Sentence Types Based on Structure:

A sentence can be categorized based on its structure or the number of parts it contains. In English we
can find three types/categories. These are: Simple Sentence, Complex Sentence and Compound
Sentence.
It is essential to have a sound idea about these three types of sentences because experienced writers
use a variety of sentences to make their writing interesting and lively. Too many simple sentences,
for example, will sound choppy and immature while too many long sentences will be difficult to read
and hard to understand. A sound idea of these sentence patterns helps us to comprehend written texts
as well. Besides, many standardized tests, such as the SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT, assess a
candidate’s ability to use different sentence patterns. Study the following:
Simple Sentence
A simple sentence is a sentence that contains a single subject and a verb. A simple sentence is also
called an independent clause. A clause is a part of a sentence that contains a finite verb. Study the
following and practice:
(a) She went to the store. (subject – she; finite verb – went)
(b) Honesty is the best policy (subject – honesty; finite verb – is)
(c) What is your mobile number? (subject – what; finite verb – is)
(d) A man wearing a red coat is driving a car with a view to receiving his guest at the airport. (subject
– A man; finite verb – is)

Note: (i) A simple sentence is usually short, but it can also be long. In each of (a), (b), (c) there is a
single subject and single verb, but in (d) there are more verbs– wearing, is driving and receiving.
But the main verb or the finite verb is not more than one (a finite verb is a verb that agrees with
subject and that follows tense). Finite verb is the verb that determines the tense (past, present, future).
(ii) According to modern grammar ‘A clause is also possible without a finite verb’; it is known as
verbless clause. Eg. If possible I will join the meeting. Note that ‘If possible’ can be elaborated as ‘If
it is possible.’

Complex Sentence
A complex sentence contains at least two parts or clauses, each of which contains a main verb. Of the
two parts of the complex sentence one is dependent and the other is independent. The dependent part
is also known as subordinate clause which depends on the independent part. Independent part is
known as main clause or principal clause. Therefore, a complex sentence is made up of an
independent clause and one or more dependent clauses connected to it.
Remember that a dependent clause or a subordinate clause usually begins with a conjunction which is
known as subordinating conjunction. The following words can be used as subordinating
conjunctions:
after; although; as; because; before; even though; if; since; though; unless; until; when; whenever;
whereas; wherever; while and others.
Examples of complex sentences:

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(a) Mary could not go to office because she fell ill.
(Here dependent clause or subordinate clause is ‘because she fell ill’, and subordinating conjunction
is because. Main Clause/Independent/ Principal clause is ‘Mary could not go to office’)
(b) The patient died after the doctor had come.
(Here dependent clause or subordinate clause is ‘after the doctor had come’, and the subordinating
conjunction is after. Main Clause/independent/ Principal clause is ‘The patient died).
Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as a sentence, but as above, they can be added to an
independent clause to form a complex sentence. Remember that when a conjunction is used as
subordinating conjunction it follows the pattern ‘subordinating conjunction + subject +verb. It is to
be remembered that in a complex sentence either the independent clause or the dependent clause can
come first. When the dependent clause comes first, a comma can be used to separate the two clauses,
but when the independent clause comes first, a comma should not be used to separate the clauses.
Exercise:
Identify the main clause and subordinate clause in the sentences below:
(a) Because Mary is sick, her mother did not let her go out.
(b) While I was walking along the road, I saw a snake.
(c) They left the place after they had waited for me for an hour.
(d) He got the job though he could not perform well in the interview.
(e) Unless you work hard you will fail.
(f) I joined the party after I had finished my homework.
(g) Wherever you go, I will follow you.
(h) If you study well you can expect to get GPA 5.

Compound Sentence
Like a complex sentence a compound sentence is made up of at least two parts or clauses but the
difference is that both the clauses of a compound sentence are independent. They are joined by
coordinating conjunction.
Examples:
(a) Read attentively, or you will not get A+ (Here Read attentively is main clause and you will not
get A+ is also main clause. They are joined by the co-coordinating conjunction ‘or’ )
(b) He is poor, but he is honest. (Here He is poor is main clause and he is honest is also main clause.
They are joined by the co-coordinating conjunction ‘or’ )
Except for very short sentences, coordinators are preceded by a comma.
Coordinating conjunctions are easy to remember if we think of the words "FANBOYS":
• For; And; Nor; But; Or; Yet; So

More examples of compound sentences:

• They planned a picnic in the garden, for the weather forecast was a clear sky and sunshine.
• The man sat beneath the tree and began to narrate his story.
• She didn't understand the question, neither did she attempt to answer.

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• I waited for the train, but it was late.
• Do or die.
• He was very rich, yet he always ran after money.
• He was ill, so he could not join us.

Note: A sentence may also be called complex-compound when it contains both subordinate clause
and co-ordinate clause.
Example:
• After Mom arrived, she put the disk in the DVD player and we watched a great movie.
• Although Monica had a cold, she went to school because she had a test.

Interchange of Sentence Types: Simple ↔Complex ↔Compound

We can organize our ideas in many different ways. When we change a simple sentence into a
complex one, we expand some words and phrases so that the sentence has two clauses/parts. On the
other hand, when we change a complex sentence into a simple sentence, we usually break down the
subordinate part so that this part loses its identity as a separate clause. To change a simple or
complex sentence to a compound form we have to introduce a coordinating conjunction. Some words
and phrases usually are changed from one form to another. Study some techniques to transform one
form of sentence into another keeping the sense same/similar:
Compound Complex Simple
but althouh/though despite/ in spite of + being
• He is rich but • Despite being rich he is dishonest.
dishonest • Although he is rich, he is dishonest.
or if you don’t (negative) without+(v+ing),Subj.+…
• Study well or you will • If you do not study well, you will fail. • Without studying well, you fail.
fail.
verb……...and If you do (affirmative) by+(v+ing), sub.+….
• Work hard and you • If you work hard you will succeed. • By working hard, you will succeed.
will succeed.
and when(time)/as(cause)/since(cause) because of + noun/noun phrase/ V+ing;
sub.+….
• I was ill and could not • As I was ill, I could not attend my • Because of illness I could not attend my
attend my classes. classes. classes.

very…and so+adj.+that+sub.+can/could+v… too…to+verb….

• Smith was very weak, • Smith was so weak that he could not Smith was too weak to walk.
so he could not walk. walk.
want/ wanted so that + sub+can / could + v… to+verb
• He wanted to marry • He offered the girl many gifts so that In order to marry the girl, he offered her
the girl, so he offered he could marry her. many gifts.
her many gifts.

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 not only….. but also Although… also besides+v+ing
• He is not only a good He is a good cricketer, although he is Besides being a good student, he is a good
student but also a good also a good student. cricketer.
cricketer.

Simple to Compound

Simple sentences Compound sentences

verb+ ing; being; on account of; having; and/ and so
because of; owing to; due to; at the time • He was poor, so he could not continue his studies.
of; in the moment of; by+ gerund
• Owing to poverty, he could not continue
his studies.

in spite of/ despite/being but/yet

In spite of liking the job, I had to resign. • I liked the job, yet I had to resign.

Simple to Complex

Simple sentence Complex sentence

because of; for +noun/noun phrase; due to; since/as
owing to, •As he is lazy, he cannot make any progress.
on account of
• Because of his laziness he cannot make any
progress.

verb+ ing when

• Turning on the light, I found the room full • When I turned on the light, I found the room full
of cockroaches. of cockroaches.

without +verb+ing; By+verb+ing if

•Without taking physical exercise you cannot • If you don’t take physical exercise, you cannot
keep fit. keep fit.

despite; in spite of; instead of though/although

• In spite of driving slowly, he reached the Although he drove slowly, he reached the
destination in time. destination in time.

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 Compound to Simple
Compound Simple
and (assertive sentence) verb+ ing ; being; because of; owing to; due to; on
• We sat under the tree and discussed the account of
matter among ourselves. • Sitting under the tree, we discussed the matter
among ourselves.

and (Imperative sentence) by+ gerund

• Take physical exercise and you will • By taking physical exercise you will enjoy good
enjoy good health. health.

but in spite of/despite/being

• I called her a fool but she did not react. Despite being called a fool, she did not react.

or (imperative) without +gerund.

• Respect your boss or you will lose the • Without respecting your boss, you will lose the
job. job.

Compound to Complex
Compound sentence Complex sentence
and since/ as/ when
• He saw me and • When he saw me he acted crazily.
acted crazily.
but though /although
• Rima is a good Though Rima is a good student, she could not perform
student, but she well in the examination.
could not perform
well in the
examination.
or if /unless
• Study well or you • If you do not study well you will fail.
will fail.

Complex to Compound

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 Complex Compound
since/as and/so
As he is a lazy fellow, he must He is a lazy fellow, so he must not be
not be assigned to the job. assigned to the job.
though /although but
Although they disagreed on They disagreed on many things but they
many things, they remained remained good friends.
good friends.
if +you do not +principal verb+ or
clause;
unless+ you+ principal verb+
clause.
Unless you try hard, you will Try hard or you will not get a job.
not get a job.
if +you+ principal verb+ And/ and
clause Learn English well and you will get a good
If you learn English well you job.
will get a good job.

Complex To Simple
Complex Simple
As/since/because/when because of; owing to; due to;
being ; at the time of
The team won the game because it
had an excellent teamwork. The team won the game because of its excellent
teamwork.
when/while participle/at the time of +ing with verb; During + …
During the rain I was gossiping with my friends.
While it was raining I was
gossiping with my friends.
though/although inspite of/despite
Although she was ill she finished Despite her illness she finished all her household
all her household chore. chores.
if +subject+do not+principal without+gerund
verb;
unless+subject+principal verb
Without taking risks, you'll never know your true
Unless you take risks, you'll never potential.
know your true potential.
If +you+ principal verb by +gerund

If you eat more fat you will gain By eating more fat you will gain weight.
weight.

Exercise:

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Change the following into Simple sentences.
a) We eat food, or we cannot live.
b) Be honest and you will be happy.
c) I insist that he go home.
d) He advised me that I should not take junk food.
e) It is certain that he will come.
f) Although he was a good student, he could not perform well in the exam.
g) I am sure that I shall pass the exam.
h) Move or die.
i) If you had not helped me, I would have failed.
j) We came upon a hut where the peasant lived.
k) This is the bottle which is used for water.

2. Change the sentences into Complex Sentences.

a) I know the reason of his silence.
b) Do you know the location of his office?
c) The baby is too small to walk.
d) Tell me his name.
e) I do not know his father's name.
f) Despite his advanced age, he maintains a remarkable level of activity and vigour.
g) I know his birth-place.
h) I do not know the time of his death.
i) Tell me the time of his arrival.
j) He wants me to go.
k) The box is too heavy to carry.
l) Despite possessing enough wealth, Mr Kashem has no peace in mind.
m) But for your help, I would have failed.
n) I met the rich man in the village.
o) I am sure of his success.
3. Change the following into Compound Sentences.
a) If you study hard, you will succeed.
b) Unless you work hard, you will not achieve anything.
c) If you do not read much, you will not learn much.
d) I know that he is rich.
e) In case of your moving you might be in danger.
f) As you did not study well, you got poor marks.

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g) Owing to illness, I could not attend school.
i) Coming to the party, I met my friends.
j) After the sun had set below the horizon, he arrived at the designated location
k) In spite of his riches, he is unhappy.
l) Coming home I found my mother sick.
Exam sample questions:

Change the sentences according to direction:

1. When I was coming to my university, I saw many boys hurrying away. (Simple)
2. Never stop in case of failure. (complex)
3. Despite all the luxuries of life she was unhappy in life. (compound)
4. In today’s globalized world nobody can deny the importance of English. (complex)
5. Our students get A+ in English but this does ensure their efficiency in English. (Complex)
6. According to the language specialists Speaking and Listening are the two most important
skills of any language. (Complex)
7. The first and foremost thing to learn a language is to feel interested in it. (complex)
8. Some people opine that students studying in the English medium schools with a foreign
curriculum are not oriented to Bangladeshi culture. (simple)
9. We have to identify the barriers of our students’ failure to learn English, and then we have to
provide solutions. (complex)
10. Because of corruption and bribery, incompetent teachers can be recruited to teach English in
our educational institutions. (compound)

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