Four Types of Sentences

1. Four Types of Sentences If you recall, we began with the four kinds of sentences [declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory]. The four types are simple, compound, complex, and compound complex. The simple sentence contains one independent clause only. It may, however, have compound parts. The girls, boys, dogs, cats, and old ladies ran and skipped down the sidewalk and into the park. The compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses that are joined together. The clauses in a compound sentence may be joined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction: and, but, nor, or, for, or yet. The clauses may also be joined by a semicolon. They may also be joined by a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb.

2. Pam and Lori went shopping, and they bought nothing. • Pam and Lori went shopping; they bought nothing. • Pam and Lori went shopping; however, they bought nothing. • A complex sentence is one that contains an independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses. • After the game was over and before the fans left the stadium, it began to rain. • I sometimes wonder what you will say next. • Does anyone know why the teachers left the school grounds? • A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clauses and one or more subordinate clauses. It may help to think of a compound-complex sentence as a compound sentence with a subordinate clause.

3. Galileo taught that the earth moves, but few people accepted his theory. • On a sheet of paper, write an example of each of the four types of sentences. Be prepared to place any or all of your sentences on the blackboard.