Compound-complex sentences- moving from simple to advanced sentence structures
Switching between independent and dependent clauses will develop the way you express yourself. These are known as compound and complex sentences.
Compound sentence: two independent clauses connected by a conjunction, FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
Complex sentence: at least one dependent clause and an independent clause with a connected with a subordinate conjunction: although, after, while, when, unless, because, before, if, since.
Let's look at some examples, shall we?
Start with two independent clauses, for example:
The frog leapt into the lake. The water rippled.
Combine the independent clauses into a compound sentence using FANBOYS:
The frog leapt into the lake and the water rippled.
Add a dependent clause before, in middle of, or at the end of the two independent clauses. This creates a compound-complex sentence:
Because the frog was chased by a bird, the frog leapt into the lake and the water rippled.
The frog leapt into the lake and the water rippled, because the frog was chased by a bird.
I read and after eating, I watched tv.
Reading and grammar exercise
Time for the activity: 5-10 minutes
Change the following sentences using the word given in bold.
The sentence must be as close as possible to the meaning in the original.
Your answer must also be grammatically correct.
You must use between three and five words in each gap, including the word given. For example:
She found that the fridge had been left open overnight.
someone
She found that ____________________________ a the fridge open overnight.
Answer: She found that someone had left the fridge open overnight.
1.English is a global language and there are around 380 million native speakers.
Although
__________ around 380 million native speakers, English is a global language.
2. If English had not risen to its current power, French might have been the largest global language.
Rise
French might have been the largest global language, even before English ______ its current power
3. English is studied at school and Swedes are confident at speaking English
Confidence
Swedes are ___________ English, since the lingua franca is studied at school.
Once done, identify if the sentences are compound or complex!
Exercises
Write the sentences and draw a circle around the independent and dependent clauses. For example:
While looking at her phone, she watched Youtube for many hours and she was making an attempt to study.
While looking at her phone (dependent) she watched Youtube for many hours (independent) and she was making an attempt to study (independent).
I only drink coffee in the morning because I am rarely hungry, but most people eat a full breakfast.
When I listen to music, my body moves involuntarily and I enjoy humming to the tune.
The politician jumped at his opponent and the auditorium exploded in violence because everyone started fighting.