Sentence Structure: Four Types of SentencesSeptember 3, 2014

Basic Elements of Every Sentence

SUBJECT PREDICATE

WHO did itWHAT they did (verb phrase)

Basic Elements of a Sentence

Mary plays tennis.

SUBJECT PREDICATE

To Do: 1. Turn your paper horizontal

2. Make ONLY the parts of the tree map below…for now4 Types of

Sentences

Simple Compound ComplexCompound - Complex

2nd Row of MapThis is how we will organize our notes

today: NOTE: I have found it easier to draw my boxes AFTER I have

written my information.

4 Types of Sentences

Simple

Definition

Example

Compound

Definition

Example

Complex

Definition

Example

Compound - Complex

Definition

Example

Simple Sentence

Definition Has 1 independent

clause

Can stand alone as a sentence

Does not necessarily mean it is an “easy” or uncomplicated sentence

Examples I love simple

sentences.

For Example:Being an English

teacher with a penchant for syntactical

complexity, I love simple sentences.

Compound Sentence

Definition Has 2 or more

independent clauses (clauses that can stand alone)

Combined with a conjunction or semicolon

Example

I love my dog Roxy, but she can be

very destructive at

times.

Complex Sentence

Definition Has 1 independent

clause

AND

1 or more dependent clauses

Example

Because I love Hershey’s Cookies N’ Cream bars, Kelci gave one to me to help me feel better.

Compound-Complex Sentence

Definition 2 or more

independent clauses

AND

1 or more dependent clauses

Example

Because I am an English teacher, some people expect me to speak perfectly, and other people expect me to write perfectly.