1. Simple, Compound, & Complex Sentences
THE 3 SENTENCE TYPES
Simple, Compound, & Complex Sentences
Created 2015 by Cindy Leibel

2. Look at the sentences. what is a compound sentence
Look at the sentences. what is a compound sentence? What is a simple sentence?
SIMPLE
COMPOUND
I love to eat.
I love to eat, and she loves to relax.
We have cows and horses.
We have cows, but we don’t have horses.
John studies math.
John studies math, and I do, too.
Mizuho and Tyler eat meat and vegetables.
Mizuho eats meat, and Tyler eats vegetables.

3. SIMPLE SENTENCES

4. SIMPLE SENTENCES A simple sentence involves one S/V pair, or a clause.
This could be S and S V
S V and V
S and S V and V
Nadia talks.
Nadia and Danielle talk.
Nadia talks and walks.
Nadia and Danielle talk, eat, and walk.

5. COMPOUND SENTENCES

6. COMPOUND SENTENCES A compound sentence involves 2 or more S/V pairs.
John ran, but Joe stayed.
You can watch, or you can help me.
I hate it, but he’s right.

7. COMPOUND SENTENCES We use FANBOYS with simple and compound sentences!
For
And
Nor
But Or
Yet So

8. COMPOUND SENTENCES
DO NOT start a sentence with FANBOYS. It’s common in speech and informal writing.
It’s bad in formal writing!
I saw my mother. And I left home.
AAAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHH!!!

9. COMPOUND SENTENCES We don’t like to repeat the same word in English!
We just take away the extra words if the meaning is clear!
Are the new sentences simple or compound?
John ran, and John jumped.
John ran and jumped.
People laugh, and people cry.
People laugh and cry.
I ate a cake, and I ate a pie.
I ate a cake and a pie.

10. PRACTICE TIME! Combine A + B. A B Combined 1 I run. Nadia runs. 2
It’s cold outside.
We have numb fingers. 3
You can stay.
Or, you can go. 4
I want to watch.
But, it’s scary. 5
I’m hungry.
So, I’m eating food.

11. PRACTICE TIME! Combine A + B. A B Combined 1 I run. Nadia runs. 2
Nadia and I run. 2
It’s cold outside.
We have numb fingers.
It’s cold outside, and we have numb fingers. 3
You can stay.
Or, you can go.
You can stay or go. 4
I want to watch.
But, it’s scary.
I want to watch, but it’s scary. 5
I’m hungry.
So, I’m eating food.
I’m hungry, so I’m eating food.
PRACTICE TIME!

12. Look at the sentences. what is a compound sentence
Look at the sentences. what is a compound sentence? What is a simple sentence?
SIMPLE
COMPOUND
I love to eat.
I love to eat, and she loves to relax.
We have cows and horses.
We have cows, but we don’t have horses.
John studies math.
John studies math, and I do, too.
Mizuho and Tyler eat meat and vegetables.
Mizuho eats meat, and Tyler eats vegetables.

13. COMPLEX SENTENCES

14. Look at the sentences. what is a compound sentence
Look at the sentences. what is a compound sentence? What is a COMPLEX sentence?
COMPOUND
COMPLEX
I love to eat, and she loves to relax.
If you eat, you will relax.
We have cows, but we don’t have horses.
We have cows when we don’t have horses.
John studies math, and I do, too.
After John studies math, I will study.
Mizuho eats meat, and Tyler eats vegetables.
You should study English before you visit.

15. COMPLEX SENTENCES
Complex sentences follow different rules than compound sentences.
They are more difficult. They are more complex.

16. COMPLEX SENTENCES- COMMAS
We use subordinating conjunctions with complex sentences.
Sometimes we use commas, sometimes we don’t.
Can you guess when we use the commas?
If I go there, she’ll be angry. She’ll be angry if I go there. When you come, he’ll leave. He’ll leave when you come.

17. COMPLEX SENTENCES- COMMAS
We use subordinating conjunctions with complex sentences.
We call them SC for short!

18. COMPLEX SENTENCES
Next, let’s talk about DEPENDENT and INDEPENDENT clauses!

19. COMPLEX SENTENCES
As a student, if you are INDEPENDENT, you can do many adult things by yourself. You can do laundry, buy groceries, and pay rent.
If you are DEPENDENT, adults or friends do these things for you because you don’t know how, or you are afraid!
INDEPENDENT
DEPENDENT

20. COMPLEX SENTENCES When you study, you will do well.
You will do well when you study.
Dependent clause (DC)
Independent Clause (IC)

21. COMPLEX SENTENCES IC
Dependent clause = DC
Independent clause = IC DC

22. COMPLEX SENTENCES
If a clause starts with an SC, it’s DEPENDENT. It doesn’t want to be alone.
This clause is DEPENDENT on another, stronger, clause, the INDEPENDENT clause.
When she leaves, I cry.
She leaves when I cry.

23. COMPLEX SENTENCES An INDEPENDENT clause is very strong.
It does not need help going shopping, and it can stand in a sentence by itself.
I’ll buy you cake. = 
I’ll come to the store with you. =

24. COMPLEX SENTENCES A DEPENDENT clause gets sad when it is alone.
It doesn’t know how to do anything that adult sentences do, so it always needs an adult sentence.
When she leaves. = 
If you go. = 
When she leaves, I’ll buy you cake. = 
If you go, I’ll come to the store with you. =

25. COMPLEX SENTENCES When the DC is at the BEGINNING, we use a comma!
When the DC is at the END, we don’t use a comma!
If I go there, she’ll be angry. She’ll be angry if I go there. When you come, he’ll leave. He’ll leave when you come.

26. Look at the sentences. what is a compound sentence
Look at the sentences. what is a compound sentence? What is a COMPLEX sentence?
COMPOUND
COMPLEX
I love to eat, and she loves to relax.
If you eat, you will relax.
We have cows, but we don’t have horses.
We have cows when we don’t have horses.
John studies math, and I do, too.
After John studies math, I will study.
Mizuho eats meat, and Tyler eats vegetables.
You should study English before you visit.