Grammar is complicated, especially when first learning it. Simply Sentences is designed to make things as easy to understand as possible, with only a FEW rules to remember. The focus in these lessons is on sentence structure.
The rules or explanations, however, are not as important as the example sentences. Our brains are great at recognizing patterns, even if we don’t understand the “why” behind the pattern. Looking at these sentences again and again will help you see the patterns of basic sentence structures.
In this particular approach, we don’t start analyzing a sentence by identifying the “subject” and “verb.” Anyone who has ever seen a long sentence knows how difficult this can be.
The first step is to identify all the things that can NOT be the subject or verb. Once we have done that, the only thing left is the subject and verb—the heart of the sentence.
It’s like trying to find coins under a big pile of feathers. Since you can’t see the coins, all you have to do is gently fan the feathers until they all fly away. What’s left will be the coins. In our case, the feathers are the extra details that add meaning to the sentence, and the coins are the subject and verb (along with their objects, if any).
Here are all the pieces we’ll be working with in a nutshell:
Nouns
car, dog, justice, beach, laptop, happiness
Adjectives
big car, large black book, happy little puppy
Prepositions
at the store, under the table, behind the chair, with my mother
Subjects
Mark baked a cake.
Verbs
Mark baked a cake.
Adverbs
Mark eagerly baked a cake.
Which we’ll usually mark as a full verb: Mark eagerly baked a cake.
Direct Objects
Mark eagerly baked a cake.
Indirect Objects
Mark eagerly baked Mary a cake.
Verbals
Mark eagerly baked a cake to give to Mary.
Singing his favorite song, Mark eagerly baked Mary a cake.
Mark enjoys baking cakes for Mary.
The foregoing elements are at the heart of any sentence structure. You don’t truly need to know a lot of grammar to be proficient in English. But the above are basics that can’t be ignored.
nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs
(prepositions are a separate section below)
You should know these already, but here’s a quick overview. If you need more explanation, do an internet search for further explanations.
Nouns (n)
Nouns make up the largest class of words in English.
A noun is “something, anything, and everything.”
Specifically, a noun is a word that refers to:
• a thing (book),
• a person (Noah Webster),
• an animal (cat),
• a place (Omaha),
• a quality (kindness),
• an idea (justice),
• or an action (swimming).
• pronouns (he, she, we, it, they, them, these, those)
Adjectives (adj)
Adjectives describe or modify nouns.
huge dog; red car; angry farmer; bright star; delicious meal; elegant dress; mysterious stranger; quiet library; fierce competition; charming village; heavy suitcase; joyful celebration
You can have two or more adjectives for one noun.
bright red apple; delicious, homemade chocolate cake; rusty old bicycle; quiet, peaceful library; sunny, tropical beach; charming little village; bumpy dirt road; joyful family celebration
Nouns can be used in the place of an adjective.
coffee shop; book club; car engine; garden hose; football team; music festival; mountain trail; fire truck; fashion magazine; swimming pool; train station
The general order of adjectives
There is a general order of adjectives, but it is not a hard rule. Don’t worry if you mess up. Just do the best you can, and be sure to do the quantity first (how many).
quantity→quality→size→age→shape→color→qualifier→noun
Model (memorize this):
Some delicious large square golden fresh French toast.
Shorter examples:
Three large rectangular wooden boxes.
Several beautiful red roses
Five delicious fresh French pastries.
A comfortable black leather chair.
Several antique Persian vases
Verbs (v)
be-verbs: am, is, are, was, were, be ...
action verbs: run, jump, sing, swim, make, take, offer, give ...
Adverbs (adv)
Adverbs tell more about verbs:
•quietly speaks
•always remembers
•quickly runs
•often forgets
•happily sings
•seldom speaks
•slowly walks
•never quits
•nervously waits
•patiently listens
•somewhat hesitates
•suddenly jumps
•almost laughs
•clearly explains
Prepositions
Prepositions are important because compared to ALL other types of words, they are the fewest, yet their prepositional phrases can make up anywhere from 30 to 60% of any given text.
There are only about 150 prepositions in the English language. Below are the 73 most common.
of in to for with on at by from about as into like through after over between around under against
before without near down off during including up across behind throughout among along until above according to past behind out of ahead of
away from beyond beside besides except inside unlike in front of rather than but concerning as to as well as aside from because of beneath regardless of other than per instead of
such as in addition to in relation to up to upon out round through towards since despite near to within
While it is impossible to memorize millions of nouns and thousands of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, it IS possible to memorize prepositions. It’s important because prepositional phrases make up about 30-60% of any given text.
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun and other words in a sentence.
Here are some common prepositions and examples of how they are used:
•In: I put the book in the bag.
•On: The cat is sitting on the chair.
•At: We will meet at the park.
•With: I went to the store with my friend.
•For: I bought a gift for my sister.
Prepositions help us understand how things are connected or related to each other. They can show location, time, direction, or other relationships.
Prepositional phrases
Prepositional phrases are: preposition + noun, as in
near the lake.
Prepositional phrases make sense when they stand on their own. Not like a sentence, but they at least represent a basic idea. For example:
under the table (Somebody or something is under the table)
at the store. (Somebody or something is at the store)
beside the desk. (Somebody or something is beside the desk)
Verbals are any verb form that is NOT the main verb of the sentence.
For our purposes there are two.
(in traditional grammar they are called participial phrases and infinitive phrases, but you don’t have to remember that)
verb + ing forms: e.g. swimming, running, thinking, falling (participle)
to + verb forms: e.g. to go, to run, to sing, to sleep (infinitives)
Verbal phrases: verb + ing
(known as participial phrases in traditional grammar)
Here are some examples of verbal phrases (verb + ing phrases)
Mark fell off his chair, laughing hard.
•standing strong
•running (through the park)
•baking cookies (for the bake sale)
•jumping high
•studying late (into the night)
•singing loudly
•laughing (at the joke)
•hiking (up the mountain)
•working late
The key is that words inside of the prepositional phrases and verbal phrases can never be the subject or main verb of a sentence.
[note: The phrase itself might be the subject, but not any individual word. Phrases as subjects are explained later and not to be worried with for now.]
Action, Descriptive and Hybrid
Type 1: Action Sentences
Action sentences are sentences where the subject of the sentence performs an action. Action simply means “doing something.” Not all actions are physical, like “jumping” and “running.” Some are mental like “thinking” and “dreaming.” Either way, the subject is “doing something.”
We’ll start with a basic action sentence, then progress to prepositional phrases and participial phrases.
Suzie bought a cake.
Suzie bought a cake.
Suzie (subject) bought (verb) a cake (an object; which object? Direct Object—D.O.)
Suzie bought a cake for Mary.
Suzie bought a cake (for Mary).
(for Mary) a prepositional phrase. “For” is the preposition. Mary is an object. Which object? The object of the preposition [ for (prep) Mary (obj) ].
We can change the sentence to:
Suzie bought (for Mary) a cake.
The above sentence is a perfectly good sentence, but is not common use. So we simply drop the “for” and we have:
Suzie bought Mary a cake.
In the above, “Mary” is an object. Which object? An indirect object—I.O.
Suzie bought Mary (I.O.) a cake.
Take a look at this sentence progression.
Suzie bought a cake.
Suzie bought a cake.
Suzie bought Mary a cake.
Suzie bought Mary a cake.
The girls bought Mary a cake.
The girls bought Mary a cake.
As the sentences get longer, we will first identify the phrases in each sentence, making it easier to see the true subject, main verb, and main objects.
A group of girls bought Mary a cake.
A group (of girls) bought Mary a cake.
“A group” is the subject. (girls can NOT be the subject because it is locked in the prepositional phrase—the object of the preposition)
A group of happy girls bought Mary a cake.
A group (of happy girls) bought Mary a cake.
A group of happy girl scouts bought Mary a cake.
A group (of happy girl scouts) bought Mary a cake.
A group of happy girl scouts bought Mary a cake from the bakery.
A group (of happy girl scouts) bought Mary a cake (from the bakery).
A group of happy girl scouts bought Mary a cake from the local bakery.
A group (of happy girl scouts) bought Mary a cake (from the local bakery).
Now let’s add a verbal phrase (“verb + ing”phrase).
Let’s add: “laughing as they shopped”
[laughing (as they shopped)]
A group of happy girl scouts, laughing as they shopped, bought Mary a cake from the local bakery.
A group (of happy girl scouts), [ laughing (as they shopped) ], bought Mary a cake (from the local bakery).
Now that all the phrases are grouped into words, we can
put them in a different order. The sentence remains grammatically correct,
but the focus of the sentence changes slightly.
Laughing as they shopped, a group of happy girl scouts bought Mary a cake from the local bakery.
[ Laughing (as they shopped) ], a group (of happy girl scouts) bought Mary a cake (from the local bakery).
Laughing as they shopped, a group of happy girl scouts bought a cake for Mary from the local bakery.
[ Laughing (as they shopped) ], a group (of happy girl scouts) bought a cake (for Mary) (from the local bakery).
For Mary, a group of happy girl scouts bought a cake from the local bakery, laughing as they shopped.
(For Mary), a group (of happy girl scouts) bought a cake (from the local bakery), [ laughing (as they shopped) ].
From the local bakery, a group of happy girl scouts bought Mary a cake, laughing as they shopped.
(From the local bakery), a group (of happy girl scouts) bought Mary a cake, [ laughing (as they shopped) ].
A group of happy girl scouts bought Mary a cake from the local bakery, laughing as they shopped.
A group (of happy girl scouts) bought Mary a cake (from the local bakery), [ laughing (as they shopped) ].
More Verbal Phrases: to + verb
(known as infinitive phrases in traditional grammar)
Similar to (to + noun) as a prepositional phrase, “to” also has a verbal form which can be grouped together as verbal phrases. Any words in the verbal phrase can not be the subject or main verb of the sentence. (note: the phrase itself might be but not the individual words. More on that later.)
“To” as prepositional phrases:
to the bank, to the right, to that place
“To” as a verbal (infinitive):
to be; to eat; to go; to sleep; to learn; to run; to play; to think; to write; to read; to dance; to sing;
These might be a verb form but they will NOT be the main verb of the sentence. For example:
Mom told me to eat.
In this case, “eat” can not be the main verb; it is the verbal. Verbals with “to” can NEVER be the main verb of a sentence.
Mom told me (to eat). “Told” is the verb.
Let’s extend that verbal to become a verbal phrase:
Mom told me to eat my dinner.
In this case, “my dinner” can not be the subject because it’s in the verbal phrase.
Mom told me [ (to eat) my dinner ].
note: “my dinner” is the obj of “to eat”.
So now we we have prepositional phrases (e.g. for dinner) and verbal phrases (e.g. running late, to jump high).
Words in these phrases can NOT be the subject or main verb of the sentence. (note: the full phrase can be the subject, but not the individual words inside the phrase. More on that later.)
Identifying these phrases as a first step will help you see the true subject, main verb, and main objects—the base structure of the sentence.
Here are more examples:
Note: adverbs will be marked along with it’s verb as a whole verb.
e.g. He quickly finished his work.
Note 2: adjectives will be marked along with their nouns.
e.g. The big black dog barked loudly (throughout the night).
Mark enjoys [ reading books ] (in the evening).
[ Running quickly ], Sarah caught the bus (on time).
The cat slept (under the table) ( after [playing all day] ).
The teacher assigned the students homework [to give them extra credit].
Tom wants [to learn] [to swim] (before summer starts).
[ Walking (through the city) ], we discovered a beautiful cafe (near the river).
She plans [to visit her grandparents] (during the holidays).
The chef prepared the guests a delicious meal [to impress them] (with his skills).
[ Sitting (on the porch) ], the dog barked loudly (at the stranger).
[ Excited (about the trip) ], they packed their bags (for the journey).
I need [ to finish my homework ] (before dinner).
She baked her friend a cake (for the birthday party), [ hoping [to surprise everyone] ].
[ Hiking (in the mountains) ], we enjoyed breathtaking views (of nature).
They decided [ to go out (for dinner) ] ( after [working hard all week] ).
The dog brought the children a stick (from the yard), [ wagging its tail happily ].
The flowers bloomed beautifully in spring, attracting many bees.
She enjoys [ listening (to music) ] (before bedtime).
[ Hoping [to cheer her up] ], he wrote a letter (to his grandmother).
( After [ studying (for hours) ] ), Maria decided [ to take a break (in the park) ].
[ Working together ] (as a team), they built a sandcastle (on the beach).
The team worked late (into the night) (to complete the project) (before the deadline).
He plans [to save money] and [to invest (in a new car)].
He decided [to take a break (from work) ] [to focus (on his health)].
He painted the fence (around the garden) [to enhance its appearance].
[ To prepare (for the exam) ], John enrolled (in an online course).
They hope [ to impress their manager (with their work) ].
The team worked hard (in the office) and (on the project) [to meet the tight deadline].
She baked a cake (for her friend's birthday) [to surprise everyone].
She traveled (to Europe) (during the summer) [to explore new cultures].
The gardener planted flowers (in the front yard), [ aiming [to attract butterflies] ].
He went (to the gym) (after work) [to stay fit] and [to relieve stress (from his busy day) ].
The chef, [ hoping [to impress the guests] ], prepared a delicious meal (for the guests).
The extra word
Sometimes when we find verbal phrases or prepositional phrases, we will notice certain words that precede them such as: because, while, after, whenever, unless, etc.
e.g. Mark likes [ to listen (to music) ] while [ studying (for exams) ].
Usually these words are subordinating conjunctions, which at this time, you don’t need to understand. We just want to group words into phrases so that we can try to find the true subject and main verb of the sentence.
Mark likes [ to listen (to music) ] while [ studying (for exams) ].
Here are further examples:
Although [ tired (from work) ], she decided [ to go (for a run) ].
Because (of his excitement) (for the trip), he packed his bags early.
She feels a sense (of relief) whenever [completing her project].
You should make sure [to check your flight status] before [leaving for vacation].
While [studying diligently], she managed [to improve her grades].
He takes a walk (in the park) whenever [feeling stressed].
Unless [motivated by a challenge], she tends [to lose focus].
He read a book while [ waiting (for the bus)] .
Although (in a hurry), she still managed [to grab a coffee (for breakfast) ].
The event was postponed because (of the rain).
He enjoys [reading novels] whenever (at home) .
He often doodles (in his notebook) while (in class).
He listened (to music) (on his phone) while [ waiting (for the bus) ].
Because (of the cold weather), they decided [to stay indoors].
He feels ready (for the day) when [ completing his workout (in the morning) ].
While [ preparing (for the exam) ], she studied late (into the night).
She enjoys [feeding the ducks] whenever (at the park).
The children should not play (near the water) unless (under supervision).
Though (without any formal training), he excelled (in his role).
Unlike action sentences, in descriptive sentences, the focus is on the subject of the sentence. The purpose of descriptive sentences is to describe a state, condition, or role of the subject.
The most common verbs in these types are the be verbs am, is, are, was and were, but there are others like “seems” and “appears” (more on that later).
Mark is a firefighter.
Mark is [a firefighter]. (role)
Mark is sick.
Mark is [sick]. (condition)
Mark is tall
Mark is [tall]. (state)
Examples of descriptive sentences:
•The cake is delicious.
•Mary is kind.
•The girls are excited.
•The cake is (on the table).
•Suzie is happy.
•The girl scouts are (in the bakery).
•Suzie is a baker.
•Mary is a girl scout.
•The cake is amazing.
•The bakery is famous.
•The store is nearby.
•The meeting is today.
•Suzie will be happy tomorrow.
There are other verbs that act as “descriptive” besides the be-verbs. Here are some examples.
Seems
She seems upset.
Appears
The document appears to be outdated.
Became
Mark became angry.
Feels
She feels happy.
Look
The cake looks delicious.
Sound
The music sounds wonderful.
Smell
The flowers smell fresh.
Taste
The coffee tastes strange.
Consist
The committee consists of five members.
Remain
He remained calm.
Stay
The weather stayed warm.
Turn
The leaves turned yellow.
Grow
She grew tired.
Get
He got angry.
Prove
The task proved difficult.
Continue
The situation continues to be difficult.
Hybrid means the joining of two things, like a hybrid car which runs on both gas and electricity.
The be-verbs are sometimes used as auxiliary verbs for an action verb (in its participial forms).
In these cases, since the sentence can be seen both as a descriptive sentence and an action sentence it is called a Hybrid Sentence.
Sometimes the be-verbs are followed by a participle (verb+ed or verb+ing) such as stopped, parked, singing, planting. In these cases the sentence can be analyzed in two ways.
She is parking the car.
She is [parking the car]. --descriptive
Viewpoint: it describes her action. “Parking the car” is a verbal phrase (participial phrase).
She is parking the car. --action
Viewpoint: shows action (Traditional grammar). This follows the pattern of Subj Verb D.O. that we learned in the action sentence. “Is parking” is the verb, “the car” is the object (D.O.).
The point is that it is okay if your first view is to notice the verbal phrase even though traditional grammar defines this as an action sentence. So we’ll mark them up both ways.
The cake was [baked (to perfection)].
The cake was baked (to perfection).
The gardener is [ planting flowers ] (in the backyard).
The gardener is planting flowers (in the backyard).
They are [ excited (about [ going (on vacation) ] ) ].
They are excited (about [ going (on vacation) ] ).
The manager was [ reviewing the proposal (with the team) ].
The manager was reviewing the proposal (with the team).
He is [ studying (for his final exams) ].
He is studying (for his final exams).
The teacher is [explaining a lesson] (to the students).
The teacher is explaining a lesson (to the students).
The project was [ completed (ahead of schedule) ].
The project was completed (ahead of schedule).
We are [ thrilled [ to be participating (in the event) ] ].
We are thrilled [ to be participating (in the event) ].
The cat is [chasing a mouse] (in the garden).
The cat is chasing a mouse (in the garden).
She is [ known ( for [being an excellent writer] ) ].
She is known ( for [being an excellent writer] ).
She is [reading a book] (on the couch).
She is reading a book (on the couch).
The book is being [ read (by many students) this semester ].
The book is being read (by many students) this semester ].
The car was [ damaged (in the storm) ].
The car was damaged (in the storm).
They are [building a sandcastle] (on the beach).
They are building a sandcastle (on the beach).
He is [ interested in [ learning new skills] ].
He is interested in [ learning new skills ].
He is [writing a letter] (to his friend).
He is writing a letter to his friend.
The team is [ preparing (for the championship game) ].
The team is preparing (for the championship game).
The children are [drawing pictures] (with crayons).
The children are drawing pictures with crayons.
The flowers are [blooming beautifully] (in the garden).
The flowers are blooming beautifully (in the garden).
The dog is [fetching a ball] (in the park).
The dog is fetching a ball in the park.
She was [ caught (off guard) (by the surprise party) ].
She was caught (off guard) (by the surprise party).
We are [watching a movie] (at the theater).
We are watching a movie at the theater.
They are [ committed [ to improving their performance ] ].
They are committed [ to improving their performance ].
The chef is [preparing a meal] (for the guests).
The chef is preparing a meal (for the guests).
The documents were [ signed yesterday ].
The documents were signed yesterday.
Verbal Phrases as the Subject
While the individual words that make up a verbal phrase can not by themselves be the main subject or main verb of a sentence, the complete phrase taken together CAN be a subject.
To rea] is enjoyable.
[ To read a book (in the morning) ] is enjoyable.
Swimming is my favorite way to stay fit.
[ Swimming (in the ocean) ] is my favorite summer activity.
Here are more examples:
To travel the world is her biggest dream.
Reading helps improve vocabulary and comprehension skills.
To run is a great way [to stay fit].
Cooking allows me [to express my creativity].
To learn a new language can be challenging.
Traveling can broaden your perspective (on different cultures).
To dance brings her joy.
Learning new languages opens up many opportunities (for communication).
To exercise regularly is important (for maintaining good health).
[Reading books (before bed) ] helps relax me.
To study effectively takes dedication.
[ Taking long walks (in nature) ] can improve your mood.
[ To finish the project (on time) ] requires careful planning.
Learning new skills is essential (for personal growth).
To help others brings a sense (of fulfillment and joy).
[ Cooking healthy meals (at home) ] promotes wellness.
To write clearly is essential (for good communication).
To cook well requires practice.
Verbal Phrases as the Direct Object (D.O.)
She wants to travel.
He proposed building a new house.
He hopes to finish his homework.
They resisted joining the club.
They decided to go on a road trip.
She mentioned [ seeing him (at the party) ].
We plan to start a new project.
We tried baking a cake.
She wants to visit Paris.
She enjoys reading books.
He needs to finish his homework.
They discussed going to the beach.
They plan to start a business.
We avoided talking about the problem.
We hope to travel the world.
She loves playing the piano.
She decided to learn Spanish.
They enjoy [ hiking (in the mountains) ].
He offered [ to drive us (to the airport) ].
He admitted [ cheating (on the test) ].
She expected to receive a promotion.
We practiced speaking Spanish.
He agreed [ to help (with the project) ].
She dislikes eating vegetables.
They promised to attend the meeting.
They considered moving to a new city.
We intended to buy a new car.
He suggested [ going (for a walk) ].
She forgot to call her friend.
We avoided [ talking (about politics) ].
He likes to play chess.
She finished writing her report.
They attempted to solve the puzzle.
They discussed starting a business.
We prepared to give a presentation.
He imagined [ living (in a castle) ].
She chose to stay home.
Verbals, Verbals Everywhere
Verbals are quite versatile. They can be found in many different places within a sentence. In these examples, we’ve expanded the verbals to include verb + ed (the past participle).
Here are a lot of examples for you to enjoy:
Running quickly, the athlete crossed the finish line first.
She watched the sunset, feeling grateful for the day.
Excited about the trip, he packed his bags early.
The report, written by the team, was submitted on time.
Hiking in the mountains, they enjoyed breathtaking views.
The car, parked outside, belongs to my neighbor.
Frozen in place, he watched as the event unfolded before him.
The dog barked loudly, startling everyone in the park.
The movie, directed by a talented filmmaker, received great reviews.
Feeling tired after a long day, she decided to go to bed early.
She finished her homework, satisfied with her work.
Frozen in place, he watched as the event unfolded before him.
Running through the park, she felt a sense of freedom.
He walked into the room, smiling at everyone he saw.
Taken by surprise, he didn't know how to respond.
The dog lay on the porch, barking at passing cars.
Excited by the news, she jumped up and down.
The children, laughing and playing, enjoyed their day at the beach.
The students worked diligently, preparing for their final exams.
Smitten by her charm, he found it hard to look away.
Feeling exhausted after a long day, she decided to take a nap.
He walked into the room, surprised by the decorations.
Waking up early, he enjoyed a quiet cup of coffee before work.
She entered the room, surprised by the unexpected guests.
She finished her report, hoping to impress her boss.
The project, completed ahead of schedule, received praise from the manager.
Feeling relieved after finishing her exams, she went out with friends.
Frustrated with the delay, they decided to leave early.
The book, written by a famous author, became a bestseller.
The flowers, wilting in the heat, needed water immediately.
The homework, finished late at night, was submitted on time.
The artist painted beautifully, capturing the essence of the landscape.
Disappointed by the results, she vowed to work harder next time.
Tired from the long journey, he fell asleep immediately.
Confused by the instructions, he asked for clarification.
The presentation, prepared with great care, impressed everyone in attendance.
Running through the park, she felt a sense of freedom.
The cake, baked to perfection, was the highlight of the party.
Exhausted from the long day, he fell asleep on the couch.
The dog barked loudly, chasing after the ball.
Excited by the opportunity, they accepted the job offer without hesitation.
Singing loudly, the children filled the room with joy.
Shocked by the news, he couldn't find the words to respond.
Laughing together, they reminisced about their childhood.
The movie, directed by a renowned filmmaker, received several awards.
Overwhelmed by emotions, she struggled to speak.
Awakened by the loud noise, she quickly got out of bed.
The children, frightened by the storm, huddled together.
Brightened by the sunlight, the room felt warm and inviting.
The project, hastened by the deadline, was completed ahead of schedule.
Disappointed by the outcome, she decided to try again next year.
Compound and Complex Sentences
I do not consider this section as essential for high beginners or lower intermediate learners of English. Before going further, make sure you know the previous lessons.
Writing clearly and effectively does not require the use of compound or complex sentences.
Examples:
It started to rain. So they called off the picnic. (informal)
It started to rain. Therefore, they called off the picnic. (formal)
They called off the picnic because it started to rain. (complex sentence)
As you can see. Using two sentences separately rather than combining two sentences or two clauses, is a perfectly acceptable and clear way to communicate.
However, native speakers of English find it quite easy to use compound and complex sentences whether writing or speaking.
If you think you are clear on the previous lessons and are a bit ambitious, this section is for you.
If you are too busy and still working on the above lessons and examples. Then skip this section for now (or forever), up to you.
Clauses
Clauses are simply a group of words that contain a subject and a verb.
Example 1: A bad accident happened yesterday. (clause, sentence)
Example 2: because the man drove too fast. (clause)
You’ll notice that the first example is also a sentence. A sentence is just a type of clause.
The second type of clause is like a sentence but has an extra word that makes it sound a bit unusual. That’s because the second example must be combined with another clause. It can’t stand by itself.
Strange: Because the heavy traffic delayed the man’s arrival.
Of course, I can take out “because” and then it would sound normal.
Normal: The heavy traffic delayed the man’s arrival.
Complex Sentences
The example below sounds strange and seems incomplete. The word “because” tells us that some information is missing.
Because the heavy traffic delayed the man’s arrival. (something because of a delay???).
More information is needed.
The meeting was rescheduled, because the heavy traffic delayed the man’s arrival.
This is an example of a complex sentence.
The meeting was rescheduled, because the heavy traffic delayed the man’s arrival.
Here are more complex sentences.
(marked as subject, verb, object (D.O.)
Because it was raining, we decided to stay inside and read books.
She enjoys swimming even though the water is cold.
Although she was tired, she continued to work on the project.
They went to the park so they could play basketball.
Since it was his birthday, he received many presents.
He went to the library so he could borrow some books.
After he had lunch, he went back to the office.
She was excited because she had won the competition.
When the sun sets, the sky turns beautiful shades of orange and pink.
He went to the store so he could buy groceries.
If you finish your work, you can join us for dinner.
He found a beautiful flower while he was walking in the park,.
Before he left for work, he made sure to lock the doors.
She went for a walk in the garden after she finished her meal.
Although it was a long journey, they enjoyed every moment.
She drank a lot of coffee while she was studying for the exam,.
Since she loves animals, she decided to become a veterinarian.
He went to bed after he finished his homework.
After they watched the movie, they discussed it for hours.
She was happy because she had finally found her keys.
Compound Sentences
Compound sentences are just two fully complete sentences that are joined together in some fashion or another.
She wanted to go for a walk, but it started raining.
I love chocolate, and I eat it every day.
The sun was setting, and the sky looked beautiful.
She bought a new dress, and she wore it to the party.
I was tired, but I couldn't fall asleep.
We went to the beach, and we had a great time.
I called my friend, but she didn't answer.
The car broke down, so we had to walk home.
They were running late, but they managed to catch the bus.
He loves hiking, and he goes to the mountains every weekend.
She is very talented, and she plays the piano beautifully.
The weather was perfect, so we decided to have a picnic.
I wanted to go to the gym, but it was closed.
She loves painting, and she spends hours in her studio.
We went shopping, and then we had lunch at a cafe.
The movie was boring, but the book was interesting.
They were exhausted, yet they continued to work.
She was singing, and everyone was listening quietly.
He missed the train, so he had to wait for the next one.
We visited the museum, and we learned a lot.