb.) My brother and sister brought bagels and made coffee. (with compound subject and compound verb.) She opened the flower box and the card. (with a compound direct object.) You can drive from the east coast or from the west. (with a compound prepositional phrase.)

They may also be connected with a semicolon (;) or a colon (:). Compound sentence A compound sentence is a sentence that contains two or more connected simple sentences. Each simple sentence in a compound sentence is called a main clause (or independent clause.) In most compound sentences, the main or independent clauses are joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or yet, so.) They may also be connected with a semicolon (;) or a colon (:).

Main Clause/ Independent Clause A main clause has a subject and a predicate and can stand alone in a sentence.

Compound Sentence Examples Tanner may be very smart, but he still acts immaturely sometimes. Millions of people live in cities, but many others reside in the suburbs. Most people travel to work, and many of them use public transportation. Commuters take trains, buses, and cars; some even fly. Helicopters are often used to monitor traffic conditions, but computers can more accurately predict travel time.

Complex Sentence Subordinate Clause A complex sentence is a sentence that has one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. A subordinate clause is a group of words that has a subject and a predicate but does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone in a sentence. A subordinate clause is always combined with a main clause in a sentence. Complex Sentence Subordinate Clause

When the sun set, the caravans stopped for the night. The dromedary has one hump, which stores fat. Complex Sentence Subordinate Clause Examples subordinate Clauses in Black Type.

Compound -Complex Sentence A compound-complex sentence consists of two or more main or independent clauses and one or more subordinate clauses.

Compound -Complex Sentence Examples As he was leaving for work, Andy remembered to take his glasses, but he forgot the presentation that he had worked on the night before. Main clauses in white Subordinate clauses in gray.