Sentence Types

Reviewing Sentence Structures

Jan went shopping and left her credit card at home.(simple = one simple sentence with compound predicate)

Jan went shopping, and she left her credit card at home.(compound = two simple sentences)

Jan went shopping and discovered that she left her credit card at home.

(complex = one main clause + one subordinate clause)

Jan went shopping, and she discovered that she left her credit card at home.

(compound-complex = two main clauses + (at least) one subordinate clause )

Main clauseSubordinate clause

Step one:

Ask yourself if you are looking at one sentence

or two sentences

You will automatically eliminate two of the four choices.

Step two:

If you know you have only one sentence … your choices are

simple (no subordinate clause present)or complex (subordinate clause present)

Look to see if you have a subordinate clause!

The Baylor Bears and Oklahoma Sooners

played an exciting game over the weekend. Taylor Swift won a top honor at the American

Music Awards last night. The twins wrestled on the floor and jumped off

the bunk beds.

Examples of Simple Sentence

When she heard her name announced, Taylor

appeared surprised. After the final seconds elapsed on the game

clock, the fans stormed the field. It will be nice to see family and play games

when the Thanksgiving holiday arrives

Examples of Complex Sentences

Step three:

If you know you have two sentences … your choices are

compound (no subordinate clause present)or compound-complex (subordinate clause present)

Look to see if you have a subordinate clause!

Use a comma and coordinating conjunction between the

two independent clauses. Ex. She received a gift, and she wrote a thank

you note. Use a semi-colon to combine the two independent

clauses. Ex. She received a gift; she wrote a thank you

note. Use a semi-colon and a conjunctive adverb followed by

a comma to join the independent clauses. She received a gift; however, she did not write a

thank you note.

Punctuating Compound Sentences

If the subordinate clause starts the sentence,

you will most of the time use a comma. Ex. Because she received a gift, she

wrote a thank you note. If the main clause comes first, no punctuation

is necessary. Ex. She wrote a thank you note since

she received a gift.

Punctuating Complex Sentences

Examples of Compound Sentences

My family are fans of Baylor, and our friends from Dallas are fans of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma played well, but Baylor played better.

It will be nice to have a few days off this week, but it will be nicer to have a longer break in December and January.

Remember to follow the same rules for

punctuating compound and complex sentences because those rules can be applied to punctuating this type of sentence.

Ex. Because she received a gift, she decided to write a thank you note, and her mother who gave her the gift was grateful that her daughter used such good manners.

Punctuating Compound-Complex Sentences

When my niece and nephews went to the

football game, they were wearing their team’s spirit gear, but one of my nephews had a hat for one team and a shirt for the other.

Some of my students will travel over the holiday, and they will enjoy time in another place while other students will stay close to home.

Examples of Compound-Complex Sentences

S

CD

CX

CC

No Subordinate Clause

Contains a subordinate clause

One sentence

Two sentences

Example of Varied Sentence Structures from Literature- TKAM

“She was horrible (simple). Her face was the color of a dirty pillowcase, and the corners of her mouth glistened with wet, which inched like a glacier down the deep grooves enclosing her chin (compound-complex). Old-age liver spots dotted her cheeks, and her pale eyes had black pinpoint pupils (compound). Her bottom plate was not in, and her upper lip protruded; from time to time she would draw her nether lip to her upper plate and carry her chin with it (compound). This made the wet move faster (simple). --Scout’s description of Mrs. DuBose, Chapter 11

Practice identifying the types of sentence structures in the following sentences. 1. Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin developed the polio vaccine.2. We watched the basketball game, and then we went out to eat at our

favorite restaurant.3. The battery was dead, but the gas tank was full.4. The library was empty and quiet.5. Until their mother called them home, the children played happily.6. Although I didn’t brew it long, the coffee tastes bitter, and I will not drink it.7. When the college freshman left home, her parents got her a used car.8. After the doctor prescribed the medication, Angela still felt sick for the rest

of the day, but she felt better the next morning.9. When the art student finished his drawing, he framed it for his parents.10. The rescue helicopter plucked the extreme skiers from the mountainside.

Practice Sentences

1. Simple 2. Compound 3. Compound 4. Simple 5. Complex 6. Compound-Complex 7. Complex 8. Compound-Complex 9. Complex 10. Simple

Key to Practice Sentences