Compound and Complex Sentences

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What is a compound sentence?

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A compound sentence is a sentence that contains at least two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (e.g., and, but, or).

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What is a complex sentence?

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A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, often introduced by a subordinating conjunction (e.g., because, although, since).

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What is a coordinating conjunction?

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A coordinating conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses that are similar or equal in structure. Common coordinating conjunctions include: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS).

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What is a subordinating conjunction?

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A subordinating conjunction is a word that connects an independent clause with a dependent clause, indicating a relationship between the two. Examples include: although, because, since, unless.

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Identify the coordinating conjunction in this sentence: 'I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain.'

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The coordinating conjunction is 'but.'

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Identify the subordinating conjunction in this sentence: 'Although it was late, I decided to call her.'

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The subordinating conjunction is 'Although.'

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What is the purpose of a compound sentence?

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The purpose of a compound sentence is to connect two related ideas or thoughts, showing that they are equally important.

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What is the purpose of a complex sentence?

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The purpose of a complex sentence is to show the relationship between a main idea and a subordinate idea, adding depth to the sentence.

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Example of a compound sentence:

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'I wanted to play outside, and my brother wanted to stay in.'

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Example of a complex sentence:

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'Because it was raining, we stayed indoors.'