What Is an Independent Clause in English? This three-part le Although he was wealthy, he was still unhappy. 3. 5.If the ozone layer collapses, the global community will suffer. They can be piled up as in Jack's the guy who shot the kid who killed Kennedy...One more common kind of subordinate clause is an adverbial clause, often stating when, how, why, or if something happened, as in the [bold] parts of these sentences: If John comes, I'm leaving, or He left because he felt ill. None of the examples just given were particularly exotic, and they could all easily have occurred in conversational speech. The independent clauses are underlined. Form:[Noun] is [preposition] [location]. 3.Many people enjoyed the movie; however, Alex did not. In traditional grammar, a complex sentence is a sentence that contains an independent clause (or main clause) and at least one dependent clause. Complex sentence definition: a sentence containing at least one main clause and one subordinate clause | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Sometimes it helps to read your work aloud because you'll "hear" where a comma needs to be placed. Because I had to catch the train, and as we were short on time, I forgot to pack my toothbrush for our vacation. ", "The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood up in a corner and kept quiet all night, although of course they could not sleep. And make sure you get that dimension right by reviewing eight times commas were important. Because I had to catch the train, and as we were short on time, I forgot to pack my toothbrush for our vacation. complex sentence definition: 1. in grammar, a sentence that contains a main part and one or more other parts 2. in grammar, a…. The former consist of two (or more) clauses that are functionally equivalent and symmetrical, whereas the latter consist of two (or more) clauses that constitute an asymmetrical relationship: a subordinate clause and a matrix clause do not have equal status and equal function (cf. Before we explore the complex sentence with Priscila, we need to review some background information. "—Holger Diessel, The Acquisition of Complex Sentences. The other structures are the simple sentence, the compound sentence, and the compound-complex sentence. Let’s break down a couple complex sentence examples into its parts. I guess she just doesn’t respect you. (Compound sentence) 9. This page has more examples of complex sentences, a video explanation, and an interactive exercise. Complex sentences are referred to as an main clause and subordinate clause one sentence. They depend on an independent clause to support them. (See what we did there?) English Complex Sentences, 10 Complex Sentences in English; 1.Although my friends begged me, I chose not to go to the reunion. -, Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aurelian Buendia was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice. Learn to Write Complex Sentences Writing Skill: sentence fluency Lost. 4. The fun thing about this sentence is that “complex,” “houses,” and “married” can all serve as different parts of speech. These are 17 examples of Complex Sentences. What is a Main Clause in English Grammar? "A complex sentence has a main clause, and one or more subordinate clauses, which come in various kinds. Let’s go back to Chez Nous because it's where we had our first date. I really didn’t like the movie even though the acting was good. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. As she was bright and ambitious, she became a manager in no time. "—Walter Nash, English Usage: A Guide to First Principles. Compound sentences: 1. ", "He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow. We automatically tend to assume that “houses” is a noun, “complex” is an adjective, and “married” is a verb, but when you realize that “complex” is a housing complex and that soldiers who are married are staying there, things make a lot more sense. ". In each example, the independent clause is underlined. I was snippy with him because I was running late for work. ", "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. The other structures are the simple sentence, the compound sentence, and the compound-complex sentence . 'If it's true, it's true' is an example of a complex sentence. As genes change over time, evolution progresses. Routledge, 1986, "Complex sentences are traditionally divided into two basic types: (i) sentences including coordinate clauses, and (ii) sentences including subordinate clauses. An independent clause has the ability to stand alone as a sentence. She returned the computer after she noticed it was damaged. Even if a subject and a verb are found in a sentence, that sentence does not make mean. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, How to Recognize and Use Clauses in English Grammar, Definition of Compound Sentences and How to Use Them, Dependent Clause: Definition and Examples, Definition and Examples of Subordinate Clauses, 100 Key Terms Used in the Study of Grammar, French Subordinate Clause: French Grammar and Pronunciation Glossary. Evergreen trees are a symbol of fertility because they do not die in the winter. If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Here's an example where the independent clause comes first: Here’s an example where the dependent clause comes first: To connect independent and dependent clauses, you need subordinating conjunctions like “after,” “while,” or “since.” If the dependent clause comes first, you will generally need to separate the clauses with a comma. When he got a creampie smashed in his face, everyone laughed. Maybe you write for work. Whenever you detect a pause or distinction from your independent clause, check if you need a comma. Aren't complex sentences a wonderful addition to our writing? Learn more. Here are some well-crafted complex sentences from literature. A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. They need specific language teaching to help them learn, develop and practice writing skills. 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