This document defines and provides examples of different types of sentences: - Clauses can be independent or dependent. Independent clauses can stand alone while dependent clauses cannot. - Simple sentences contain one independent clause. Compound sentences contain two independent clauses joined by a conjunction. - Complex sentences contain one independent clause and one dependent clause joined by a subordinating conjunction. - Compound-complex sentences contain two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

1. Sentence Types

2. Key Terms
Clause: A group of related words that contain a subject and verb.
Independent Clause: A clause that can stand alone. In other words, it makes sense by itself.
◦ Example: The student is studying.
Subject Verb
Dependent Clause (sometimes called a subordinate clause): A clause that cannot stand alone. In
other words it does not make sense by itself. It must be connected to an independent clause.
◦ Example: The student is studying because he has a test tomorrow.
Independent Clause Dependent Clause

3. Simple Sentence
1 independent clause
◦1 subject + 1 verb
◦2 subjects + 1 verb
◦1 subject + 2 verbs
◦2 subjects + 2 verbs

4. Example – Simple Sentences
Academic Writing is difficult.
Subject Verb
Academic writing and oral communication are difficult.
Subject 1 Subject 2 verb
The student reads and writes well.
Subject Verb 1 Verb 2
The student and her friend read and write extremely well.
Subject 1 Subject 2 Verb 1 Verb 2

5. Compound Sentence
2 independent clauses connected by
◦Coordinating Conjunction - For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So
OR
◦Conjunctive Adverbial – however, therefore, moreover, in
addition, etc.
NOTE: There are many more conjunctive adverbials than the ones listed above.

6. Example – Example Compound
Sentences
Learning a new language is difficult, but many students are successful at it.
Independent Clause 1 Independent Clause 2
Coordinating Conjunction
Learning a new language is difficult; however, many students are successful at it.
Independent Clause 1 Independent Clause 2
Conjunctive Adverbial

7. Complex Sentence
1 independent clause + 1 dependent clause connected by a
subordinating conjunction
◦ Adverb Clauses – because, since, before, while, after, although, etc.
◦ Adjective Clauses – that, who, whom
◦ Noun Clauses – that, whether, if, who, what, when, where, why, how
◦ Conditionals – if, unless
NOTE: There are many more subordinators that those listed above.

8. Example – Complex Sentences
Learning a second language is difficult because it is completely different from learning a first language.
Independent Clause Dependent Clause
The student who left the building is an excellent writer.
Dependent Clause
The teacher stated that there would be a great deal of homework this semester.
Independent Clause Dependent Clause
If the students study hard, they will probably do well in the class.
Dependent Clause Independent Clause

9. Compound-Complex Sentence
2 independent clauses + 1 or more dependent clauses

10. Example Compound-Complex Sentence
Learning a second language is difficult because it is
completely different from learning a first language, but
many students are still successful at learning a second
language.