This document provides information about compound and complex sentences. It begins by reviewing simple sentences and compound sentences, which contain two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. Then it introduces complex sentences, which contain an independent clause and dependent clause. It provides examples of different types of compound sentences using commas, semicolons, and sentence connectors. It also defines dependent clauses and gives examples. Finally, it provides exercises for students to practice forming compound and complex sentences.

1. Teacher: Fabian Oyarzún Rios.
Compound and Complex
Sentences
Colegio Arriaran Barros
Departamento de Inglés

2. Sentence Structure
In the previous semester, you learned about simple and
compound sentences. In this unit, we will review what
you already know and add a little information about
compound sentences. Then, we will introduce you to a
third kind of English sentence, Complex Sentences.

3. Independent Clauses
A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a
verb. Some clauses can stand alone as a sentence. This
kind of clause is an independent clause.
A simple sentence is one independent clause
Ex: Tom loves Erica.

4. What was the structure of
a compound sentence?

5. Compound Sentence
A compound sentence is two independent clauses
joined together by a comma and one of the seven
coordinating conjunctions:
, and
, but
, so
, or
, for
, yet

6. We will distinguish THREE
ways of creating compound
sentences

7. 1st type

8. Comma and coordinating
conjunction
Tom loves Erica, and she loves him.
Jack loves Jean, but she loves Ronald.
Jack should forget Jean, or he will die a lonely man.
Jean doesn’t love Jack, so she won’t marry him.

9. 2nd type

10. Join the two independent clauses with a semicolon ;
The first word after a semicolon is not capitalized.
• Tom loves Erica; she loves him.
• Jack loves Jean; she loves Ronald.
• Jean doesn’t love Jack; she won’t marry him.

11. 3rd type

12. Join the two independent clauses in the
following way:
semicolon + sentence connector + comma
Sentence conncectors
are words such as
however or therefore.

13. Here is a list of frequently used sentence
conncectors and their approximate meaning
Sentence conncector Meaning
Moreover
Furthermore
However
Otherwise
Therefore
and
and
but
or, in the sense of “if
not”
so, in the sense of “as a
result”

14. Examples
Tom loves Erica; moreover, she loves him.
Tom loves Erica; furthermore, she loves him.
Jack loves Jean; however, she loves Ronald.
Jean doesn’t love Jack; therefore, she won’t
marry him.
Jack should forget Jean; otherwise, he will die a
lonely man.

15. Combine each of the following pairs of sentences
to make a compound sentence. Use all three ways
you have just learned, and punctuate carefully.
Exercises

16. 1. Robots can do boring, repetitive work. They can
do unsafe jobs.
1. _____________________________________
2.______________________________________
3.______________________________________

17. 2. Robots can make minor desicions. They cannot
really think.
1. _____________________________________
2.______________________________________
3.______________________________________

18. 3. Robots don’t get tired, sick, or hungry. They can
work twenty-four hours a day.
1. _____________________________________
2.______________________________________
3.______________________________________

19. 4. Human factory workers must learn new skills.
They will be out of work because of robots.
1. _____________________________________
2.______________________________________
3.______________________________________

20. Dependent Clauses
A dependent clause is a clause (a group of words with a
subject and a verb) that does not express a complete
thought and cannot stand alone.

21. Examples of dependent clauses
1. which can work twenty four hours a day.
2. who cannot work around the clock.
3. before the company installed robots.
4. because production meet buyers’ demands.
5. that robots are here to stay.
6. whether they assemble watches or lift automobile parts.

22. Independent clause Dependent clause
The company uses robots,
Robots will replace employees,
Product ion was average
Annual sales are now over one million
which can work twenty four hours a day.
who cannot work around the clock.
before the company installed robots.
because production meet buyer’s
demands.
A dependent clause must be connected to an independent clause
in order to make a complete sentence, which is called a
Complex Sentence.
The word that begins a dependent clause is called a
Subordinating Conjuction.

23. Exercises
Write independent or dependent in front of each
of the following clauses:

24. 1. _______ When we arrived at the airport later.
2. _______ We arrived at the airport two hours later.
3. _______ Because the teacher gave us such hard
exams.
4. _______ After they got married.
5. _______ Afterward, they got married.
6. _______ Which is not an easy thing to do.
7. _______ Which student got the highest grade?
8. _______ Who will go the store?
9. _______ While I was a student in high school.
10. _______ Where he parked the car.

25. Dependent clauses tell why, when, or
where or introduce an opposite idea.
They begin with one of these subordinating
conjunctions:

26. • because all of their needs are taken care of.
• since all of their needs are taken care of.
• as all their needs are taken care of.
1. To tell why: because, since, as.

27. 2. To tell when and where: when, whenever,
since, while, as soon as, after, before, wherever.
• when they are separated from their natural predators.
• whenever the animals are sick.
• since modern zoos have been in operation.
• while zoo animals are living in protected environment.
• as soon as they become sick.
• after animals pick up airbone diseases of human.
• before they become bored.
• wherever they wander within their habitats.

28. 3. To introduce an opposite idea: although,
though, even though.
• although animals in modern zoos live in safe artificial habitats
• though animals in modern zoos live in safe, artificial habitats
• even though animals in modern zoos live in safe, artificial habitats

29. Exercises
In the following sentences, underline
independent clauses with a solid line and
dependent clauses with a broken line. Then
draw a circle around subordinating conjunctions.

30. 1. Although you may not believe it, this is a true story.
2. On August 23, 1994, Tyke, an African elephant, went crazy
before she was to perform at the Circus International in
Honolulu.
3. Tyke became upset when a caretaker walked behind.
4. After she picked him up, she threw him into the show area.
5. Because the show was just about to begin, the audience
thought that the attack was part of the performance.
6. When Tyke’s trainer tried to rescue the caretaker, she crushed
the trainer to death.

31. Useful words

32. Connectors
Coordinating conjunctions
for and nor but or yet so
Paired conjunctions
both…and not only… but also
neither… nor

33. Subordinating conjunctions
Time
After
As soon as
Before
Since
Until
When
Whenever
Reason
As
Because
Since
Comparison
Just as
Contrast
Although
Even though
Whereas
While
Place
Where
Wherever
Condition
As if
Even if
If
unless
Purpose
In order that
So that

34. Sentence connectors
Additional
idea
Also
Besides
Finally
Furthermore
In addition
Moreover
Opposite
idea /
Contrast
However
In contrast
On the other hand
Similarity /
Comparison
Also
Likewise
Similarly
Effect or
Result
As a result
Consequently
Therefore
Thus
Example
For example
For instance
Choice or
Alternative
Otherwise

35. Prepositions
Besides ….
In addition to …
Despite …
In spite of …
Unlike …
Similar to …
Like …

36. Other transition expressions
Opinions
According to …
In my opinion ...
In my view …
I think …
I believe …
I feel …
(that)
Conclusions
All in all, …
For these reasons, …
In brief, …
Indeed, …
In other words, …
In short, …
In the end, …
Time order
First, …
First of all, …
Second, …
Next, …
After that, …
Afterward, …
Later, …
Finally, …
Meanwhile, …
Then, …
Now, …
At the beginning of the, …
Before the, …
After the, …
During the, …
On the day of the, …

37. Order of
importance
The first and most
important reason is, …
Conclusions
All in all, …
For these reasons, …
In brief, …
Indeed, …
In other words, …
In short, …
In the end, …
Spatial order
Above the
Across from the
At the top of the
Below the
Behind the
Beside the
Between the
Close to the
In the
In (the) back (of) the
In (the) front (of) the
Inside (of) the
Near the
Next to the
On one side of the
On the other side of the

39. Punctuation
End-of-sentence punctuation
Put a period at the end of
a statement or command
The flowers are beautiful
in the spring.
Put a question mark at the
end of a question
Why are your roses dying?
Use an exclamation point to
show strong feeling
Well, I’m not a gardener!

41. Commas are used
To separate items in a series I’m taking Spanish, English, physics,
and economics.
To separate the day of the month from the
year, and after the year.
Americans declared their independence
from England on July 4, 1776,
Philadelphia.
If no day is given, no commas are
necessary.
Americans declared their independence
from England in July 1776 in
Philadelphia.
To separate the parts of an address in a
sentence.
My address is 401 West 63rd Street, Apt.
13, New York, New York.
To separate the street name from the
apartment number and the city from the
state in a postal address
401 West 63rd Street, Apt. 13 New York,
NY 10017
Before a coordinating conjunction in a
compound sentence.
We don’t need to bring umbrellas, for the
sun is shining brightly.
After a sentence connector in a compound
sentence.
The sun is shining brightly; therefore, we
don’t need to bring umbrellas.

42. Semicolons are used
Between independent clauses that are
not connected by a coordinating
conjunction in a compound sentence
My battery is dead; my car won’t start.
My battery is dead; therefore, my car
won’t start.

43. Quotation marks are used
Around the words of a direct quotation
She said, “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll write you everyday,” she
promised.
“I’ll think about you every day,” she
continued, “and I’ll dream about you
every night.”