Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
This is a simple sentence. It contains one subject Mariana and one verb travels.
A sentence is not necessarily simple because it has a simple structure. Some sentences may have a long and confusing structure but can still be simple because they contain one subject and verb. A dependent clause may also contain a subject and verb, but a simple sentence only consists of one independent clause.
Compound Example
Martin wanted to go fishing, but Alice wanted to go skiing.
This is a compound sentence. It contains two independent clauses (Martin wanted to go fishing and Alice wanted to go skiing), which are joined by a coordinating conjunction (but).
Complex Example
Although she worked hard to gain recognition, many people did not know who she was.
Although she worked hard to gain recognition is a dependent clause because it begins with the subordinating conjunction although. Many people did not know who she was would be an independent clause, therefore making the sentence a complex sentence.
Compound-Complex Example
Although she worked hard to gain recognition, many people did not know who she was, and her friends did not even appreciate her work.
Here, we added an extra clause to the complex sentence we used earlier her friends did not even appreciate her work. Adding this independent clause with the coordinating conjunction and makes this a compound-complex sentence.
Carol had during college. Although the volcano erupted long ago, the collapsed mountaintop formed a lake bed that is still hot. I have always looked forward to my summer vacations. Noorie plays basketball on Saturdays, and she goes fishing on Sundays.
Answers
Living in Spain was one of the best experiences that Carol had during college.
This is a complex sentence: Living in Spain was one of the best experiences = independent clause That Carol had during college = dependent
Although the volcano erupted long ago, the collapsed mountaintop formed a lake bed that is still hot.
Complex sentence: Although the volcano erupted long ago = dependent clause The collapsed mountaintop formed a lake bed = independent clause. That is still hot = dependent clause.
Simple Sentence: I have always looked forward to my summer vacations = independent clause.
Compound sentence: Noorie plays basketball on Saturdays = independent clause. And = coordinating conjunction She goes fishing on Sundays = independent
Example
I didnt go to class today, I was feeling ill. In the above example, the comma (,) is too weak to connect the two independent clauses. This is called a comma splice, a type of run-on sentence. To correct this sentence, you would either replace the comma with a semi-colon or make the second clause dependent by adding the subordinating conjunction because -- I didnt go to class today because I was feeling ill.
Another Example
I need a break I need a long vacation. This is also a run-on sentence. In this example, there is nothing connecting the two independent clauses, no punctuation (not even a comma) or coordinating conjunction. This is called a fused sentence, another type of run-on sentence. You can fix this by placing a semi-colon between the clauses or forming two separate sentences by inserting a period instead.
Fragment Examples
Because I was quite happy. This is a fragment: It has only one dependent clause. The boy with the round face. This is also a fragment: It consists of only a phrase(s). Time. This sentence contains only a word, therefore making it a sentence fragment.
Walking in the park when I was a kid. I love work, I love school, I love people, I love life! I just didnt want to go to the party I knew better than to go on a school night. Okay! She went to the mall, and he went to the movies, we workaholics went to work.
Answers
Walking in the park when I was a kid. Sentence Fragment: It consists of a participle phrase and a dependent clause. There is no independent clause. I love work, I love school, I love people, I love life! Run-on sentence: It contains three independent clauses that are connected only by commas, which are too weak to join independent clauses to one another.
I just didnt want to go to the party I knew better than to go on a school night. Run-on sentence: Two independent clauses connected by nothing. Okay! Sentence fragment: It only contains one word and has no independent clause. She went to the mall, and he went to the movies, we workaholics went to work. Run-on sentence: While the first two independent clauses are properly connected, the last one is dangling at the end. The and should connect the last two independent
Well done!
If you have any questions about this presentation or any other writing issue, visit us at the center!
BB: ACI 160 (305) 919-5927 UP: PC 247 (305) 348-2180 W3.fiu.edu/ulc
Examples borrowed from: Troyka, Lynn Quitman. Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1999.