Sentence types
Simple sentences
These are sentences built from just one major clause. These have one main verb attached to the subject. The subject can be one word or a phrase.
Example 1 - Spiders spin webs.
Example 2 - The shaggy-haired Siberian wolfhound sat outside.
Compound sentences
A compound sentence joins more than one major clause with a conjunction (such as 鈥榓nd鈥, 鈥榖ut鈥, 鈥榦r鈥).
For example:
It was raining and Sher had forgotten his coat.
Sophie had seen a parrot before but she had never seen an owl.
Zeb could go to school or he could go to the library.
Complex sentences
A complex sentence includes a major clause and at least one subordinate clause. The term 鈥榗omplex鈥 here can be confusing. It does not mean the same as complicated. In fact some 鈥榗omplex鈥 sentences are very short and simple in meaning, eg 鈥楾he cat mewed, until it was let in.鈥, whereas a simple sentence can be long and complicated in appearance, eg 鈥楾he wild, ferocious Siberian wolfhound from London鈥檚 Regent Park zoo escaped six weeks ago.鈥
In the following examples, the clauses are in bold. Notice how the major clause works without the subordinate clause:
The girl, who had long blonde hair, stood at the window.
While he does his homework, Jack listens to the radio.