The Complex Sentence

· One independent clause (Most important idea)

· One+ dependent clauses, including relative clauses

(Less important idea)

· One+ subordinating conjunctions (unless the dependent clause is a relative clause)

Subordinating conjunctions: Subordinating conjunctions relate dependent clauses to independent clauses: 425; 438; 530

Ex: After I parked the car, I went in and got a massage.

Ex: The film that the theater was playing won many awards.

*Use a comma if the dependent clause comes first!

Because I was late, I didn’t eat. I didn’t eat because I was late.

The Compound/Complex Sentence:

· Two+ independent clauses (main ideas)

· One+ dependent clauses (subordinate ideas)

· One+ coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) & one+ subordinating conjunctions (unless DC is a relative clause)

Ex: Because she ditched school, she didn’t get the homework, so she failed the quiz.

Ex: I couldn’t afford to go to the play that some of my friends went to, so I and the rest of my friends went to a movie instead.

Challenges:

He stayed home because he was sick, but I went.

Even though she knew all of the material, when the day of the exam came she was filled with anxiety.