The Four Types of Sentence Structure
A complex sentence is one of four main sentence structures, all of which are shown below. In these examples, the independent clauses are shaded.
A Complex Sentence. A complex sentence has an independent clause and at least one dependent clause. For example:
- When you write a comic strip, the person on the left always speaks first. (George Carlin)
A Compound Sentence. A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses. For example
- I used to jog, but the ice cubes kept falling out my glass. (David Lee Roth)
A Simple Sentence. A simple sentence has just one independent clause.
A simple sentence has no dependent clauses.
An independent clause (unlike a dependent clause) can stand alone as a sentence.
Examples of Simple Sentences
Below are examples of simple sentences.
- I cannot drink warm milk.
- A day without sunshine is like night.
- You’re only as good as your last haircut. (Fran Lebowitz)
- Only the mediocre are always at their best. (Jean Giraudoux)
- Reality continues to ruin my life. (Bill Watterson)
A Compound-Complex Sentence. A compound-complex sentence has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. For example:
- I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked me for my autograph. (Shirley Temple)
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AGH / Jan 2020