Simple Compound and Complex Sentences Examples

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Simple Compound and Complex Sentences Examples and Exercises

THE SIMPLE SENTENCE

Examine the following sentence :

An honest man is loved by all.

The sentence has only one Subject and one Predicate and is, therefore, a Simple Sentence.

A Simple Sentence is one which has only one Subject and one Predicate.

[Or] A Simple Sentence is one which has only one Finite Verb.

THE COMPOUND SENTENCE

Examine the following sentences:

  • The moon rose and everything looked bright.
  • I got the book from the library and read it and enjoyed it.

The sentence 1 is made up of two parts joined by the Co-ordinating Conjunction and :

(a) The moon rose. (b) Everything looked bright.

As each part has a Subject and a Predicate of its own and is part of a larger sentence, each is a Clause.

We further notice that each Clause can make good sense by itself and can, therefore, stand alone as a complete sentence. In other words, each Clause is independent of the other, or of the same rank, and is called a Co­ordinate Clause.

A sentence which is made up of Co-ordinate Clauses is called a Compound Sentence.

The sentence 2 is made up of three Co-ordinate Clauses :

(a) I got the book from the library.

(b) [I] read it.

(c) [I] enjoyed it.

Such a sentence is also called Compound Sentence.

A Compound Sentence is one which consists of two or more Co­ordinate Clauses.

Note: The sentence 1 which consists of two Co-ordinate Clauses is called a Double Sentence, while the sentence 2, which consists of more than two Co-ordinate Clauses is called a Multiple Sentence.

III. THE COMPLEX SENTENCE

Examine the following sentences:

(a) We returned  (b) when the sun set.

As each part has a Subject and a Predicate of its own and is part of a larger sentence, each is a Clause.

We further notice that the Clause, We returned, makes good sense by itself, and can stand alone. Such a Clause is called the Main or Principal Clause.

But the Clause, when the sun set cannot make good sense by itself and cannot, therefore, stand alone. It depends on its full meaning on the Clause, we returned. Such a Clause is called a Dependent or Subordinate Clause.

Such a sentence is called a Complex Sentence.

The second sentence consists of three Clauses —

  • The innkeeper said. (Main Clause)
  • As we tried to enter the inn. (Subordinate Clause)
  • That there was no room. (Subordinate Clause)

So this sentence consists of one Main Clause and two Subordinate Clauses. Such a sentence is also called a Complex Sentence.

A Complex Sentence is one that consists of one Main Clause and one or more Subordinate Clauses (dependent for their full meaning on the Main Clause).

Exercise 1: State whether the following sentences are Complex or Compound. If a sentence is Complex, point out its Principal and Subordinate Clauses. If a sentence is Compound, pick out the Co-ordinate Clauses of which it is composed.

  1. I dreamt that I lived in marble halls.
  2. People who are given to quarrelling cannot be happy.
  3. The farmers who live in this village are honest and contented.
  4. A wise man is he who learns from the mistakes of others and a fool is he who learns from his own mistakes.
  5. He worked as if he was in a hurry.
  6. When I heard that the poor woman had lost her only child, I ran at once to her house, and gave her all the consolation I could.
  7. Many are called, but few are chosen.
  8. He arrived before the performance began.
  9. He who always does his duty is loved by his officers, but a man who shirks it is despised by all.
  10. God made the country and man made the town.
  11. You will get all you want if you patiently wait and watch.
  12. I agree to your plan, for I think that we can get out of this difficulty only if we follow it.

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