The Structure of a Sentence

Remember that every clause is, in a sense, a miniature sentence. A simple sentences contains only a single clause, while a compound sentence, a complex sentence, or a compound-complex sentence contains at least two clauses. The Simple Sentence The most basic type of sentence is the simple sentence, which contains only one clause. A simple sentence can be as short as one word: Run! Usually, however, the sentence has a subject as well as a predicate and both the subject and the predicate may have modifiers. Melt! Ice melts. The ice melts quickly. The ice on the river melts quickly under the warm March sun. Lying exposed without its blanket of snow, the ice on the river melts quickly under the warm March sun. As you can see, a simple sentence can be quite long -- it is a mistake to think that you can tell a simple sentence from a compound sentence or a complex sentence simply by its length. The Compound Sentence Simple Canada is a rich country. Still, it has many poor people. Compound compound-complex

Sentence Types I can name several conjunctive adverbs; consequently, my friends are impressed. A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. Because life is complex, we need complex sentences. (The independent clause is in blue. The dependent clause is italicized.) Example: Because people know that I am an English teacher,they make allowances for how I dress and what I say. (This sentence contains four dependent clauses. Definition A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses. Because I am an English teacher, some people expect me to speak perfectly, and other people expect me to write perfectly. (The dependent clause is underlined, and the independent clauses are in blue.) Some people tell me that my grading is too tough, and others tell me that my assignments are boring. (The independent clauses are in blue. Return to grammar review Return to composition page Return to home page

Independent and Dependent Clauses Summary: This handout defines dependent and independent clauses and explores how they are treated in standard usage. Contributors:Chris Berry, Allen BrizeeLast Edited: 2010-04-17 06:01:23 When you want to use commas and semicolons in sentences and when you are concerned about whether a sentence is or is not a fragment, a good way to start is to be able to recognize dependent and independent clauses. The definitions offered here will help you with this. Independent Clause An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought. Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz. Dependent Clause A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought. When Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz . . . Dependent Marker Word A dependent marker word is a word added to the beginning of an independent clause that makes it into a dependent clause. 1. 2. Some Common Errors to Avoid