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 GRAMMAR & STRUCTURE
Complex Sentences
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Definition
A complex sentence is a sentence that has two parts: a main subject (S) + verb (V) part (called an independent clause), and a second subject (S) + verb (V) part (called a dependent clause).
Example
The |
students |
ate |
lunch at the beach |
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S |
V |
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because |
it |
was |
a beautiful day. |
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S |
V |
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independent clause |
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dependent clause |
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The students ate lunch at the beach because it was a beautiful day.
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complex sentence with two parts
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Explanation
A complex sentence --
- joins an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses together in one sentence.
- An independent clause is a complete thought: "I watched the movie."
- A dependent clause is an incomplete thought: "after I ate supper".
- A dependent clause needs more information to make it complete.
- has subject and verb agreement.
- has verb tense agreement to show the same time, or can use different verb tenses to show different times.
- uses a conjunction to join the clauses together. Conjunctions are words like: "although, while, if, because, after".
- has specific punctuation rules. For example: When a dependent clause comes at the beginning of a sentence, it should be followed by a comma.
Related Sections
Compound Sentences
Punctuation
Simple Sentences |
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