Complex Sentences

​ Complex

Sentences

​What is a complex sentence?

• A complex sentence uses an introductory adverbial clause...

• Simply put, complex sentences use BOTH an independent AND a dependent clause!

What are dependent clauses?

• Dependent clauses are clauses that cannot stand on their own and still make sense.

• If a dependent clause was left alone as a sentence, it would be incomplete/a fragment!

HELPFUL HINT

• ​Independent + Independent = COMPOUND

  • Seventy-one percent of the Earth is covered in water, but it is not all safe to drink.

• Dependent + Independent = COMPLEX

  • Even though seventy-one percent of the Earth is covered in water, it is not all safe to drink.

Dependent clauses start with what we call ​SPOILERS

• These are technically called subordinate conjunctions, but this is an easier term to remember!

• Why SPOILERS? These words take perfectly good independent clauses and spoil them to be dependent!

DIFFERENT KINDS OF SPOILERS

​Comma Rule for Complex Sentences

• Place a comma AFTER the dependent clause IF it comes BEFORE the independent clause!

  • When refrigerated, rubber bands last longer.

• If the dependent clause comes AFTER the independent clause, do not use a comma!

  • Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

​Practice on your Notes!

​Now, write a compound-complex sentence, which combines both a compound and a complex sentence into one!