Sentences in English Simple, Compound, and Complex By AJ Brown

There are three basic types of sentences in English. A simple sentence has one clause. [ AJ and her sister lived in Spain.] [ It is sunny. ] A compound sentence has two clauses. [ AJ lived in Spain], and [ she lived in Japan. ] [ It is sunny], but [ it is not warm. ] A complex sentence also has two clauses. [ AJ lived in Spain] [ when she was 25. ] [ Although it is sunny], [ it is not warm. ] Remember – a clause is a group of words with both a subject & verb!

A simple sentence… is one independent clause with a period at the end, so it only has one subject/verb pair. AJ lived in Spain. Peter ate dinner. The subject can be joined by a coordinator. AJ and her sister lived in Spain. Peter and his friend ate dinner. The verb can also be joined by a coordinator. AJ lived and worked in Spain. Peter made and ate dinner.

A compound sentence… is two independent clauses joined by a coordinator [FAN BOYS], so it has two subject/verb pairs. (compound) He lives in Vancouver, but he works in Portland. (simple) They were hungry so ate dinner. Should always have a comma in academic English. My mother valued education, so she took night classes. Now she is an attorney, and she enjoys her work. Should have its clauses logically connected. (GOOD) My mother is an attorney, and she enjoys her work. (BAD) My mother is an attorney, and my sister is a teenager. The 7 Coordinators (FAN BOYS) and yet but nor or for so

A complex sentence… is an independent and dependent clause joined by a subordinator [if, because, etc.], so it has two subject/verb pairs. (complex) Although he lives in Salem, he works in Portland. (simple) She was poor but very happy. has a dependent clause that cannot be a sentence alone. (WRONG!!) After I came to Portland. (RIGHT!!) After I came to Portland, my English improved. Uses a comma when the dependent clause is first. (comma) If you finish early, meet us at the library. (no comma) Meet us at the library if you finish early. Common subordinators: although because if since unless whereas when while before after until as soon as that who which

Now you try…SS, CS, or XS? (7 sentences first, then their types…) He picked up the phone. He picked up the phone, and he called his mom. He picked up the phone and called his mom. He picked up the phone when his mom called. The Green Party candidate from the southern part of the state has raised over $100,000. I’ll come if you want. Drive faster or we’ll miss the show. SS CS SS XS SS CS XS

Problems to avoid… #1 don’t use a coordinator and subordinator in the same sentence Although my mother spoke Swahili, but my father did not. (use just the subordinator) Although my mother spoke Swahili, my father did not. (use just the coordinator) My mother spoke Swahili, but my father did not. Wrong!!! What can you do?

Problems to avoid… #2 don’t use a comma if the dependent clause is second. I came here to study, because I need English for my job. (delete the comma) I came here to study because I need English for my job. (move the dependent clause) Because I need English for my job, I came here to study. Wrong!!! What can you do?

Problems to avoid… #3 don’t use a dependent clause by itself. After I came to the U.S. (add the independent clause) After I came to the United States, my English improved a lot. My English improved a lot after I came to the United States. Wrong!!! What can you do?

Sentences Errors in English Frag, CS, and RO

There are also three basic types of sentence errors in academic English. A sentence fragment (Frag) My father a very smart man. Because tatami floors are made of straw. A comma splice (CS) My cousin is an engineer, he lives in Syria. Kimchee seems exotic, it is easy to make. A run-on sentence (RO) As the Serengeti is a big place there are many animals there. I have met many wonderful people at PSU many of them are Buddhists.

(1) Sentence Fragments… #1 clause w/out a verb My father a very important man. My sisters taller than my father. (add the verb ) My father is a very important man. (add the verb) My sisters are taller than my father. Frag (missing verb) What can you do? Speakers of languages w/out a BE verb, like Arabic, may make this error.

(1) Sentence Fragments… #2 clause w/out a subject Is very important to clean the rice first. In UAE is very beautiful. (add the subject ) It is very important to clean the rice first. (add the subject) In UAE, the land is very beautiful. UAE is very beautiful. Frag (missing subject) What can you do? Speakers of languages that don’t need subjects, like Spanish, may make this error.

(1) Sentence Fragments… #3 dep clause w/out an ind clause After the rain stopped. Because tatami floors are made of straw. (add the ind clause ) We began after the rain stopped. (add the ind clause) Shoes are also taken off because tatami floors are made of straw. Frag (complex sentence not complete) What can you do? In spoken English, a dep clause alone is ok, so many American students make this error when they write.

(2) Comma Splice errors… #1 missing conjunction My cousin is an engineer, he lives in Syria. Kimchee seems exotic, it is easy to make. (add the conj ) My cousin is an engineer, and he lives in Syria. (add the conj) Although Kimchee seems exotic, it is easy to make. CS (missing conj) What can you do? Ideas of both clauses must be logically related to each other.

(2) Comma Splice errors… #2 two simple sentences My cousin is an engineer, engineering is a great job. Kimchee seems exotic, I first made it when I was a girl. (change comma to period) My cousin is an engineer. Engineering is a great job. (change comma to period) Kimchee seems exotic. I first made it when I was a girl. CS (2 sentences) What can you do? If ideas of both clauses are not logically related, make 2 sentences.

(3) Run-On sentences… #1 forgotten comma As the Serengeti is a big place there are many animals there. I studied all night but I didn’t pass the test. (add the comma) As the Serengeti is a big place, there are many animals there. (add the comma) I studied all night, but I didn’t pass the test. RO (no comma) What can you do? Remember the comma rules for complex and compound sentences.

(3) Run-On sentences… #2 forgotten comma and conjunction I didn’t eat breakfast I am very hungry right now. I have met many wonderful people at PSU many of them are Buddhists. (add the comma & conj) I didn’t eat breakfast, so I am very hungry right now. (add the comma & conj) I have met many wonderful people at PSU, and many of them are Buddhists. RO (no comma or conj) What can you do? Remember the correct ways to connect two clauses.

Now you try…Frag, CS, or RO? (7 sentences first, then their errors…) Before Australia entered the war. Coffee is said to have originated in Ethiopia, a herder learned about it from his goats. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait very close to each other. I went to Japan I taught English there. In some parts of my country are herds of wild horses. Stretch slowly you must warm up your body. Drive faster, we’ll miss the show. Frag CS Frag RO Frag CS RO