Simple Sentence
 A simple
sentence, also called an
independent clause, contains a
subject and a verb, and it expresses a
complete thought.
A: Some students like to study in the
mornings.
B: Juan and Arturo play football every
afternoon.
C: Alicia goes to the library and studies
every day.
D: Tom, Dick, Harry, and Fred visited us.
E: They swam in the ocean, relaxed on the beach,
and ate our food.
Compound Sentence
A compound sentence contains two
independent clauses joined by coordinators.
-Coordinating Conjunctions: for, and, nor,
but, or, yet, so. (FANBOYS.)
-Correlative Conjunctions: Not only…but
also, neither…nor, either…or, both…and etc.
-Conjunctive Adverbs: Therefore, however,
etc.
-Semi-colon (;), (:)
A: Eleanor tried a new recipe today; however, she
forgot to add the baking soda. (Conjunctive Adv.)
B: Not only the Algebra professor gave him a bad
grade, but also the Chemistry Professor did so.
(Correlative Conjunction)
C: Michael played football, for Maria went
shopping. (Coma + Coordinative Conjunction )
D: I would like to do some exercise everyday, but I
have no time.
E: The whistle blew; the parade began. (Semicolon)
F: Neither did he listen, nor did he improve.
(Correlative Conjunction)
Complex Sentence
A complex sentence has an independent
clause joined by one or more dependent
clauses. A complex sentence always has
a subordinator such as because, since,
after, although, or when or a relative
pronoun such as that, who, or which etc.
A: When he handed in his homework, he forgot
to give the teacher the last page.
B: The teacher returned the homework after
she noticed the error.
C: The students are studying because they
have a test tomorrow.
D: After they finished studying, Juan and Maria
went to the movies.
E: Juan and Maria went to the movies after
they finished studying.
Complex Sentences / Adjective Clauses
 Finally,
sentences containing adjective
clauses (or dependent clauses) are also
complex because they contain an
independent clause and a dependent
clause. The subjects, verbs, and
subordinators are marked the same as in
the previous sentences, and in these
sentences, the independent clauses are
also underlined.
A: The woman whom my mom talked
to sells cosmetics.
B: The book that Jonathan read is on
the shelf.
C: The house which Abraham Lincoln
was born in is still standing.
D: The town where I grew up is in the
United States.
E: He raises his hands in order that the
bus might stop.
Test your understanding
1: The teacher walked into the classroom, greeted the students, and
took attendance.
Simple/Compound/Complex
2: Juan played football while Juanita went shopping.
Simple/Compound/Complex
3: Juan played football, yet Juanita went shopping.
Simple/Compound/Complex
4: Although Mexico has the better football team, it lost.
Simple/Compound/Complex
5: The island was filled with many trails winding through the thick
underbrush, a small lake, and dangerous wild pigs.
Simple/Compound/Complex
6: Naoki passed the test because he studied hard and understood
the material.
Simple/Compound/Complex
7: Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama,
in 1880 and died in 1968.
Simple/Compound/Complex
8: Until she was 19 months of age, her sight and
hearing were normal.
Simple/Compound/Complex
9: At the age of 19 months, a severe illness left
her deaf and blind.
Simple/Compound/Complex
10: When she was seven, she began her
education in reading and writing with Anne
Sullivan of the Perkins Institute for the Blind.
Simple/Compound/Complex
11: Through persistence and stubbornness, Anne
breaks through Helen's walls of silence and
darkness and teaches her to communicate.
Simple/Compound/Complex
12: Helen Keller learned to read by the Braille
system, and she learned to write by using a
specially constructed typewriter.
Simple/Compound/Complex
13: Later, she entered Radcliffe College and
graduated with honors in 1904.
Simple/Compound/Complex
14: Helen Keller's story needed to be told, so in
1962, a beautiful movie was made about her life.
Simple/Compound/Complex
15: "If there were only joy in the world, we could
never learn to be brave and patient." -- Helen
Keller.
Simple/Compound/Complex
16: "Life is either a daring adventure, or it is
nothing." -- Helen Keller.