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SIMPLE SENTENCE
A simple sentence is group of words that expresses a complete
thought.
Kiara likes to play softball.

(simple sentence)

NOT A SENTENCE
(fragment )
Incomplete /
missing one or more of the following parts:
a subject
a verb
a coherent thought

o Went for the lay-up but missed the shot.

(missing the subject) Who went

for the lay-up?

o Leon for the lay-up but missed the shot.

(missing the verb) What did Leon

do?

o Lay-up after the shot.

(not a coherent thought) Who did what?

YOU TRY
No
___ 1.
Yes
___ 2.
No
___ 3.
Yes
___ 4.
No
movie.
___ 5.

Putting the snow blower away.

Mom cooked spaghetti for dinner.
After I emptied the dishwasher.
We will meet at the mall before the
Slept in a tent all weekend.

http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exercises/sentences_ex1.htm

2 Parts to Every Simple Sentence:

Subject
Noun or pronoun
Who or what the
sentence is about

Predicate
Verb
Tells what happened in the
sentence
What the subject is or what
the subject does

Subjec
<---- Predicate ---->
t
The Bengals
are going to play in the Regional
(noun)
(verb
game!
phrase)
http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/sentences_core_parts.htm

Clauses
(Two Types)

1. Independent Clause = has subject and verb / expresses

complete thought (sentence)
Ex. The teacher screamed. (complete)

2. Subordinate (Dependent) Clause = has subject and verb

/ incomplete thought (fragment )
Ex. Because the teacher screamed. (incomplete / cannot stand
alone)

http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/clauses.htm

SIMPLE SENTENCES
Have one independent
clause and no
subordinate
(dependent) clause

May have a compound

subject, a compound
verb, or both
Ex. Alex and Marcus studied
before their English test.
(compound subject)

Ex. Alex studied before his

English test.
(Alex=subject, studied=verb)

Ex. Alex studied and got

tutored before his English
test.
(compound verb)

Ex. Alex and Marcus studied

and got tutored before their
English test.
(compound subject and compound verb)

COMPOUND SENTENCE
Has 2 or more independent clauses and no subordinate (dependent)
clause

Clauses are joined by a

comma and
coordinating
conjunction (and, but, or, for,
nor, yet, so)

Ex. The students finished their

research projects, and they
presented their PowerPoint
slides.

Clauses can also be

joined by semicolon

(;)

Ex. The students finished their

research projects; they
presented their PowerPoint
slides.

COMPLEX SENTENCE
Has 1 independent clauses and 1 or more subordinate (dependent)
clauses

Clauses are joined by a

comma and
subordinating
conjunction (if, although, when,
because, before, since)

Clauses can also be

joined by just the
subordinating
conjunction (if, although,
when, because, before, since).

Ex. Because the students

Ex. The teacher assigned them
were disruptive, the
all detentions because the
teacher assigned them all
students were disruptive.
detentions.
Ex. The teacher, because the
students were disruptive,
assigned them all
detentions.

COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE
Has 2 or more independent clauses and 1 or more subordinate
(dependent) clauses

(Independent
(Independent
#1)
(Subordinate)
#2)

Coordinatin
g
conjunction

The students finished their research projects,

and they presented their PowerPoint slides,
so that their classmates could learn about
the topics too.
Subordinatin
g conjunction