Kinds of Sentences

A sentence may be one of four kinds, depending upon the number and type(s) of clauses it contains.

        Review:

        An independent clause  contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.

                

        A dependent clause contains a subject and a verb, but no complete thought.

                

           

1. A SIMPLE SENTENCE has one independent clause.

                

Punctuation note:  NO commas separate two compound elements (subject, verb, direct object, indirect object, subjective complement, etc.) in a simple sentence.

2. A COMPOUND SENTENCE has two independent clauses joined by

        A.  a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so),

        B.  a conjunctive adverb (e.g. however, therefore), or

        C.  a semicolon alone.

                 

    Punctuation patterns (to match A, B, and C above):

        A. Independent clause, coordinating conjunction  independent clause.

        B. Independent clause; conjunctive adverb, independent clause.

        C. Independent clause; independent clause.

            

3. A COMPLEX SENTENCE has one dependent clause (headed by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun ) joined to an independent clause.

            

    Punctuation patterns (to match A, B, C and D above):

        A.  Dependent clause,  independent clause

        B.  Independent clause  dependent clause

        C.  Independent,    nonessential dependent clause,     clause.

        D.  Independent    essential dependent clause     clause.

          

4. A COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE has two independent clauses joined to one or more dependent clauses.