Types of Sentences A simple sentence has the most basic elements that make it a sentence: a subject, a verb, and a completed thought. A simple sentence can also be referred to as an independent clause. Examples:
Joe waited for the train.
I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station.
Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station early but waited until noon for the bus.
A compound sentence refers to a sentence made up of two independent clauses (or complete sentences) connected to one another with a coordinating conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions are easy to remember if you think of the words "FAN BOYS":
Examples:
Joe waited for the train, but the train was late.
I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station, but they arrived at the station before noon and left on the bus before I arrived.
Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, and they left on the bus before I arrived.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses connected to it. A dependent clause is similar to an independent clause, or complete sentence, but it lacks one of the elements that would make it a complete sentence.
Examples:
Because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, I did not see them at the station.
Joe realized that the train was late while he waited at the train station.
Mary and Samantha realized that Joe was waiting at the train station after they left on the bus.
A simple sentence has the most basic elements that make it a sentence: a subject, a verb, and a completed thought. A simple sentence can also be referred to as an independent clause.
Examples:
A compound sentence refers to a sentence made up of two independent clauses (or complete sentences) connected to one another with a coordinating conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions are easy to remember if you think of the words "FAN BOYS":
Examples:
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses connected to it. A dependent clause is similar to an independent clause, or complete sentence, but it lacks one of the elements that would make it a complete sentence.
Examples: