Grammar 14

 

Complex Sentences (1)

A complex sentence is a sentence that has at least one subordinate clause. (A subordinate clause is a clause on the bottom level of a sentence).

Compare the following sentences:

Simple Sentence = one clause on the top level.

I ate pizza.

 

 

 

 

Compound Sentence = two clauses on the top level. In the following example, the clauses are connected by a fanboy.

I ate pizza,

and Bob ate spaghetti.

 

 

 

The clauses could also be connected by a semicolon.

I ate pizza;

Bob ate spaghetti.

 

 

 

Hybrid Sentence = two clauses on the top level—but the subject of the second clause has been omitted.

I brushed my teeth

and went to bed.

 

 

 

The subject of the second clause is implied; therefore, you could also picture a hybrid sentence like this:

I brushed my teeth

and [I] went to bed.

 

 

 

Complex Sentence = at least one clause on the bottom level. In the following example, the main clause comes first, followed by the subordinate clause.

I ate pizza

 

 

because I was hungry.

 

The subordinate clause could also come first, followed by the main clause.

 

I ate pizza.

Because I was hungry,

 

 

Instructions for the Quiz

Determine the type of sentence.

Note: You can ignore the final option (compound-complex), as we have not yet studied that sentence pattern.

Quiz