Sentence Types

A. Simple Sentence
A simple sentence has a subject and a verb in one independent clause. The subject and/or verb may be compound (more than one subject and/or verb). The bird landed on a branch. A tornado is a destructive force in nature. Bicycles are a great way to travel short distances. Jane and Bill talked and walked for hours. (compound subject) (compound verb)

B. Compound Sentence
A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses. Jim likes to dance. He doesnt know how. Jim likes to dance, but he doesnt know how. You can pay me now. You can pay me later. You can pay me now, or you can pay me later. The independent clauses in compound sentences can be joined together in one of three ways. a) with a coordinating conjunction c) with a semicolon With a coordinating conjunction Independent clause + coordinator + independent clause Phil thoroughly enjoys playing chess, but he detests checkers. Luxury cars are very expensive, yet they can be just as unreliable as cheaper cars. With a conjunctive adverb Independent clause; + conjunctive adverb, + independent clause Maureen can play the violin like a virtuoso; however, she cant stand classical music. b) with a conjunctive adverb

A diet high in cholesterol can be dangerous to your health; indeed, it can lead to high blood pressure and arterial-sclerosis. With a semicolon Independent clause; independent clause My oldest sister is a teacher; my youngest is a lawyer. Russia was the first country to put a man into space; the United States was second.

C. Complex Sentence
A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. The most important idea of the sentence is placed in the independent clause and the least important idea is placed in the dependent clause. Fred was broke when he returned home late that night. Because Arizona is so warm at night in spring, Jenny doesnt need a coat. Complex sentences are frequently formed by adverb clauses, relative clauses, or noun clauses. Complex sentence with adverb clause Although winters in Colorado can be extremely cold, if you like to ski, it is the place to be. Hawaii is a great place to vacation because of its white sandy beaches and warm calm waters, unless of course, one doesnt like tropical environs. Complex sentence with relative clause Ostriches, which are native to Africa, are very large birds and are known for sticking their heads in the sand. Diane felt manipulated by her beagle Santana, whose big, brown eyes pleaded for another cookie. Complex sentence with noun clause Billys friends didnt know that he couldnt swim. What I had for breakfast gave me heartburn.

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

A compound-complex sentence consists of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses. It is a combination of a compound sentence and complex sentence, i.e. a complex sentence joined to another sentence with a coordinating conjunction or conjunctive adverb. Because my dog was sick, I took him to the vet and got him a shot. When I dont have any money, I start to worry and then I look for a job. The team captain jumped for joy, and the fans cheered because we won the state championship. Allen always wanted to pursue a career in medicine, but because he lacked the financial resources, he decided to become an engineer instead.