Types of Sentence

SIMPLE SENTENCE

 A simple sentence has one subject and verb pair.

 A sentence contains one clause.

 It can also be called an independent clause

Examples:

• Friday is my favorite day of the week.

• Freshwater boils at 100 degrees and freezes at 0 degrees Celsius.

• Freshwater and salt water do not boil and do not freeze at the same temperatures.

COMPOUND SENTENCE

 It has two independent clauses.

 These clauses are equal.

Examples:

My mom was born in HANOI, so I've always wanted to visit that city.

There are 4 ways to join independent clauses to form compound sentences:

1. Using a semi-colon: ;

2. Using coordinating conjunctions: FANBOYS

3. Using conjunctive adverbs: therefore, furthermore, moreover,…

4. Using correlative conjunctions: either…or, neither…nor, not only….but also, both…and

1. Using a semi-colon:

ex: We fished all day; we didn’t catch a thing.

2. Using coordinating conjunctions:

• My dog runs after squirrels, and the squirrels run away.

• My dog terrifies the squirrels, so they stay high in the trees.

• My dog chases them everyday, but he has never caught one.

• Your decision is important, for our future plans depend on it.

• He didn’t come to the class during the last three weeks, nor did he take the final exam.

• Many Japanese smoke, yet the Japanese have long life expectances

Exercise 1: Write S or C to label it as simple or compound.

1. Japan’s flag is red and white, and the Canadian flag is also red and white. C

2. Japan and Canada have the same two colors in their flags. S

3. The weather is bad, so the plane cannot take off on time.C

4. It is extremely hot in this room without an air conditioner. S

5. This map does not include the newly independent countries in Europe or Asia. S

6. For less than two hundred dollars, you can buy a round – trip ticket to Boston. S

7. The students take a test every Friday, but their scores are not very high. C

8. January, March, May, July, and December have thirty-one days. S

9. This recipe requires two cups of flour, two cups of sugar, and one cup of milk. S

10. Each ring costs sixty dollars, so five rings cost three hundred dollars. C

11. Women don’t smoke as much as men do, nor do they drink as much alcohol. C

12. These silver and gold rings are different in weight and in price. S

13. I enjoy playing tennis and look forward to it every weekend. S

14. My friends and I play tennis and go bowling every weekend. S

Exercise 2: For each pair of sentences, choose a suitable coordinating conjunction to combine
them

1. The Japanese consume a lot of rice. They eat more fish than red meat.

2. We hung up the picture. The wall still looked bare.

3. We left. There was not much to see.

4. It was too late. They decided not to wait for him anymore.

5. She had little formal art training. She managed to become successful as an artist.
 6. Jack can return to school. He can go to work.

7. The money was never received. The monument was never built.

8. Solar heating systems are economical to operate. The cost of installation is very high.

9. Energy needs are not going to decrease. Energy sources are not going to increase.

10. Burning fossil fuels causes serious damage to our planet. We need to develop other sources of
energy.

11. Ecologists know that burning fossil fuels causes holes in the ozone layer. People continue to do
it.

12. Poorer nations especially will continue this harmful practice. They don’t have the money to
develop ‘clean’ energy sources.

3. Using conjunctive adverbs:

Examples:

I want a satisfying career; therefore, I'm going to college.

Clark was in love with Lois; however, he couldn't have her.

Here are some commonly used conjunctive adverbs to suit various purposes:

ex: Clark was in love with Lois; however, he couldn't have her.

ex: Clark was in love with Lois. However, he couldn't have her.

ex: Clark was in love with Lois. He couldn't have her, however.

ex: Clark was in love with Lois. He, however, couldn't have her.

To add opposite idea/ a complete contrast Conversely, however, on the other hand,
nonetheless, nevertheless, in/by contrast.
To give example For example, for instance, such as, like
To show emphasis In fact,
To add another idea/ a similar/equal idea In addition, furthermore, moreover, besides,
also
To give result Thus, consequently, therefore, accordingly,
hence, as a result, as a consequence

Exercise 3: Add commas, semicolons, or periods as needed.  Make your marks easily readable. If
you add a period, make the next letter a capital.

1. Of course I help around the house for example last week I did all the laundry.
2. I want to study art but my parents want me to study engineering.

3. Salt water boils at a higher temperature than freshwater therefore food cooks faster in salt
water.

4. Skiing is dangerous nevertheless millions of people ski.

5. I have never been to Europe in fact I have never been outside my country.

6. Natasha hoped to find an acting job in Hollywood she had little talent.

7. Global warming poses a threat to our environment therefore we are trying to solve the problem.

8. We have seen the movie Gone with the Wind twice and we plan to see it again.

9. Ahmed speaks Arabic French and English in addition he can read German.

10. Bill received an A in his German class but Antoinette got a B.

11. Albert knows that he should take vitamins yet he refuses to buy them.

12. I need to wear reading glasses nevertheless I hate how I look in them.

13. Algebra was hard for me in high school in the same way I find calculus difficult in college.

Exercise 4: Use a suitable conjunctive adverb to form a compound sentence:

1. Robots can do boring, repetitive work. They can do unsafe jobs.

2. Robots can make minor decisions. They cannot really think.

3. The company’s sales increased last year. Its net profit declined.

4. Thomas Edison dropped out of school at the age of 12. He became a famous inventor.

5. I prefer to be a history teacher. I am studying in a Business School in order to get a job in

6. There are many interesting places to visit in the city. The botanical garden has numerous
displays of plants from all over the world.

7. To improve English outside of class, you should read many magazines in English. Watching
television can be helpful.

8. Fred is a good student. His brother is lazy.

9. He gets a lot of exercise. He’s in good shape physically.

4. Using correlative conjunctions: either…or, not only….but also, neither…nor, both…and

Either we should give Anna a raise or we should give her a vacation.

Not only is Bill rich but his wife is rich also.

Neither I have read the book, nor have I seen the movie.

COMPLEX SENTENCE

 A Complex sentence has two subject and verb pairs.

 It has a dependent clause and an independent clause.

Examples:

I lost a lot of weight when I was ill.

When I talk to my friend, she likes to tell me about her adventures.

DEPENDENT CLAUSE, MAIN CLAUSE

My friend likes to tell me about her adventures when I talk to her.

MAIN CLAUSE DEPENDENT CLAUSE

Some common subordinating conjunctions/ subordinators:

 Adverbial clauses of time: when, after, before, as, just as, as soon as, since, until, while

 Adverbial clauses of reasons: because, as, since

 Adverbial clauses of concession: although, though, even though, while, whereas

 Adverbial clauses of condition: if, unless

 Adverbial clauses of purpose: so that

 Relative clauses: who, whom, which, that, whose, when, where, why

Exercise 5: Identify simple sentence, compound sentence, complex sentence:

1. I enjoy playing tennis with my friends every weekend.

2. I enjoy playing tennis, but I hate playing golf.

3. Although I hate jogging, I love hiking.

5. The girl ran into her bedroom.

6. When I saw what you had done, I was sad

7. The students are studying because they have a test tomorrow.

8. I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English. 

9. After they finished studying, Juan and Maria went to the movies.

10. The town where I grew up is in the United States.

11. He is a student of Chinese, but he does not know how to write Chinese.

12. Although it rained, he decided to go to school

Exercise 6: Write M above main clauses and D above dependent clauses:

1. When I was growing up, everything was less expensive.

2. I guess things have changed since I was younger.

3. I was sad when we left my country.

4. Pedro wanted to study engineering, but his father convinced him to study medicine.

5. When I am older, I want to have a big house with a patio and a swimming pool.

6. After you understand the meaning of a word, you can practice writing sentences.

7. Even though I dislike fish, I ate it at my friend’s house to be polite.

8. Because the tide went out, the jellyfish were stranded on the beach.

9. Although a car is expensive to maintain, I need one to commute to work.

10. I dislike working at night; however, I cannot find a day job.