Compound sentences can make your writing rich and colorful. While beginning writers learn to put together simple sentences first, they will soon find that compound sentences provide added detail and tend to make paragraphs more engaging.
When writing compound sentences, it's important to understand their components and the proper punctuation needed. Essentially, you'll be joining at least two independent clauses that have related ideas. Let's take a closer look at these exciting complexities.
Defining a Compound Sentence
A compound sentence joins two or more independent clauses with a coordinator such as for, and, or but, or a semi-colon.
Independent clauses are two phrases that can stand alone as a complete thought. They're not dependent upon one another to express a complete thought, but they tie together similar ideas.
This makes compound sentences distinct from complex sentences, which contain an independent clause joined by at least one dependent clause. A dependent clause does not form a complete thought and cannot stand alone.
Independent Clause
An independent clause contains three things:
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A subject (something or someone that the sentence is about)
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An action (a verb - something that is being done)
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A complete thought (there are no questions as to meaning at the end of the sentence)
Coordinator
There are seven coordinating conjunctions in the English Language, which are used to link the independent clauses:
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For
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And
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Nor
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But
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Or
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Yet
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So
You can use the acronym FANBOYS to help you remember the seven coordinating conjunctions. When you have two independent clauses joined by one of these coordinators, usually a comma is required, before the coordinator.
Semi-colon
Compound sentences and semi-colons work hand in hand. After all, they both join independent clauses. The trick with semi-colons is to use them when the two independent clauses are related ideas, as in the example below.
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I'm looking forward to our dinner tonight; you're going to love dining on the water.
Examples of Compound Sentences
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Alex likes to fish, and he is going fishing on Friday.
"Alex likes to fish" is an independent clause where "Alex" is the subject, "likes" is the action, and a complete thought is expressed.
"He is going fishing on Friday" is an independent clause where "He" is the subject, "is going" is the action, and a complete thought is expressed.
The coordinator "and" is used, and a comma is correctly placed before "and."
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Becky wishes she could be younger, for everyone else in the program is half her age.
"Becky wishes she could be younger" is an independent clause where "Becky" is the subject, "wishes" is the action, and a complete thought is expressed.
"Everyone else in the program is half her age" is an independent clause where "Everyone else in the program" is the subject, "is" is the action, and a complete thought is expressed.
The coordinator "for" is used, and a comma is correctly placed before "for."
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She is going to the movies, or she is going to the mall.
"She is going to the movies" is an independent clause where "She" is the subject, "is going" is the action, and a complete thought is expressed.
"She is going to the mall" is an independent clause where "She" is the subject, "is going" is the action, and a complete thought is expressed.
The coordinator "or" is used, and a comma is placed before "or."
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I am very smart, yet I do not enjoy school.
"I am very smart" is an independent clause where "I" is the subject, "am" is the action, and a complete thought is expressed.
"I do not enjoy school" is an independent clause where "I" is the subject, "enjoy" is the action, and a complete thought is expressed.
The coordinator "yet" is used, and a comma is placed before "yet."
Compound vs. Complex Sentences
Only independent clauses joined by one of the above coordinating conjunctions can be considered a compound sentence.
If you ever see an independent clause joined by a dependent clause, you're looking at a complex sentence. For example:
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When I visit my mother, I eat cookies.
This is not a compound sentence. "When I visit my mother" is a dependent clause (doesn't express a complete thought) and a coordinator is not used.
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I like to fish because fishing is fun.
This is not a compound sentence. Although "I like to fish" is an independent clause and "fishing is fun" is an independent clause, "because" is not a coordinating conjunction. Therefore, "because fishing is fun" is a dependent clause (it doesn't express a complete thought).
Compound Complexity
Think about the definition of the word compound. It's something that contains two or more parts. In the case of the compound sentence, those two parts must express complete ideas and be joined by one of the FANBOYS.
One of the best ways to become a master sentence constructor is to fall in love with sentence diagramming. It's a fun activity that helps to flesh out the many ways our writing can get more complex. When you're ready, try out these free diagramming sentences worksheets.
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Compound sentences can make your writing rich and colorful. While beginning writers learn to put together simple sentences first, they will soon find that compound sentences provide added detail and tend to make paragraphs more engaging.When writing compound sentences, it’s important to understand their components and the proper punctuation needed. Essentially, you’ll be joining at least two independent clauses that have related ideas. Let’s take a closer look at these exciting complexities.
