Complex Sentences

Front

What is a complex sentence?

Back

A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Front

What is a dependent clause?

Back

A dependent clause is a group of words that has both a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.

Front

What is an independent clause?

Back

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

Front

What role do subordinating conjunctions play in complex sentences?

Back

Subordinating conjunctions introduce dependent clauses and show the relationship between the dependent clause and the independent clause.

Front

Can a complex sentence have more than one dependent clause?

Back

Yes, a complex sentence can have multiple dependent clauses.

Front

What are some examples of subordinating conjunctions?

Back

Examples of subordinating conjunctions include 'although', 'because', 'since', 'unless', and 'while'.

Front

Is the following sentence a complex sentence? 'Although it was raining, we went for a walk.'

Back

Yes, it is a complex sentence because it contains an independent clause ('we went for a walk') and a dependent clause ('Although it was raining').

Front

What is the difference between a compound sentence and a complex sentence?

Back

A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, while a complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Front

What punctuation is typically used to separate the independent and dependent clauses in a complex sentence?

Back

A comma is typically used to separate the dependent clause from the independent clause when the dependent clause comes first.

Front

True or False: A dependent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.

Back

False. A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.