© Stacey Lloyd 2015

A simple sentence, (also called an

independent clause), contains a subject and a verb, and it

expresses a complete thought.

A compound sentence contains two or more main clauses, which are

normally joined by a conjunction (such as

and or but).

A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent

(subordinate) clauses, which

cannot stand alone.

A compound-complex sentence is

made from two or more independent clauses and one or

more dependent clauses.

SIMPLE

COMPLEX

COMPOUND TY

PES O

F SEN

TENC

ES

Ben ran the race.

Ben ran the

race, but Suzie won the race.

Although he

ran, Ben didn’t win the race.

Suzie, who ran the race, finished first, and Ben finished second.