Four Sentence Structures Simple Sentence A Simple Sentence

Four Sentence Structures

Simple Sentence A Simple Sentence shares one complete thought. Example: Frank ate pizza for lunch. The firefighters arrived at the scene.

Compound Sentence A compound sentence shares two or more complete thoughts (simple sentences). They are connected by conjunctions (and, or, so, but). There needs to be a comma before the conjunction.

FANBOYS The conjunctions used to create complex sentences are the FANBOYS. for and nor but or yet so DON’T FORGET the COMMA BEFORE THE FANBOY!

Examples of Compound Sentences: Frank ate pizza, but his friend had a hot dog. The firefighters arrived at the scene, and they quickly extinguished the flames.

Complex Sentence A Complex sentence share two thoughts (one dependent and one independent). It has two clauses. The dependent cannot stand alone. It depends on the other clause to make sense. The independent clause can stand alone; it makes sense by itself.

Examples of Complex Sentences: While Frank ate the pizza, his friends asked him questions about the football game. The pizza that Frank ate had a special crust. Before the firefighters arrived, neighbors tried to help put out the fire. The neighbors who lived across the street saw the first.

Helper words that help write Complex Sentences: Word while before because after when although since unless if until even though so that Sentence While my friends watched TV, I ate dinner. I decided to go home before I missed my curfew. Because I am tall, I can reach high objects. The sun set after a long day. When I eat dairy, my stomach hurts. Although he is small, he is strong. I have a pink car since it is my favorite color. Let’s eat pizza unless you have a better idea. If you don’t care, I will leave now. I didn’t know he could sing until he was on stage. Even though Bob is quiet, he is popular. He gave me a good reference so that I could get a job.

Compound-Complex Sentence • This type of sentence has more than one part that can stand alone (dependent clauses), and at least one that cannot (independent clause). • Conjunctions link the different parts of this sentence.

Compound-Complex Sentence Since we wanted to have fun, my boyfriend and I went to San Juan yesterday, and we danced all night.

Compound-Complex Sentence Mike because is popular he is good looking, but he is not very happy.

Now look at each of the following pictures. Write a Simple Sentence for each one.

Go back to the first picture. Reread your Simple sentence. Make it a better sentence by making it a Compound sentence.

Go back to the first picture. Reread your compound sentence. Make it a better sentence by making it a complex sentence.

Go back to the first picture. Reread your complex sentence. Make it a better sentence by making it a compound complex sentence.