Becoming Savvy with Sentence Structures: Part Two
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Understanding sentence structures helps us shape the art of good writing. In Part One of our discussion, we identified the four foundational sentence constructions and reviewed the first two, simple and compound sentences.
We’ll next look at complex and compound-complex sentences.
Complex Sentence
A complex sentence has one independent main clause and at least one
dependent clause, a clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence. Dependent
clauses usually begin with a word such as when, because, or that to indicate their reliance.
Examples:
when we go to school
because it is raining
that are collected
In complex sentences, dependent clauses function as sentence modifiers:
Examples:
When we go to school (dependent clause), we will receive the assignment (main clause).
We cannot go out
(main clause) because it is raining (dependent clause).
The team owners give the star all of the accolades (main clause) that should be shared among several players (dependent clause), which causes unspoken tension in the locker room (dependent clause).
Compound-Complex Sentence
A compound-complex sentence has at least two independent main clauses and
at least one dependent clause:
While Sheila painted (dependent clause), Ricardo installed the new shelves (main clause); they wanted to finish as much as they could before dinner (main clause).
The game stops (main clause) if it rains (dependent clause), but it resumes (main clause) if the rain lets up (dependent clause).
The people [who are still in line (dependent clause)] will have to wait another hour (main clause), and even then they might not get in (main clause).
Avoiding Loose/Protracted Sentences
Complex sentences give us a tool for avoiding loose and protracted compound
constructions similar to those we considered in Part One. Such constructions can occur when we string multiple clauses together.
Loose/Protracted:
The Amazon rainforest is the world’s biggest, and it is larger
than the next two largest rainforests combined, and it covers an area
about the size of the forty-eight contiguous United States.
Better as Complex:
The Amazon rainforest, which is the world’s biggest, is larger
than the next two rainforests combined, covering an area about the size
of the forty-eight contiguous United States.
Loose/Protracted:
She is a prolific corporate attorney, and she earns a notable salary,
but she works long hours, and she has little time on the weekends.
Better as Compound-Complex:
She is a prolific corporate attorney who earns a notable salary, but
she works long hours, leaving little time on the weekends.
In Part Three of “Becoming Savvy with Sentence Structures,” we
will recap the four sentences types and how to use them for style and
effect in our writing.
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Pop Quiz
Using what you’ve learned in this article, identify whether each
example is a complex sentence or a compound-complex sentence.
1. I won’t go unless she goes too.
a. Complex
b. Compound-Complex
2. Because I am young, I am impetuous, and because I am impetuous, I make
others aware of my youth.
a. Complex
b. Compound-Complex
3. The hourglass will run out if the wizard does not soon return with his
potion.
a. Complex
b. Compound-Complex
4. The teacher, who is also my neighbor, is leading tonight’s
roundtable discussion; it will begin at around seven p.m.
a. Complex
b. Compound-Complex
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Wordplay
Pop Quiz Answers
1. I won’t go unless she goes too.
a. Complex (The sentence has one main clause and one dependent clause.)
2. Because I am young, I am impetuous, and because I am impetuous, I make
others aware of my youth.
b. Compound-Complex (The sentence has two main clauses and two
independent clauses.)
3. The hourglass will run out if the wizard does not soon return with his
potion.
a. Complex (The sentence has one main clause and one dependent clause.)
4. The teacher, who is also my neighbor, is leading tonight’s
roundtable discussion; it will begin at around seven p.m.
b. Compound-Complex (The sentence has two main clauses and one
dependent clause.)
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