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2.2 Complex Sentences and Complex Compound Sentences

Instructions: None
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2.2 Complex Sentences and Complex Compound Sentences

Theory:

Complex and Complex Compound Sentences


A complex sentence is created when more than one idea need to be expressed in the same sentence, and often one idea may depend on the other idea. We can combine the two ideas given:

I was hungry. I ate a sandwich.

Into one complex sentence:

I was hungry so I ate a sandwich.


Sentences and pieces of sentences are clauses, and we will be looking at clauses later on, but a complex sentence is defined as having at least two clauses, one of which must be an independent clause, and the other a dependent clause. In our example:

I was hungry so I ate a sandwich.

I was hungry (independent clause)

so I ate a sandwich. (dependent clause)


Complex sentences are important for the exams because they are needed to give justifications for any opinions we may express:

I think smoking is dangerous because it causes many diseases.

I think smoking is dangerous (independent clause)

because it causes many diseases. (dependent clause)


Complex compound sentences


Once we have constructed a complex sentence, we can combine two of them to form a COMPLEX COMPOUND sentence:

I was hungry so I ate a sandwich, AND I was thirsty so I drank a beer.


There are different kinds of clauses that can be used to add information to the main idea, and they can be positioned differently to emphasise a particular point, but care must be taken to use commas to keep the meaning clear.

I was hungry so I ate a sandwich, but I wasn't thirsty so I didn't drink a beer.

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INCORRECT SENTENCE:
- He bought the car, it was cheap.

CHOICE OF WORDS:

  • it
  • the
  • \,
  • car
  • because

CORRECTED SENTENCE:
- He bought (1) was cheap.

   Listen and repeat

INCORRECT SENTENCE:
- I would buy this car if I liked the colour.

CHOICE OF WORDS:

  • car
  • if
  • buy
  • \,
  • this
  • I

CORRECTED SENTENCE:
- I would (2) liked the colour.

   Listen and repeat

INCORRECT SENTENCE:
- He didn't win, because he was lucky. He was good.

CHOICE OF WORDS:

  • win
  • he
  • \,
  • was
  • because

CORRECTED SENTENCE:
- He didn't (3) lucky. He was good.

   Listen and repeat

INCORRECT SENTENCE:
- He won because he was good. He was good, so he won.

CHOICE OF WORDS:

  • because
  • won
  • \,
  • was
  • he

CORRECTED SENTENCE:
- He (4) good. He was good, so he won.

   Listen and repeat