Sentence Structures

The Four Types: Simple, Compound, Complex, & Compound-Complex

Simple Sentences
It has a subject (aka noun) AND predicate (aka verb) EX: Sue quickly ate lunch. EX: Kindness is an excellent quality to possess!

EX: Jane and Jake rocked out to Thunderstruck by AC/DC during the half-time show.

Helping Verbs
Can help the main verb or can act as the main verb am are has be do is were have being doing was had been does

did

Compound Sentences
Two simple sentences joined by a comma (,) and a conjunction word (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

EX: Curt threw the football to Tim, and Tim ran 65 yards for a touch down. EX: Jill climbed Mt. Everest, so she crossed that off her bucket list.

Conjunctions
Use after a comma to separate two simple sentences in order to make a compound sentence. __________, for ____________. __________, and ____________. __________, nor ____________. __________, but ____________. __________, or ____________. __________, yet ____________. __________, so ____________.

Complex Sentences
A combination of an independent clause (which is a simple sentence and can stand alone) and a dependent clause (which cannot stand alone but has a subject and predicate).

EX: When she realized she didnt have milk for cereal, Sue went to the store. EX: Bob walked to practice because his mom didnt get home from work in time to drive him.

Subordinating Conjunctions
Signals a dependent clause in a complex sentence Although After Because Before Once While When Unless If As Since Until

Compound-Complex Sentences
A simple sentence connected to a complex sentence with a comma and a f.a.n.b.o.y.s. (conjunction). EX: When Sue realized she didnt have any milk for cereal, she went to the store, but she bought a Twix instead of milk.

EX: Bob walked to practice because his mom didnt get home from work in time to drive him, and he didnt want to be late.