Kinds of Sentences
Hello, young learners! Think of sentences like building with blocks. You can make a small, simple tower with one block, or you can join blocks together to make bigger, more interesting towers. In grammar, we do the same thing with words! We can have simple sentences or join them together to make Compound and Complex sentences. Let's learn how to build them correctly and have fun with grammar!
1. Simple Sentence
It is a sentence that has a subject, a predicate, and one and only one finite verb.
Examples:
- There are vacant chairs here.
- The policeman chased the thief.
- We shall visit him next week.
2. Compound Sentence
It is a sentence made up of two or more main or principal clauses joined together by coordinating conjunctions (also called coordinators).
Coordinators:
and, but, or, either...or, neither...nor, yet, therefore, so, as well as, etc.
Examples:
- The man entered the train and sat near the window.
- The dog barked at the stranger, so he ran away.
- I saw the match, but I did not enjoy it.
3. Complex Sentence
It is a sentence that consists of a main (or principal) clause and one or more subordinate clauses joined by subordinators (also called connectors).
Subordinators:
how, where, when, why, what, who, which, that, since, if, as, because, though, although, unless, until, before, than, etc.
Examples:
- I told him that I was in a hurry to reach the theatre.
- The deer runs faster than the cheetah does.
- Rajiv bought a new jacket which was made from animal skin.
Sentence Conversions
Conversion of Simple Sentences into Compound Sentences
Seeing a snake, he ran away.
He saw a snake and ran away.
Besides being intelligent, she is beautiful.
She is not only intelligent but also beautiful.
In spite of his enormous wealth, he is sad.
He has enormous wealth, yet he is sad.
Conversion of Compound Sentences into Simple Sentences
I ate an apple and then I went to the cinema.
After eating an apple, I went to the cinema.
He passed his M.B.B.S. and became a doctor.
Having passed his M.B.B.S., he became a doctor.
You must study well, or you will not get first class marks.
You must study well to get first class marks.
Conversion of Simple Sentences into Complex Sentences
He doesn’t know the date of his marriage.
He doesn’t know when he got married.
A just man gets respect everywhere.
A man who is just gets respect everywhere.
On seeing the police, the thief ran away.
As soon as the thief saw the police, he ran away.
Conversion of Complex Sentences into Simple Sentences
Since he was tired, he could not go to the office.
On account of being tired, he could not go to the office.
The student who studies well gets high marks.
A hard-working student gets high marks.
He replaced the old wall clock which was damaged.
He replaced the damaged wall clock.
Conversion of Compound Sentences into Complex Sentences
Study well or you will fail.
Unless you study well, you will fail.
He is strong, but he is timid.
Although he is strong, he is timid.
Conversion of Complex Sentences into Compound Sentences
I saw a monkey which was sitting on a tree.
I saw a monkey, and it was sitting on a tree.
If you go to Agra, you can see the Taj Mahal.
You can go to Agra and see the Taj Mahal.
Practice Exercise
State which of the following sentences are compound and which are complex.
For Compound sentences, separate the clauses and name the conjunction. For Complex sentences, state the principal and subordinate clauses.
- Donald took out his pen and started writing.
- The town in which I live is very large.
- This is the house that Jack built.
- The Commons passed the bill, but the Lords threw it out.
- My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky.
- God made the country and man made the town.
- She must weep or she will die.
- He must have done his duty, for he is a conscientious man.
- Where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise.
- I went because I was invited.
Answers
- Compound:
Clause 1: Donald took out his pen
Clause 2: (he) started writing
Conjunction: and - Complex:
Principal Clause: The town is very large
Subordinate Clause: in which I live - Complex:
Principal Clause: This is the house
Subordinate Clause: that Jack built - Compound:
Clause 1: The Commons passed the bill
Clause 2: the Lords threw it out
Conjunction: but - Complex:
Principal Clause: My heart leaps up
Subordinate Clause: when I behold a rainbow in the sky - Compound:
Clause 1: God made the country
Clause 2: man made the town
Conjunction: and - Compound:
Clause 1: She must weep
Clause 2: she will die
Conjunction: or - Compound:
Clause 1: He must have done his duty
Clause 2: he is a conscientious man
Conjunction: for - Complex:
Principal Clause: it is folly to be wise
Subordinate Clause: Where ignorance is bliss - Complex:
Principal Clause: I went
Subordinate Clause: because I was invited
Difficult Words & Their Meanings
- Adorning: Decorating or adding beauty to.
- Clause: A part of a sentence with its own subject and verb.
- Conscientious: Careful and doing one's duty well.
- Conjunction: A word that joins parts of a sentence (e.g., and, but).
- Enormous: Very large or huge.
- Finite Verb: A verb that shows tense (past, present, future).
- Folly: Foolishness.
- Grievous: Causing great sorrow or pain.
- Implement: To put a plan into action.
- Instrumental: Being very important in making something happen.
- Majestic: Beautiful, powerful, or causing great respect.
- Meritorious: Deserving praise or reward.
- Nurtures: Cares for and helps to grow.
- Optimistic: Hopeful and confident about the future.
- Perseverance: Continuing to do something even when it is difficult.
- Predicate: The part of a sentence that tells what the subject does.
- Principal: Main or most important.
- Reproachful: Showing disapproval or disappointment.
- Subordinate: Less important or dependent on the main part.
- Timid: Shy and easily frightened.
- Vacant: Empty.