types of sentences -...
TRANSCRIPT
Types of Sentences
Developed by Jasveen Bhasin
English Writing Tutor
University Learning Center
AC I 160 / PC 247
Florida International University
The Simple Sentence
A simple sentence has the following structure:
Subject + Verb
In other words, a simple sentence consists of 1
independent clause, which contains one subject and
at least one verb.
= 1 Independent Clause
= Simple Sentence
Simple Sentence Example
Marina travels to Amsterdam every year in the
summer time.
This is a simple sentence. It contains one subject Mariana and one verb travels.
A dependent clause may also contain a
subject and verb, but a simple sentence
only consists of one independent clause.
A sentence is not necessarily simple because it has a simple structure. Some sentences may have a long and confusing structure but can still be simple because they contain one subject and verb.
Complicated but Still Simple
The Compound Sentence A compound sentence has the following
structure: Independent Clause + Coordinating Conjunction +
Independent Clause
In other words, a compound sentence has 2 or more
independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). A compound
sentence may even have a semi-colon (;), a colon (:)
or a dash (--) instead of a coordinating conjunction.
= Compound Sentence
Compound Example
Martin wanted to go fishing, but Alice
wanted to go skiing.
This is a compound sentence. It contains two independent clauses (Martin wanted to go fishing and
Alice wanted to go skiing), which are joined by a
coordinating conjunction (but).
The Complex Sentence
Complex sentences have a different structure from simple and compound sentences:
Independent Clause + Dependent Clause or
Dependent Clause + Comma + Independent Clause
= Complex Sentence
A complex sentence contains 1 independent clause and
1 or more dependent clauses. If a dependent clause
begins the sentence, there normally is a comma (,) after
it. If an independent clause begins a complex sentence
there should not be a comma after it.
Complex Example
Although she worked hard to gain
recognition, many people did not know
who she was.
Although she worked hard to gain recognition is a
dependent clause because it begins with the subordinating conjunction although. Many people did not
know who she was would be an independent clause,
therefore making the sentence a complex sentence.
The Compound-Complex Sentence
The compound-complex sentence has the following
structure:
Independent clause + coordinating conjunction + independent
clause
+ dependent clause
= compound-complex sentence
It does not have to be in that order. A dependent clause can
stand in between two independent clauses. The rule is
there should be at least two independent and at least one
dependent clause in a compound-complex sentence.
Compound-Complex Example
Although she worked hard to gain recognition, many
people did not know who she was, and her friends did
not even appreciate her work.
Here, we added an extra clause to the complex sentence we used earlier – her friends did not even
appreciate her work. Adding this independent clause with
the coordinating conjunction and makes this a
compound-complex sentence.
Let’s try an exercise
Identify the following types of sentences:
• Although the volcano erupted long ago, the collapsed
mountaintop formed a lake bed that is still hot.
• I have always looked forward to my summer
vacations.
• Noorie plays basketball on Saturdays, and she goes
fishing on Sundays.
• Living in Spain was one of the best experiences that
Carol had during college.
Answers
• Living in Spain was one of the best experiences that
Carol had during college.
This is a complex sentence:
Living in Spain was one of the best experiences =
independent clause
That Carol had during college = dependent clause
•Although the volcano erupted long ago, the collapsed
mountaintop formed a lake bed that is still hot.
Complex sentence:
Although the volcano erupted long ago = dependent clause
The collapsed mountaintop formed a lake bed = independent
clause.
That is still hot = dependent clause.
•I have always looked forward to my summer
vacations.
Simple Sentence:
I have always looked forward to my summer vacations =
independent clause.
• Noorie plays basketball on Saturdays, and she goes
fishing on Sundays.
Compound sentence:
Noorie plays basketball on Saturdays = independent clause.
And = coordinating conjunction
She goes fishing on Sundays = independent clause.
The Run-On Sentence
A run-on sentence is not necessarily a very long
sentence, so long that it seems grammatically
incorrect. You can have a very short run-on sentence.
A run-on sentence is a compound or compound-
complex sentence that is not properly connected. In
other words, it occurs when there is no coordinating
conjunction or semi-colon/colon/dash connecting the
independent clauses or when the connecting elements
are in the wrong part of the sentence.
Example
• I didn’t go to class today, I was feeling ill.
In the above example, the comma (,) is too weak to
connect the two independent clauses. This is called a
comma splice, a type of run-on sentence.
To correct this sentence, you would either replace the
comma with a semi-colon or make the second clause dependent by adding the subordinating conjunction because
-- I didn’t go to class today because I was feeling ill.
Another Example
• I need a break I need a long vacation.
This is also a run-on sentence. In this example, there is
nothing connecting the two independent clauses, no
punctuation (not even a comma) or coordinating
conjunction. This is called a fused sentence, another
type of run-on sentence.
You can fix this by placing a semi-colon between the
clauses or forming two separate sentences by inserting a
period instead.
The Sentence Fragment
A sentence fragment consists of one or all of the
following:
Dependent clause
Phrase
Word
In other words, if the sentence does not contain at least one
independent clause, it is a fragment.
Fragment Examples
• Because I was quite happy.
This is a fragment: It has only one dependent clause.
• The boy with the round face.
This is also a fragment: It consists of only a phrase(s).
• Time.
This sentence contains only a word, therefore making
it a sentence fragment.
Let’s try another exercise
• Walking in the park when I was a kid.
• I love work, I love school, I love people, I love life!
• I just didn’t want to go to the party I knew better
than to go on a school night.
• Okay!
• She went to the mall, and he went to the movies, we
workaholics went to work.
Identify the following as sentence fragments or run-ons:
Answers
•Walking in the park when I was a kid.
Sentence Fragment: It consists of a participle phrase
and a dependent clause. There is no independent
clause.
• I love work, I love school, I love people, I love life!
Run-on sentence: It contains three independent
clauses that are connected only by commas, which are
too weak to join independent clauses to one another.
• I just didn’t want to go to the party I knew better than to
go on a school night.
Run-on sentence: Two independent clauses connected by
nothing.
• Okay!
Sentence fragment: It only contains one word and has no
independent clause.
• She went to the mall, and he went to the movies, we
workaholics went to work.
Run-on sentence: While the first two independent clauses
are properly connected, the last one is dangling at the end. The and should connect the last two independent clauses.
Well done!
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Examples borrowed from:
Troyka, Lynn Quitman. Simon & Schuster Handbook
for Writers. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1999.