A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, contains a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete thought. In the following simple sentences, subjects are in yellow, and verbs are in green.  

The three examples above are all simple sentences.  Note that sentence B contains a compound subject, and sentence C contains a compound verb.  Simple sentences, therefore, contain a subject and verb and express a complete thought, but they can also contain a compound subjects or verbs. 

COMPOUND SENTENCE

A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator. The coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. (Helpful hint: The first letter of each of the coordinators spells FANBOYS.) Except for very short sentences, coordinators are always preceded by a comma. In the following compound sentences, subjects are in yellow, verbs are in green, and the coordinators and the commas that precede them are in red. 

The above three sentences are compound sentences.  Each sentence contains two independent clauses, and they are joined by a coordinator with a comma preceding it.  Note how the conscious use of coordinators can change the relationship between the clauses.  Sentences B and C, for example, are identical except for the coordinators.  In sentence B, which action occurred first?  Obviously, "Alejandro played football" first, and as a consequence, "Maria went shopping.  In sentence C, "Maria went shopping" first.  In sentence C, "Alejandro played football" because, possibly, he didn't have anything else to do, for or because "Maria went shopping."  How can the use of other coordinators change the relationship between the two clauses?  What implications would the use of "yet" or "but" have on the meaning of the sentence?

COMPLEX SENTENCE

A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, or when or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which. In the following complex sentences, subjects are in yellow, verbs are in green, and the subordinators and their commas (when required) are in red.

When a complex sentence begins with a subordinator such as sentences A and D, a comma is required at the end of the dependent clause. When the independent clause begins the sentence with subordinators in the middle as in sentences B, C, and E, no comma is required. If a comma is placed before the subordinators in sentences B, C, and E, it is wrong.

Note that sentences D and E are the same except sentence D begins with the dependent clause which is followed by a comma, and sentence E begins with the independent clause which contains no comma.  The comma after the dependent clause in sentence D is required, and experienced listeners of English will often hear a slight pause there.  In sentence E, however, there will be no pause when the independent clause begins the sentence. 

COMPLEX SENTENCES / ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

Finally, sentences containing adjective clauses (or dependent clauses) are also complex because they contain an independent clause and a dependent clause.  The subjects, verbs, and subordinators are marked the same as in the previous sentences, and in these sentences, the independent clauses are also underlined. 

A. The woman who(m) my mom talked to sells cosmetics. B. The book that Jonathan read is on the shelf. C. The house which AbrahAM  Lincoln was born in is still standing. D. The town where I grew up is in the United States.

Ice melts. The ice melts quickly. The ice on the river melts quickly under the warm March sun. Lying exposed without its blanket of snow, the ice on the river melts quickly under the warm March sun. As you can see, a simple sentence can be quite long -- it is a mistake to think that you can tell a simple sentence from a compound sentence or a complex sentence simply by its length. The most natural sentence structure is the simple sentence: it is the first kind which children learn to speak, and it remains by far the most common sentence in the spoken language of people of all ages. In written work, simple sentences can be very effective for grabbing a reader's attention or for summing up an argument, but you have to use them with care: too many simple sentences can make your writing seem childish. When you do use simple sentences, you should add transitional phrases to connect them to the surrounding sentences. The Compound Sentence A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses (or simple sentences) joined by co-ordinating conjunctions like "and," "but," and "or": The sequence of tenses in complex sentences is usually determined by the tense of the verb in the independent clause. Compound sentences are very natural for English speakers -- small children learn to use them early on to connect their ideas and to avoid pausing (and allowing an adult to interrupt): A compound sentence is most effective when you use it to create a sense of balance or contrast between two (or more) equally-important pieces of information: Montéal has better clubs, but Toronto has better cinemas. Special Cases of Compound Sentences There are two special types of compound sentences which you might want to note. First, rather than joining two simple sentences together, a co-ordinating conjunction sometimes joins two complex sentences, or one simple sentence and one complex sentence. In this case, the sentence is called a compound-complex sentence: compound-complex The package arrived in the morning, but the courier left before I could check the contents. The second special case involves punctuation. It is possible to join two originally separate sentences into a compound sentence using a semicolon instead of a co-ordinating conjunction: Sir John A. Macdonald had a serious drinking problem; when sober, however, he could be a formidable foe in the House of Commons. Usually, a conjunctive adverb like "however" or "consequently" will appear near the beginning of the second part, but it is not required: The sun rises in the east; it sets in the west. The Complex Sentence A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Unlike a compound sentence, however, a complex sentence contains clauses which are not equal. Consider the following examples: Simple My friend invited me to a party. I do not want to go. Compound My friend invited me to a party, but I do not want to go. Complex Although my friend invited me to a party, I do not want to go. In the first example, there are two separate simple sentences: "My friend invited me to a party" and "I do not want to go." The second example joins them together into a single sentence with the co-ordinating conjunction "but," but both parts could still stand as independent sentences -- they are entirely equal, and the reader cannot tell which is most important. In the third example, however, the sentence has changed quite a bit: the first clause, "Although my friend invited me to a party," has become incomplete, or a dependent clause. A complex sentence is very different from a simple sentence or a compound sentence because it makes clear which ideas are most important. When you write My friend invited me to a party. I do not want to go. or even My friend invited me to a party, but I do not want to go.

What is a matrix sentence? A matrix sentence is a sentence in which a clause has been embedded as a constituent. The clause may or may not be an immediate constituent, but it must be embedded by means other than coordination. What is a cleft sentence? A cleft sentence is a complex sentence in which a simple sentence is expressed using a main clause and a subordinate clause. In English the prototypical cleft sentence has the following form: # it + be + X + subordinate clause X can be a constituent of one of many varieties. What is a pseudo-cleft sentence? A pseudo-cleft sentence is a kind of cleft sentence in which the subordinated clause is a relative clause headed by an interrogative pro-form. In English they are of the form: # wh-relative clause + be + X X can be a constituent of one of many varieties. The so-called 'inverted' pseudo-cleft sentence reverses the order of the two constituents: # X + be + wh-relative clause 1. Simple Sentences A simple sentence has the most basic elements that make it a sentence: a subject, a verb, and a completed thought. Examples of simple sentences include the following: 1. Joe waited for the train. "Joe" = subject, "waited" = verb 2. The train was late. "The train" = subject, "was" = verb 3. Mary and Samantha took the bus. "Mary and Samantha" = compound subject, "took" = verb 4. I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station. "I" = subject, "looked" = verb 5. Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon and left on the bus before I arrived. "Mary and Samantha" = compound subject, "arrived" and "left" = compound verb Tip: If you use many simple sentences in an essay, you should consider revising some of the sentences into compound or complex sentences (explained below). The use of compound subjects, compound verbs, prepositional phrases (such as "at the bus station"), and other elements help lengthen simple sentences, but simple sentences often are short. The use of too many simple sentences can make writing "choppy" and can prevent the writing from flowing smoothly. A simple sentence can also be referred to as an independent clause. It is referred to as "independent" because, while it might be part of a compound or complex sentence, it can also stand by itself as a complete sentence. 2. Compound Sentences A compound sentence refers to a sentence made up of two independent clauses (or complete sentences) connected to one another with a coordinating conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions are easy to remember if you think of the words "FAN BOYS": * For * And * Nor * But * Or * Yet * So Examples of compound sentences include the following: 1. Joe waited for the train, but the train was late. 2. I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station, but they arrived at the station before noon and left on the bus before I arrived. 3. Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, and they left on the bus before I arrived. 4. Mary and Samantha left on the bus before I arrived, so I did not see them at the bus station. Tip: If you rely heavily on compound sentences in an essay, you should consider revising some of them into complex sentences (explained below). Coordinating conjunctions are useful for connecting sentences, but compound sentences often are overused. While coordinating conjunctions can indicate some type of relationship between the two independent clauses in the sentence, they sometimes do not indicate much of a relationship. The word "and," for example, only adds one independent clause to another, without indicating how the two parts of a sentence are logically related. Too many compound sentences that use "and" can weaken writing. Clearer and more specific relationships can be established through the use of complex sentences. 3. Complex Sentences A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses connected to it. A dependent clause is similar to an independent clause, or complete sentence, but it lacks one of the elements that would make it a complete sentence. Examples of dependent clauses include the following: * because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon * while he waited at the train station * after they left on the bus Dependent clauses such as those above cannot stand alone as a sentence, but they can be added to an independent clause to form a complex sentence. Dependent clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions. Below are some of the most common subordinating conjunctions: * after * although * as * because * before * even though * if * since * though * unless * until * when * whenever * whereas * wherever * while A complex sentence joins an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses. The dependent clauses can go first in the sentence, followed by the independent clause, as in the following: Tip: When the dependent clause comes first, a comma should be used to separate the two clauses. 1. Because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, I did not see them at the station. 2. While he waited at the train station, Joe realized that the train was late. 3. After they left on the bus, Mary and Samantha realized that Joe was waiting at the train station. Conversely, the independent clauses can go first in the sentence, followed by the dependent clause, as in the following: Tip: When the independent clause comes first, a comma should not be used to separate the two clauses. 1. I did not see them at the station because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon. 2. Joe realized that the train was late while he waited at the train station. 3. Mary and Samantha realized that Joe was waiting at the train station after they left on the bus. Complex sentences are often more effective than compound sentences because a complex sentence indicates clearer and more specific relationships between the main parts of the sentence. The word "before," for instance, tells readers that one thing occurs before another. A word such as "although" conveys a more complex relationship than a word such as "and" conveys. The term periodic sentence is used to refer to a complex sentence beginning with a dependent clause and ending with an independent clause, as in "While he waited at the train station, Joe realized that the train was late." Periodic sentences can be especially effective because the completed thought occurs at the end of it, so the first part of the sentence can build up to the meaning that comes at the end. Beginning Sentences with "And" or "Because" Should you begin a sentence with "and" or "but" (or one of the other coordinating conjunctions)? The short answer is "no." You should avoid beginning a sentence with "and," "or," "but," or the other coordinating conjunctions. These words generally are used to join together parts of a sentence, not to begin a new sentence. However, such sentences can be used effectively. Because sentences beginning with these words stand out, they are sometimes used for emphasis. If you use sentences beginning with one of the coordinating conjunctions, you should use these sentences sparingly and carefully. Should you begin a sentence with "because"? There is nothing wrong with beginning a sentence with "because." Perhaps some students are told not to begin a sentence with "because" to avoid sentence fragments (something like "Because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon" is a sentence fragment), but it is perfectly acceptable to begin a sentence with "because" as long as the sentence is complete (as in "Because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, I did not see them at the station.") Sentence A sentence is the basic unit of written English language communication. We grant poets, playwrights, and fiction writers some "literary license." These authors can experiment with the language or use the language in an unconventional manner. Expository writing is conveyance of information, often necessary or even vital information, to readers who need that information. If a reader misinterprets a sentence in a work of fiction, no harm results. A misinterpretation of nonfiction writing can cause harm. Written instructions, policies, procedures, guidelines, research reports, personal communication, and news media information need to be written so that the reader understands exactly what the writer intended. IMAGINE. Tomorrow will be a short school day. The school day will terminate at 11 am. The school administrators deliver a carelessly prepared message to the school bus drivers telling them to be at the school at 1 pm. simple sentence The basic English language sentence is called a simple sentence. It requires a subject and a verb. We ordinarily include some additonal words that explain the subject. The sentence or a part of a sentence that contains a subject and a verb and constitutes a complete thought is called an independent clause. I like English. The sentence above conveys a complete thought. The subject is I, and the verb is like. The word English conveys an understanding of what the subject likes. The sentence has one independent clause and is a simple sentence. Observe the arrangement or sequence of sentence components: subject, verb, other parts of the sentence. This arrangement is not mandatory, but sentences written in this format are usually easy to understand. complex sentence A complex sentence contains an independent clause and a subordinate clause. The independent clause can function as a complete sentence. The subordinate clause also contains a subject and a verb but cannot function as an independent sentence. We surveyed the damage as the wind subsided. We surveyed the damage. This is an independent clause and a complete sentence. The words convey a complete thought. The words as the wind subsided form a subordinate clause. The words do not convey an intelligent thought that can stand alone as a sentence. If we modify as the wind subsided so that it becomes The wind subsided, we realize that it contains both a subject and a verb. The words as the wind subsided constitute an adverbial expression that describes a condition that existed when we surveyed the damage. compound sentence A compound sentence contains two independent clauses. Two independent clauses may be joined by a comma and a conjunction, or by a semicolon, or by a colon. The school year ends June 1st, but the sports program will continue throughout the summer. We accept the design; it meets our standards. The school board funded the computer laboratory; consequently, computer classes will be offered next year. The judge has decided the case, and he ruled as follows: "The court finds the defendant guilty and sentences him to time served." You can write as many independent clauses and subordinate clauses into a single sentence as your imagination will support. However, reader comprehension declines as complexity increases. Sentences may be classified according to the purpose of the sentence. sentence classification by purpose A declarative sentence is used to make a statement. An interrogative sentence is used to pose a question. An imperative sentence is used to give a command or to implore or entreat. An exclamatory sentence is used to express astonishment or extreme emotion. Most of the sentences we speak or write are declarative sentences. declarative sentences It's lunch time. We are going to the game on Friday. My car is out of gasoline. My parents keep telling me that I should make good grades so I can get a job or go to college. We frequently ask questions, perhaps not as frequently as we should. interrogative sentences How many people from your graduating class went to college? Is there a reason why these dirty clothes are in the middle of the floor? What are they serving in the cafeteria today? People who have authority use imperative sentences. Sometimes, people who don't have authority use imperative sentences. The results may differ. imperative sentences Clean up your room. Martin, report to the counselor. Please donate to the community charity fund. We say that sentences must have a subject and a verb. Note that some of the above sentences do not seem to have a subject. The subject is implied, and the implied subject is you. You wash the car. You clean up your room. You is a second person pronoun. It isn't possible to make a command statement in first person or third person. Exclamatory sentences are rarely used in expository writing. Spoken exclamations are often a single word or an incomplete sentence. Grammarians indicate that formal exclamatory sentences begin with the word what or with the word how. Most of the exclamations we encounter are informal. exclamatory sentences What a beautiful night! How happy we were when the dawn came and our flag was still there! What did you do to your hair! (exclamation formed as a question) Exclamatory Words Exclamatory words are words that generate a strong emotional response. Here is a list of common ones but you can certainly add your own ideas so you’ll have a quick and ready list of exclamatory words to use in your writing. * Wow! * Brilliant! * Awesome! * Ouch! * Amazing! * Bravo! * Fantastic! * Tremendous! * Sheesh! * Geronimo! * Timber! * Eureka * Hooray! * Wowsers! * Gosh! * Jeepers! * Magnificent! * Unbelievable! Compound sentences Sentences may be simple or compound. Compound sentences consist of two or more simple sentences joined by conjunctions. Examples: "Come here and sit down.", "My name is Asif and I live in Chicago.", "What is your name and where do you live?", "Either Jonny will go to Illinois or Maria will come here." 1. Verb tenses: Continuous/Progressive action for a period of time We use the ing form with our tenses (present, past, future, etc) to emphasize action that continues or progresses for a period of time. We call these forms of our tenses Continuous or Progressive (you will see both terms for the same thing). These actions don't start and then stop; they continue. A. Present continuous - I am eating my dinner now so I am busy for a while. B. Past continuous - I was eating my dinner last night when my sister called me. C. Future continuous - Soon I will be eating my dinner for a while but I can talk now. D. Present perfect continuous - I have been eating my dinner at 8 PM for many years. (This has continued for many years up to the present moment and hasn't stopped yet. Each occurrence was a continuous action). E. Past perfect continuous – I had been eating my dinner at 8 PM for many years until I decided to eat earlier at 7 PM. (A previous action continued for many years in a continuous manner each time before a certain event occurred - I suddenly changed my habits) There are other tenses that use the continuous/progressive but we don't use them very much at all. So adding the continuous form to a tense just emphasizes action that is continuing. We picture ourselves in the middle of the action as it is, was or will be occurring. It is not action that started and stopped. Examples of Regular Verbs Here are some sentences using regular verbs in all the tenses: Present: I call her every morning. She calls me, too. Past: She called me yesterday evening. I called right back. Present Participle: While I was calling her on Tuesday, the phone went dead. I am calling her again now. Her line is busy because she is probably calling me now. I have been calling her every day for the past year. Present Perfect: I have called her five times today. She has called me six times. We have called each other daily for the past year. I have called many times. Past Perfect: Even though I had called her twice that morning, I wanted to talk to her again. By noon yesterday, she had called me three times. To keep this review simple, I did not list the future tense above. Let's add it now. The future tense adds "will" to the present or "will have" to the past. Some people insist that it is necessary to say "I shall" and "we shall," though "I will" and "we will" are commonly accepted. Future: I will call her tomorrow. We will (or shall) not call each other on Tuesday. Future perfect: By this time tomorrow, she will have called me ten times. I will have called her twelve times. (Or: I shall have called her twelve times.) What is a compound sentence? Why is it important to know whether a sentence is simple, compound, or complex? A simple sentence is a sentence that had one subject part and one predicate part. A compound sentence is a sentence that contains two or more simple sentences joined by and, or, or but. A compound subject has two or more simple subjects that have the same predicate. The subjects are joined by and. A compound predicate is a predicate that has two or more verbs with the same subject. The verbs are connected by and or or. In a compound sentence, use a comma before and, or, or but when they join simple sentences. In a series of three or more nouns or verbs, use commas to separate them. Written instructions, policies, procedures, guidelines, research reports, personal communication, and news media information need to be written so that the reader understands exactly what the writer intended. The basic English language sentence is called a simple sentence. It requires a subject and a verb. We ordinarily include some additonal words that explain the subject. The sentence or a part of a sentence that contains a subject and a verb and constitutes a complete thought is called an independent clause. I like English. The sentence above conveys a complete thought. The subject is I, and the verb is like. The word English conveys an understanding of what the subject likes. The sentence has one independent clause and is a simple sentence. Observe the arrangement or sequence of sentence components: subject, verb, other parts of the sentence. This arrangement is not mandatory, but sentences written in this format are usually easy to understand. complex sentence A complex sentence contains an independent clause and a subordinate clause. The independent clause can function as a complete sentence. The subordinate clause also contains a subject and a verb but cannot function as an independent sentence. We surveyed the damage as the wind subsided. We surveyed the damage. This is an independent clause and a complete sentence. The words convey a complete thought. The words as the wind subsided form a subordinate clause. The words do not convey an intelligent thought that can stand alone as a sentence. If we modify as the wind subsided so that it becomes The wind subsided, we realize that it contains both a subject and a verb. The words as the wind subsided constitute an adverbial expression that describes a condition that existed when we surveyed the damage. compound sentence A compound sentence contains two independent clauses. Two independent clauses may be joined by a comma and a conjunction, or by a semicolon, or by a colon. The school year ends June 1st, but the sports program will continue throughout the summer. We accept the design; it meets our standards. The school board funded the computer laboratory; consequently, computer classes will be offered next year. The judge has decided the case, and he ruled as follows: "The court finds the defendant guilty and sentences him to time served." You can write as many independent clauses and subordinate clauses into a single sentence as your imagination will support. However, reader comprehension declines as complexity increases. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/sentence_types_quiz.htm http://www.lessontutor.com/eesconjugate.html http://www.worldclasslearning.com/english/english-tenses.html http://www.virtualschool.com/ezschool_fb.asp http://www.ezschool.com/ www.ezschoolpay.com/ www.ezschoolsupplies.com/