Complex Sentences

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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.

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What is an independent clause?

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An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a sentence. It has a subject and a verb.

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What is a dependent clause?

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

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What is a subordinating conjunction?

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A subordinating conjunction is a word that connects a dependent clause to an independent clause. Examples include 'because', 'although', and 'while'.

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Identify the subordinating conjunction in this sentence: 'While we ate dinner, no one looked at their phones.'

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The subordinating conjunction is 'while'.

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Which of the following is a complex sentence? 'I like ice cream.' or 'I like ice cream because it is sweet.'

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'I like ice cream because it is sweet.' is a complex sentence.

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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 ideas, often indicating cause, contrast, or time.

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Can a complex sentence have more than one dependent clause?

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Yes, a complex sentence can have more than one dependent clause.

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What is an example of a dependent clause?

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An example of a dependent clause is 'because it was raining'.

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What punctuation is often used in complex sentences?

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