Varying Sentence Structure
How do you vary sentence structure?
To help YOU make your writing
more interesting we will study
these two sentence types:
- Simple Sentence
- Compound Sentence
The Simple Sentence
A simple sentence has one independent
clause (one subject and a verb):
I live in San Francisco.
Subject
Verb
Compound Sentence
A compound sentence contains two
independent clauses that are joined
together.
She works in the city, but she lives in the suburbs.
Independent
Clause
Independent
Clause
Compound Sentence
You can make a compound sentence
by joining two logically related
independent clauses by using…
- a semicolon
- a comma and a coordinating
conjunction
Using a Semicolon
Independent Clause ; Independent Clause
I love living in the city ; there are so many things to do.
Independent
Clause
Independent
Clause
Using a Coordinating Conjunction
Independent Clause ,coordinating conjunction Independent Clause
He couldn’t watch the show , so he decided to
tape it.
Independent
Clause
Independent
Clause
Coordinating Conjunctions
Logical Relationship
Coordinating
Conjunction
Addition
And
Contrast
But, yet
Choice
Or, nor
Cause
For
Result
So
FANBOYS
Another way to remember these is…
For 
 And 
 Nor 
 But 
 Or 
 Yet 
 So 

F
A
N
B
O
Y
S
CAUTION!
Do NOT use a comma every time you use
the words and, or, but, nor, for, so, yet.
Use a comma only when the coordinating
conjunction joins two independent clauses.
Simple Sentence
The necklace was beautiful but expensive.
Independent
Clause
No comma- not an
independent clause
Quick Review:
Simple Sentence
John drank a Pepsi.
Alfred bought a diamond ring for
his lovely wife Anne.
Both of the sentences are simple
sentences because they each only
have one independent clause. The
second may have more adjectives
and adverbs, but it is still a simple
sentence.
Quick Review:
Compound Sentence
A compound sentence uses one
of the seven coordinating
conjunctions (and, but, or, for,
nor, so, yet) and connects two
complete simple sentences.
Each half of the sentence is
equally important to the meaning
of the sentence. A comma must
come before the coordinating
conjunction.
Coordinating
Conjunctions
The seven coordinating
conjunctions are also known as
FANBOYS words. If these words
are written out, the first letter of
each one spells FANBOYS.
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
Compound Sentence
John drank a Pepsi, and he enjoyed it.
This is a compound sentence
because it has a complete
sentence on both sides of the
coordinating conjunction, the
sentences make sense together,
and the coordinating conjunction
makes sense with the sentences.
Compound Sentence
John drank a Pepsi, or he enjoyed it.
John drank a Pepsi, nor he enjoyed it.
These are examples of faulty
coordination since the coordinating
conjunction does not make sense
with the sentences it is
connecting.
Compound Sentence
John drank a Pepsi, so computers hate
people who have poor usage skills.
This is another example of faulty
coordination because these two
sentences don’t make any logical
sense together.
Suppose you wrote these
sentences in your story…
Melanie forgot her lunch.
She called her mother.
How can you combine these
sentences using a conjunction?
and
but
or
so
Which compound
sentence is
better?
Melanie forgot her lunch,
so she called her mother.
Melanie forgot her lunch
and she called her
mother
Suppose you wrote these
sentences in your story…
Pam bought three
pencils. She lost two of
them.
How can you combine these
sentences using a
conjunction?
Which compound
sentence is
better?
Pam bought three pencils,
but she lost two of them.
Pam bought three pencils
and she lost two of them.
Maybe you wrote…
Bobby has a football.
He threw it across the yard.
How can you combine these
sentences using a conjunction?
and
but
or
so
Which compound
sentence is better?
Bobby has a football, and
he threw it across the
yard.
Bobby has a football, but
he threw it across the
yard.
More practice.
Missy went to the zoo.
She saw monkeys.
Which one is a compound
sentence?
1. Missy saw monkeys at the zoo.
2. Missy went to the zoo, and she
saw monkeys.
More practice.
Maria wanted a new bike.
She got a job to earn the
money.
Which one is correct?
1. Maria wanted a new bicycle, so
she got a job to earn money.
2. Maria got a job washing bicycles
to earn money.