Compound Sentence in English

Compound Sentence

Compound sentence is one of the 4 classifications of the different types of sentences. The Compound sentence is a combination of two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.

Compound sentence can also be written with more than two independent clauses.

Let’s rewrite above example by adding one more independent clause with the help of conjunction.

I arrived at the office at 9, and my assistant came 10 minutes later but she was sick so I told her to go home.

In the above example we have two subjects and two predicates. That is, there are two independent clauses which are combined together with the help of the coordinating conjunction, AND.

A compound sentence can be called as a combination of two simple sentences which always has a subject and a verb in it.

Example:

A compound sentence can be written by combining two simple sentences with the help of comma (,).

When a transition or change happens in a clause, it is usually followed by a comma.

• The experiment was successful; unfortunately, the result was not up to the mark.

If the transition happens in between the compound sentence then semicolon is used followed by comma before the transition.

• I was unhappy with the teacher; undeniably, he often wasted his time in the class.

Comma is also used before the conjunction to separate the two independent clauses that makes the compound sentence.

• We will go to the movie hall, and buy the tickets.
• My mom will go to school, and my dad will go to office.

Co-ordinating Conjunctions:

Coordinating conjunctions are used to combine two independent ant clauses of the compound sentences. The coordinating conjunctions are:

For

And

Nor

But

Or

Yet

So

Easy way to remember coordinating conjunctions is: FANBOYS

• She was tired, for she went to bed early.
• Jemmy went to the store and bought some milk.
• I cannot eat fish nor can I eat egg.
• Michael called Susan but she did not pick.
• You can take a u turn and go straight or you can take taxi.
• She studied hard for exam yet she didn’t pass.
• I am not feeling well today so I took leave from office.
• Harry threw the ball, and it was a strike.

Harry threw the ball .It was a strike.

These two sentences can be combined to make a compound sentence in two different ways. Using comma and coordinating conjunction and using semicolon. This has been illustrated below diagrammatically.

Harry threw the ball, and it was a strike.

Harry threw the ball; it was a strike

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You can add more than two independent clause to form a compound sentence which is grammatically correct but again it could not sound good and there you can make one or more structural error.

So better to avoid using so many independent clauses for making a compound sentence and use two independent clauses to make it simple.

Example:

I went to the shop; I bought cake, and I came back home.

She got ready for school; went in school bus, and reached school.