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Simple sentences

These are sentences built from just one major clause. These have one main verb attached to its subject. The subject can be one word or a phrase.

Example 1 - Spiders spin webs.

Example 2 - The shaggy-haired Siberian wolfhound sat outside.

Compound sentences

A compound sentence has at least two major independent clauses. They can be joined by a semicolon, or a comma and coordinating conjunction (such as ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘or’).

For example:

It was raining, and Sher had forgotten his coat.

Sophie had seen a parrot before, but she had never seen one this big.

Zeb could go to school, or he could stay under his duvet all morning.

Complex sentences

A complex sentence includes a major clause and at least one subordinate clause. The term ‘complex’ here can be confusing as some ‘complex’ sentences are very short and simple in meaning, eg ‘The cat mewed, although it was asleep’, whereas a simple sentence can be long and very complex in appearance and meaning, eg ‘The wild, ferocious Siberian wolfhound from London’s Regent Park zoo escaped six weeks ago.’

In the following examples, the subordinate clauses are in bold. Notice how the major clause works without the subordinate clause:

The girl, who had long blonde hair, stood at the window.

While he does his homework, Jack listens to the radio.