Commandment 8 — Compound sentences
Abbreviation: __________
When you write a compound sentence, a comma is generally required. A compound sentence is
a sentence composed of two or more simple sentences (independent clauses) but no subordinate
clauses. Most compound sentences feature four key elements (in order): an independent clause,
a comma, a coordinating conjunction, and another independent clause. Compound sentences are
especially useful to writers, for they allow related ideas to be connected together smoothly.
Note: The seven coordinating conjunctions in the English language are .
.
,.
.
.
Example:
,.
,.
,
,.
, and
Lenny Kravitz is a famous musician but he also portrayed Cinna in the
movies The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
In the compound sentence above, the first simple sentence features the simple subject
and ends with the noun .
.
The second simple sentence features the simple subject .
the coordinating conjunction .
.
and follows
. Because the example sentence includes two
__________________________________________________ that have been joined together by
a __________________________________________________, a comma
needs to be placed after the word .
. The capitalized,
circumscribed abbreviation needs to be placed above the comma.
Notes: When you insert a comma in a compound sentence, you need to make sure that there is
an independent clause on either side of the coordinating conjunction. Also, the Commandment 8
comma must be placed in before, not after, the coordinating conjunction.
Example:
Compound sentences are especially useful to writers for they allow related
ideas to be connected together smoothly.
What is this sentence’s coordinating conjunction? _______________
Is there an independent clause before the coordinating conjunction? _______________
What is the first independent clause? Underline its complete subject. Highlight its simple
predicate.
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Is there an independent clause after the coordinating conjunction? _______________
What is the second independent clause? Underline its complete subject. Highlight its simple
predicate.
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* Insert a comma in the example. Place the circumscribed, capitalized abbreviaton above it.
Notes
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