TYPES OF SENTENCES

 

TYPES OF SENTENCES

Sentences ore neat little packages of words, that come together to express complete thoughts. They make it easier to understand ideas and learn information.

On the page, there are three types of sentences – simple sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences, and compound-complex sentences.

First, there needs to be two terms to be explained -

An independent clause  contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.

    e.g. I wrote my first novel last year

A dependent clause contains a subject and a verb, but no complete thought. Dependent clauses can’t exist on their own, without the independent ones.

    e.g. after I wrote my novel. 

A SIMPLE SENTENCE has one independent clause. NO commas separate two compound elements (subject, verb, direct object, indirect object, subjective complement, etc.) in a simple sentence.

Tom reads novels.

Tom reads newspapers

Tom reads novels and newspapers (compound direct object)

Tom reads and enjoys novels (compound verb)

Tom and Harry read novels (compound subject)

Tom and Harry read and enjoy novels and newspapers (compound subject, verb and object)

A COMPOUND SENTENCE has two independent clauses joined by

    A.  a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so),

    B.  a conjunctive adverb (e.g. however, therefore), or

    C.  a semicolon alone.

Tom reads novels, but Jack reads comics

Tom reads novels; however, Jack reads comics

Tom reads novels; his friend reads comics

A COMPLEX SENTENCE has one dependent clause (headed by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun ) joined to an independent clause.

Although Tom reads novels, Jack reads comics

Tom reads novels although Jack reads comics

Jack, who reads comics, rarely reads novels

People who read comics rarely read novels.

A COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE has two independent clauses joined to one or more dependent clauses.

While Tom reads novels, Jack reads comics, but Sam only reads magazines

Tom reads novels, but Jack reads comics because books are too difficult

People who read comics rarely read novels; they often find books difficult.