Sentence types

Minor, Simple, Compound & Complex

Minor Sentences

• Have no verb

“Mum!”

“Oi!”

“There, there.”

“That’s it.”

Simple Sentences

• Are made of ONE clause

“I love films.”“Why don’t you help

me?”“Bring that over here.”

Compound Sentences• Are made of TWO or more clauses• Always have one of the three co-

ordinatinng conjunctions: “and”-----“but”-----“or”

Compound Sentences

“I love films and he doesn’t.”“Either help me or pay the

consequences.”“Bring the cup over here but

don’t take all day!”

Complex Sentences• Have a subordinating conjunction (words

like “if”, “because”, “when”, “whereas”…)• Have two clauses:A main clause (MC) – which stands alone And a subordinate clause (SC) – which doesn’tE.g.:“I like bananas because they have no bones”

MC SC (subordinating conjunction)

Complex SentencesE.g.: (subordinating conjunction)

“I like bananas because they have no bones”

MC SC

Complex Sentences

• All four of these sentences are complex.• Please copy them down and identify MC

and SC.“I will do it if you make me.”“When well-behaved, Simon can be a

delightful student.”“He likes the well-groomed brown-haired

horses the most because they are healthier.”

“Leaving it all behind, she was able to finally find happiness.”

Complex Sentences“I will only do it if you make me.”

“When well-behaved, Simon can be a delightful student.”

“He likes the well-groomed brown-haired horses the most because they are healthier.”

“Leaving it all behind, she was able to finally find happiness.”

Query: What type of sentence is this:

“The lorry left when it had been loaded and returned after it had delivered its load.”

• Copy it down. • Decide what kind of sentence you think it

is and then make a note of your reasoning.

Answer – it was a trick question!

“The lorry left when it had been loaded and returned after it had delivered its load.”

…Is a Compound-Complex sentence.Why?

• It has two clauses• One co-ordinating conjunction (“and”)

• And a subordinating conjunction in each clause(“when” and “after”)