Teacher: Fabian Oyarzún Rios.

Compound and Complex Sentences

Colegio Arriaran BarrosDepartamento de Inglés

Sentence Structure

In the previous semester, you learned about simple andcompound sentences. In this unit, we will review whatyou already know and add a little information aboutcompound sentences. Then, we will introduce you to athird kind of English sentence, Complex Sentences.

Independent ClausesA clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb. Some clauses can stand alone as a sentence. This

kind of clause is an independent clause.

A simple sentence is one independent clause

Ex: Tom loves Erica.

What was the structure of a compound sentence?

Compound SentenceA compound sentence is two independent clauses

joined together by a comma and one of the seven coordinating conjunctions:

, and, but , so, or, for, yet

We will distinguish THREE ways of creating compound

sentences

1st type

Comma and coordinating conjunction

Tom loves Erica, and she loves him.

Jack loves Jean, but she loves Ronald.

Jack should forget Jean, or he will die a lonely man.

Jean doesn’t love Jack, so she won’t marry him.

2nd type

Join the two independent clauses with a semicolon ; The first word after a semicolon is not capitalized.

• Tom loves Erica; she loves him.

• Jack loves Jean; she loves Ronald.

• Jean doesn’t love Jack; she won’t marry him.

3rd type

Join the two independent clauses in the following way:

semicolon + sentence connector + comma

Sentence conncectors are words such as

however or therefore.

Here is a list of frequently used sentence conncectors and their approximate meaning

Sentence conncector Meaning

MoreoverFurthermoreHoweverOtherwise

Therefore

andand butor, in the sense of “if not”so, in the sense of “as a result”

ExamplesTom loves Erica; moreover, she loves him.

Tom loves Erica; furthermore, she loves him.

Jack loves Jean; however, she loves Ronald.

Jean doesn’t love Jack; therefore, she won’t marry him.

Jack should forget Jean; otherwise, he will die a lonely man.

Combine each of the following pairs of sentences to make a compound sentence. Use all three ways you have just learned, and punctuate carefully.

Exercises

1. Robots can do boring, repetitive work. They can do unsafe jobs.

1. _____________________________________

2.______________________________________

3.______________________________________

2. Robots can make minor desicions. They cannot really think.

1. _____________________________________

2.______________________________________

3.______________________________________

3. Robots don’t get tired, sick, or hungry. They can work twenty-four hours a day.

1. _____________________________________

2.______________________________________

3.______________________________________

4. Human factory workers must learn new skills. They will be out of work because of robots.

1. _____________________________________

2.______________________________________

3.______________________________________

Dependent Clauses

A dependent clause is a clause (a group of words with a subject and a verb) that does not express a complete

thought and cannot stand alone.

Examples of dependent clauses

1. which can work twenty four hours a day. 2. who cannot work around the clock. 3. before the company installed robots. 4. because production meet buyers’ demands. 5. that robots are here to stay. 6. whether they assemble watches or lift automobile parts.

Independent clause Dependent clauseThe company uses robots,

Robots will replace employees,

Product ion was average

Annual sales are now over one million

which can work twenty four hours a day.

who cannot work around the clock.

before the company installed robots.

because production meet buyer’s demands.

A dependent clause must be connected to an independent clause in order to make a complete sentence, which is called a

Complex Sentence.

The word that begins a dependent clause is called a Subordinating Conjuction.

Exercises

Write independent or dependent in front of each of the following clauses:

1. _______ When we arrived at the airport later. 2. _______ We arrived at the airport two hours later. 3. _______ Because the teacher gave us such hard

exams. 4. _______ After they got married.5. _______ Afterward, they got married.6. _______ Which is not an easy thing to do. 7. _______ Which student got the highest grade?8. _______ Who will go the store?9. _______ While I was a student in high school.10. _______ Where he parked the car.

Dependent clauses tell why, when, or where or introduce an opposite idea.

They begin with one of these subordinating conjunctions:

• because all of their needs are taken care of.

• since all of their needs are taken care of.

• as all their needs are taken care of.

1. To tell why: because, since, as.

2. To tell when and where: when, whenever, since, while, as soon as, after, before, wherever.

• when they are separated from their natural predators.

• whenever the animals are sick.

• since modern zoos have been in operation.

• while zoo animals are living in protected environment.

• as soon as they become sick.

• after animals pick up airbone diseases of human.

• before they become bored.

• wherever they wander within their habitats.

3. To introduce an opposite idea: although, though, even though.

• although animals in modern zoos live in safe artificial habitats

• though animals in modern zoos live in safe, artificial habitats

• even though animals in modern zoos live in safe, artificial habitats

Exercises

In the following sentences, underline independent clauses with a solid line and dependent clauses with a broken line. Then draw a circle around subordinating conjunctions.

1. Although you may not believe it, this is a true story.

2. On August 23, 1994, Tyke, an African elephant, went crazy before she was to perform at the Circus International in Honolulu.

3. Tyke became upset when a caretaker walked behind.

4. After she picked him up, she threw him into the show area.

5. Because the show was just about to begin, the audience thought that the attack was part of the performance.

6. When Tyke’s trainer tried to rescue the caretaker, she crushed the trainer to death.

Useful words

ConnectorsCoordinating conjunctions

for and nor but or yet so

Paired conjunctions both…and not only… but also neither… nor

Subordinating conjunctions

Time After

As soon asBefore Since Until When

Whenever

ReasonAs

BecauseSince

Comparison Just as

ContrastAlthough

Even though Whereas

While

Place Where

WhereverCondition

As ifEven if

If unless

Purpose In order that

So that

Sentence connectors

Additional idea Also

Besides Finally

FurthermoreIn addition Moreover

Opposite idea /

ContrastHowever In contrast

On the other hand

Similarity / Comparison

Also Likewise Similarly

Effect or Result

As a resultConsequently

Therefore Thus

ExampleFor example For instance

Choice or Alternative

Otherwise

PrepositionsBesides ….

In addition to …

Despite … In spite of …

Unlike …

Similar to … Like …

Other transition expressions

Opinions According to …In my opinion ...In my view …

I think …I believe …

I feel …(that)

ConclusionsAll in all, …

For these reasons, …In brief, …Indeed, …

In other words, …In short, …

In the end, …

Time orderFirst, …

First of all, …Second, …Next, …

After that, …Afterward, …

Later, …Finally, …

Meanwhile, …Then, …Now, …

At the beginning of the, …Before the, …After the, …

During the, …On the day of the, …

Order of importance

The first and most important reason is, …

ConclusionsAll in all, …

For these reasons, …In brief, …Indeed, …

In other words, …In short, …

In the end, …

Spatial orderAbove the Across from the At the top of the Below the Behind the Beside the Between the Close to the In the In (the) back (of) the In (the) front (of) the Inside (of) the Near the Next to the On one side of the On the other side of the

Punctuation

End-of-sentence punctuation

Put a period at the end of a statement or command

The flowers are beautiful in the spring.

Put a question mark at the end of a question

Why are your roses dying?

Use an exclamation point to show strong feeling

Well, I’m not a gardener!

Commas are usedTo separate items in a series I’m taking Spanish, English, physics,

and economics.

To separate the day of the month from the year, and after the year.

Americans declared their independence from England on July 4, 1776,

Philadelphia.

If no day is given, no commas are necessary.

Americans declared their independence from England in July 1776 in

Philadelphia.

To separate the parts of an address in a sentence.

My address is 401 West 63rd Street, Apt. 13, New York, New York.

To separate the street name from the apartment number and the city from the

state in a postal address

401 West 63rd Street, Apt. 13 New York, NY 10017

Before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.

We don’t need to bring umbrellas, for the sun is shining brightly.

After a sentence connector in a compound sentence.

The sun is shining brightly; therefore, we don’t need to bring umbrellas.

Semicolons are used

Between independent clauses that are not connected by a coordinating

conjunction in a compound sentence

My battery is dead; my car won’t start. My battery is dead; therefore, my car

won’t start.

Quotation marks are used

Around the words of a direct quotation

She said, “I’ll miss you.”“I’ll write you everyday,” she

promised.

“I’ll think about you every day,” she continued, “and I’ll dream about you

every night.”