Sentence Structure

Combining Sentence structure to Improve Your Writing

Three Sentence Types
• Simple
• Compound
• Complex

• Using a variety of these sentence structures in your writing

will improve the interest level of your writing.

• All sentences contain at least one clause.

Clauses
Independent and Subordinate
Clauses
• Definition: Groups of words that contain a
subject (s) and a verb (v)
• The building blocks of sentences

• 2 types of clauses
1. Independent
2. Subordinate
Independent Clauses
• Expresses a complete thought.
• They Can stand alone as a complete sentence.
• Every sentence contains one or more
independent clauses.

One Independent I don’t know which

Clause way’s best.
Two Independent I don’t know which
Clauses way’s best, and I don’t
want to pick one.
Simple Sentence
• Contains one independent clause

• Examples:

• It was almost four months ago.

• I don’t care too much for girls yet.

Compound Sentence
• Contains two independent clauses joined by a
coordinating conjunction (and, or)

• Examples:

• I love to read, and The Outsiders is one of my favorite

books.

• I don’t care too much for girls yet, or maybe they

don’t notice me yet.
Subordinate (dependent)
Clauses
• A clause that does not express a complete thought.
• A clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence.
• Usually begins with words like because, although, after,
if, when, as, and since.

Subordinate Clause because they live in Tulsa,

Oklahoma

Subordinate Clause after they arrived at the

church
Complex Sentences
• Constructed with at least one independent
clause and at least one subordinate clause.

• Example
• If they win, things go on as usual.