Compound, Complex, & Compound-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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Example of a compound sentence.

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"I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain."

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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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Example of a complex sentence.

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"Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk."

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What is a compound-complex sentence?

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A compound-complex sentence is a sentence that has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

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Example of a compound-complex sentence.

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"Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk, and we took our umbrellas."

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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 does not express a complete thought.

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What is a coordinating conjunction?

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A coordinating conjunction is a word that connects two independent clauses (e.g., and, but, or).

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What punctuation is used to separate independent clauses in a compound sentence?

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A comma is used before the coordinating conjunction to separate independent clauses.