All sentences fall into four categories:
- Simple Sentences
- Compound Sentences
- Complex Sentences
- Compound-Complex Sentences
Simple Sentences
Simple sentences contain one independent clause.
For example:
The T-Rex loved throwing parties.
Simple sentences may seem, well, simple. However, simple sentences are not necessarily short and easy to read. You can have as many phrases as you want in a simple sentence, and it will still be simple.
Being an extrovert with a killer music collection and a talent for gourmet cooking, the T-Rex loved throwing huge blow-out parties for all his friends.
Compound Sentences
Compound sentences combine two or more independent clauses. The clauses can be joined a comma and conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, but, or, yet, so) or a semicolon.
For example:
The T-Rex wanted to invite all his friends to his party, but he had eaten all his friends the previous week.
These two independent clauses are joined with a comma and the conjunction but.
and
Rex was kind of a jerk; he’d invite his friends over for dinner only to eat them for his dessert.
These two independent clauses are joined with a semicolon.
Beware the Dreaded Comma Splice!
When you incorrectly join two independent clauses with just a comma and no conjunction, you have a comma splice.
For example:
Rex tried to be a better friend, he couldn’t help that he was an unstoppable eating machine.
To fix this sentence, just add the conjunction but or change the comma to a semicolon:
Rex tried to be a better friend, but he couldn’t help that he was an unstoppable eating machine.
Rex tried to be a better friend; he couldn’t help that he was an unstoppable eating machine.
Complex Sentences
Complex sentences combine an independent clause and a dependent clause.
For example:
Because none of the other dinosaurs could trust him, Rex’s parties were often lonely events.
Because none of the other dinosaurs could trust him is a dependent clause. It does not make sense on its own without the added independent clause (Rex’s parties were often lonely events).
Note: Yes, you can begin a sentence with “because.” Just make sure the dependent clause is followed by a comma and independent clause.
Another example:
Even though they knew he might eat them, the other dinosaurs kept trying to be friends with Rex because he had such a great sense of humor.
Compound-Complex Sentences
Compound-complex sentences contain two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
For example:
The other dinosaurs who were vegetarian suggested that a change of diet might help Rex make friends, but Rex found himself unable to think of a life without meat. (The dependent clause is in italics)
Why Use Multiple Sentence Types?
Varying your sentence types makes your writing more interesting and complex.
For example, compare these two paragraphs:
The T-Rex wanted to make amends for eating some of his friends. He decided to throw a big party. Rex went all out in getting ready for his party. He planned the menu, hired a DJ and decorated his house. His friends arrived. Everything seemed to be going as planned. Everyone looked like they were having fun. However, the good times ended abruptly. One of the party-goers notices that the appetizer looked suspiciously like their friend Gallimimus.
vs.
To make amends for eating some of his friends, the T-Rex decided to throw a big party. Rex went all out in getting ready for his party; he planned the menu, hired a DJ and decorated his house. When his friends arrived, everything seemed to be going as planned. However, the good times ended abruptly when one of the party-goers noticed that the appetizer looked suspiciously like their friends Gallimimus.
The first paragraph is easy to read, but all the simple sentences make the text choppy and awkward.
The second paragraph flows much more easily. The information in the two paragraphs is the same, but the second paragraph combines different sentence types to make a more varied and interesting read.
However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that you need to make all your sentences long and complex. A good writer uses a combination of sentence types to create rhythm and music in their text, in addition to successfully communicating ideas.
Read your writing out loud; does it sound choppy or overly complex? If your text sounds abrupt and blocky, combine some sentences together to create compound, complex or compound-complex sentences. If your text sounds too complicated, split up some longer sentences into more simple sentences to better tell your story.
Grammaphile 