MINIHANDOUT

SENTENCETYPES

1.SIMPLESENTENCEAsimplesentenceconsistsofonesubjectandoneverb.
Anindependentclauseisthesameasasimplesentence.

Examples: Thehardworkingstudentsstudied.

or

Thehardworkingstudentsstudiedtheiralgebraformanyhours.

2.COMPOUNDSENTENCEAcompoundsentenceconsistsoftwoormoresimple
sentencesorindependentclauses.Independentclausescanbejoinedbyusinga
coordinatingconjunction.RememberFANBOYSfor,and,nor,but,or,yet,so.
Youmustuseacommabeforethecoordinatingconjunction.

Example:Thehardworkingstudentsstudiedtheiralgebraformanyhours,buttheunconcerned
studentspartiedallnight.

3.COMPLEXSENTENCEAcomplexsentenceconsistsofanindependentclause
andoneormoredependentclauses.Adependentclauseisagroupofwordswitha
subject,verb,andapossiblecomplimentwithmodifiersoftheseprincipleparts.A
dependentclausecannotstandalonebecauseitissubordinatetoordependenton
theideapresentedintheindependentclause.

Example:

clause)

Bobsuggestedthatwegofishingthisweekend.(noundependentclause))
WesawJim,whoyouthoughthadmoved,afterschoolyesterday.(adjectivedependent
IwanttogoevenifIdonthaveenoughmoney.(adverbialclause)

4.COMPOUNDCOMPLEXSENTENCEAcompoundcomplexsentenceconsistof
oneormoredependentclausesaddedtoacompoundsentenceortwoormore
independentclauses.

Example:Westayedatthepartyuntilitwasverylate,butourparentsdidnotseemtocare.

SentenceTypesPracticecircletheletterthatcorrespondstothecorrectsentencetype.

1. NinaandLisahaveasmalldisputeeachwinteroverwheretheyshouldgoskiing.
A. SimpleSentence
B. CompoundSentence
C. ComplexSentence
D. CompoundComplexSentence

2. NinalikesColoradosslopesandhangsoutinthesnackshack.
A. SimpleSentence
B. CompoundSentence
C. ComplexSentence
D. CompoundComplexSentence

3. Lisa,ontheotherhand,lovestheslopesofVermontwheresheskisdownthe
mountain,andshecanpartakeofcozysuppersbythefiresideatthelodge.
A. SimpleSentence
B. CompoundSentence
C. ComplexSentence
D. CompoundComplexSentence

4. NinafindsnothinginterestinginthequietlogcabinsofVermont,thequaint
shops,andstuffyfolks.

A.SimpleSentence

B.CompoundSentence

C.ComplexSentence
D.CompoundComplex

5. Lisahatesthedrollsnackshop;sheisbadgeredbyrudeboys.
A.SimpleSentence

B.CompoundSentence

C.ComplexSentence
D. CompoundComplex

6. Now,NinaandLisa,followingaheatedargument,decidedtogotoseparateski
resorts.
A.SimpleSentence

B.CompoundSentence

C.ComplexSentence
D. CompoundComplex

7. NinawenttoBoulder,Colorado,andLisawenttotheAlps.
A.SimpleSentence

B.CompoundSentence

C.ComplexSentence
D. CompoundComplex
8. Althoughtheyarethousandsofmilesapart,theytextmessageandemailallday
long.

A.SimpleSentence

B.CompoundSentence

C.ComplexSentence
D. CompoundComplex

9.Ninatakeshercellphonewithher,andLisahasherlaptop,whichsheconnects
usingWiFi.

A.SimpleSentence

B.CompoundSentence

C.ComplexSentence
D. CompoundComplex

10.Oncetheybothreturn,NinaandLisawillmeetattheairport.

A.SimpleSentence

B.CompoundSentence

C.ComplexSentence
D.CompoundComplex