Grammar boot camp
Pass in Review:
Simple/Compound/Complex
(click mouse to proceed)
Grammar boot camp
 Since the California State Writing Assessment
Test requires sentence variation (the use of
Simple, Compound, and Complex sentences)
and the California State Testing towards the
end of the year requires students to know,
understand, use, and identify those same
types of sentences, we must know them.
Grammar boot camp
 The easiest way to remember the difference
is to start with the Conjunctions!


In most cases, if a sentence has a
subordinating conjunction in the sentence
(beginning or middle), it is a complex
sentence.
Subordinating Conjunctions are: After, As, As
soon as, Before, Besides, Because, Even
though, If, Since, Though, Upon, When, While,
Whenever, Wherever (ABE IS TUW)
Grammar boot camp
 Remember that if the sentence has a
subordinating conjunction at the beginning of
a sentence, there is a comma. However,
there is no comma when the subordinating
conjunction comes in the middle of the
sentence.
Grammar boot camp
 The second test for identifying what kind of
sentence you have if there is no
subordinating conjunction is to look for
coordination conjunctions.

If you have Coordinating Conjunctions with a
comma and a complete sentence on either
side of the conjunction and comma, then you
have a Compound Sentence!
Grammar boot camp
 Coordinating Conjunctions are: For, And, Nor,
But, Or, Yet, So. FANBOYS!

I am sad the football season is coming to an end,
but I am excited about the playoffs.

This is an example of two complete sentences with a
FANBOYS and a comma making it a compound
sentence.
Note: Remember, you could substitute a Semicolon for
the FANBOYS and comma in a compound sentence!
Grammar boot camp
 If you have checked the sentence carefully
and there is no subordination conjunction or
any coordinating conjunctions (that combine
two sentences with a FANBOYS and a
comma), then you are left with what is called
a Simple Sentence.


Jesse, Dave, and Kyle all like to watch hockey
either live or on T.V.
Why isn’t this sentence a compound
sentence?
Grammar boot camp
 There is one more type of sentence that really
awesome writers use which is called a
compound/complex sentence. These have both
a subordination conjunction connected to a
complete sentence then that is joined with a
FANBOYS, comma, and another complete
sentence.

Even though grammar is hard, I know it will help
me sound more intelligent, and I will become a
better writer using it correctly.
Grammar boot camp
 Now it is your turn. What kind of sentences
are the ones below. Key: use the tests we just
talked about to figure it out and write down
what kind of sentence you think it is and why.


Before I get overly excited about anything, I
like to look at all sides of the situation.
Today or tomorrow is a great day to learn
something new.