Part II theme 1

Composite Sentence.

Compound, Complex and Compound-Complex Sentences.

Structure

The composite sentence is a sentence consisting of two or more clauses. In its structure a clause is similar to a simple sentence, but unlike a simple sentence it forms part of a bigger syntactical unit.

Within a composite sentence clauses may be joined by means of coordination or subordination, thus forming a compound or a complex sentence respectively.

Coordination is a way of linking grammatical elements to make them equal in rank.

Subordination is a way of linking grammatical elements that makes one of them dependent upon the other (or they are mutually dependent).

Compound Sentence

A compound sentence combines two complete sentences (independent clauses); thus, each part must have its own subject, its own verb and be able to stand by itself and still make sense. A compound sentence is used to emphasize both clauses equally.

Compound sentences can have independent clauses joined by:

• A coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), always with a comma placed in front of it:

Bill left late, but he still got there on time.

The boys shouted and I rushed forward.

• A semicolon:

The neighbours drove by; they couldn’t bear to look.

• A conjunctive adverb (hence, however, now, still, then, therefore, thus, thence, nevertheless, otherwise, in fact, for example, besides, consequently, furthermore, accordingly), always with a semicolon placed before the conjunctive adverb and a comma after it:

Bill left late; however, he still got there on time.

Complex Sentence

A complex sentence expands a basic sentence by combining a complete sentence (independent clause) with a clause that has a subject and a verb but is not complete by itself (dependent clause). Often we want to combine two or more sentences, but we still want to make one point. We can combine two different thoughts into one sentence and make only one major point by emphasizing just one of the simple sentences we are joining.

When we combine two sentences in this way, we can make one of the sentences into a dependent clause by putting one of the following words in the beginning of the cause we want to make dependent, or less important.

Subordination

when since whether who unless

whoever while because until whom

whoever after although so that which

though before as / if whereas that

than where provided that in order that

We were late. We were expelled.

Because we were late, we were expelled.

OR

We were expelled because we were late.

The main point or more important idea is being expelled; we were late just tells why.

We studied for the test. We came to class.

Before we came to class, we studied for the test.

OR

We studied for the test before we came to class.

The studying is emphasized, not the coming to class.

Complex-Compound Sentence

A complex-compound sentence consists of at least two independents and one or more dependent clauses. It is also sometimes called compound-complex sentence.

He went to college and I went to the market where I bought some vegetables.

I like Mathematics, but my elder sister is good at Biology because she wants to be a doctor.