One or more completed actions with one or more incomplete.
Table of Contents
Diversity matters in writing as well as in life and in nature.
Variation in the type and length of sentences creates more interest for the reader.
Simple sentences (one independent clause)
Simple sentences have only one independent clause (sentence). They may have a single or a compound subject and a single or a compound predicate (verb or verb phrase), but the subject is the doer (active voice) or the receiver (passive voice) of the action(s).
Examples:
- Jack left.
- (“Jack” = single subject, “left” = single verb, predicate = verb, active voice)
- Jack went up the hill.
- (“Jack” = single subject, “went” = single verb, predicate = verb and prepositional phrase = “up the hill”, active voice)
- Jack and Jill went up the hill.
- (“Jack and Jill” = compound subject, “went = single verb, predicate = verb and prepositional phrase = “up the hill”, active voice)
- Jack and Jill went up the hill and fetched a pail of water.
- (“Jack and Jill” = compound subject, “went, fetched” = compound verbs, predicate = compound verbs, the first with a prepositional phrase = “up the hill,” and the second with a direct object = “a pail,” followed by a prepositional phrase = “of water”, active voice)
- The hill was climbed by Jack and Jill.
- (“hill” = single subject, “was climbed” = single verb, predicate = verb followed by a prepositional phrase = “by Jack and Jill”, passive voice)
These can be prepositional phrases, verbal phrases, adverbial phrases, phrases with an adjective, or … use your own judgment. Be careful to keep the phrase connected to the right subject.
- Simple sentences with prepositional phrases
- Tom, Kevin, and Chuck left their home at exactly 7:00 p.m.
- In no particular hurry, they headed for the train station.
- From the upstairs window, their mother watched them go.
- Simple sentences with adverbial phrases
- Casually, they dragged their heavy suitcases down the road.
- They chattered happily about their upcoming adventure.
- Tearfully, Mother called the train station to let them know to expect her sons.
- Simple sentences with verbal phrases (gerund or “-ing” form of the verb)
- The train, leaving on time, slowly chugged out of the station.
- Slapping each other on the back, the boys watched their town diminish in size.
- Eying the boys carefully, the conductor began collecting tickets.
- Simple Sentences with phrases beginning with an adjective
- Happy to be on their way, the boys ate their breakfasts from their packs.
- Careful to match each boy with his ticket, the conductor asked each one his name.
- Wild with excitement, Charles gave his nickname, “Chucky,” instead.
- Simple sentences with other combinations of phrases
- All the way to the next town, Tom watched out the window.
- Joy in his eyes, Kevin kept up a running conversation with anyone and everyone.
- However long the journey, their grandparents would be waiting at the next station.
Compound sentences (two or more independent clauses)
The clauses should be closely related.
The same subject may be stated differently:
- Eduardo
- the tall boy
- (a subtle way to include description rather than a long paragraph)
- he
The independent clauses should be combined by
- a semicolon
OR
- a comma followed by a FANBOYS
a comma followed by a FANBOYS
- for
- and
- nor
- boy
- or
- yet
- so
(Comma plus “and”) The lightning flashed, and the thunder roared.
- “lightning” = subject of first clause
- “flashed” = verb of first clause, ending with a comma
- FANBOYS = “and”
- “thunder” = subject of second clause
- “roared” = verb of second clause
(Comma plus “so”) The child was afraid of the lightning and thunder, so she ran into the house.
- “child” = subject of first clause
- “was” = verb of the first clause
- FANBOYS = “so”
- “she” = subject of second clause, referring to “the child”
- “ran” = verb
- predicate = verb (“ran”) and prepositional phrase (“into the house”)
(Semicolon) The lightning and thunder frightened the children; she and her brother ran into the house.
- “lightning and thunder” = compound subject of first clause
- “frightened” = verb,
- predicate = verb (“frightened”) and direct object (“the children”)
- FANBOYS = “so”
- “she and her brother” = compound subject of second clause,
- “ran” = verb,
- predicate = verb (“ran”) and prepositional phrase (“into the house”)
Complex sentences
The clauses are combined with a subordinating conjunction (not a FANBOYS), making them dependent clauses. Subordinate conjunctions indicate time, place, or cause and effect.
When the dependent clause begins the sentence, separate the two clauses with a comma (or semicolon if either clause has other commas).
If the independent clause begins the sentence, no separation is needed, so no comma follows the main clause.
Examples:
- When the two-minute warning sounded, the score was tied.
- (Dependent clause beginning with “when” requires a comma after “sounded”)
- The score was tied when the two-minute warning sounded.
- (The sentence begins with the independent clause, so no comma is needed)
- Where the line of scrimmage was, our team did not know.
- (Dependent clause beginning with “where” requires a comma after “was”)
- Our team did not know where the line of scrimmage was.
- (The sentence begins with the independent clause, so no comma is needed)
- Because the wind was blowing from the west, the field goal attempt went wide.
- (Dependent clause beginning with “because” requires a comma after “west”)
- The field goal attempt went wide because the wind was blowing from the west.
- (The sentence begins with the independent clause, so no comma is needed)
Compound-complex sentences
As the name implies, a compound-complex sentence has three or more clauses: at least one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
Examples:
- The runner crossed the goal line when the buzzer sounded, and the crowd went wild.
- Independent clause = “The runner crossed the goal line” with no comma before the dependent clause
- dependent clause = “when the buzzer sounded”
- comma
- FANBOYS = “and”
- independent clause = “the crowd went wild”)
- period at the end of the sentence
- As the team carried the runner out on their shoulders, they dropped him, and he broke his ankle.
- Dependent clause = “As the team carried the runner out on their shoulders”
- comma
- independent clause = “they dropped him”
- comma
- FANBOYS = “and”
- independent clause, “he broke his ankle“
- period at the end of the sentence
- The coach ran to him, but the medic reached him first while the team looked embarrassed.
- Independent clause = “the coach ran to him”
- comma
- FANBOYS = “but”
- independent clause = “the medic reached him first”
- dependent clause = “while the team looked embarrassed”
- period at end of sentence
Credits: Photo by Luke Jones, Photo by Zachary Varga, Photo by Keith Johnston on Unsplash