# Simple, Compound, Complex Sentences | SwaVid

Simple, compound, complex sentences: A finite verb shows tense and has its own subject: ran, was, is going. Rules, examples and a quick check.

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# Simple, compound, complex sentences: rules and examples

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Short answer. A finite verb shows tense and has its own subject: ran, was, is going. Each finite verb makes one clause. A simple sentence has only one. Words like hearing, to buy and frightened are not finite verbs.

1 . Pick the shape of this sentence. Seeing the clouds, Grandpa took his umbrella.

2 . Pick the simple sentence that means the same. Because the road was wet, the bus slowed down.

One finite verb is simple. Two clauses make it compound or complex.

A finite verb shows tense and has its own subject: ran, was, is going. Each finite verb makes one clause. A simple sentence has only one. Words like hearing, to buy and frightened are not finite verbs.

Hearing a noise, Kiran looked up. (only looked is finite: simple) Simple: After the rain, we went out. Compound: It rained, but we went out.

One finite verb is simple. Two clauses make it compound or complex.

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All the topics in this chapter, one rule at a time.

- Compound: two equal clauses . A compound sentence joins two equal clauses with and, but, so, or or yet. Each clause could stand alone as a sentence.
- Complex: main plus subordinate . A complex sentence has a main clause and a subordinate clause. The subordinate clause starts with a word like because, if, when, while, although, until, who, which or that.
- A phrase keeps it simple . A phrase can carry a second idea without a second finite verb: an -ing phrase, a phrase with a preposition, or to plus a verb. The sentence stays simple.
- One idea, three shapes . The same idea can be written in all three shapes. Only the joining words and the number of finite verbs change.
- Count the clauses . A simple sentence has one clause and one finite verb. A compound sentence joins equal clauses with and, but, so, or or yet. A complex sentence has a main clause and a subordinate (dependent) clause that cannot stand alone.
- Hearing a noise, Kiran looked up. only looked is finite: simple
- Simple: After the rain, we went out.
- Compound: It rained, but we went out.
- Complex: We went out when the rain stopped.

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