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A Concise Guide to English Grammar

Phillip Haisley

Section A.7 Compound and Complex Sentences

This section starts from a simple sentence and progressively shows how clauses combine through coordination and subordination.
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Syntax tree showing a simple sentence as baseline for comparison
Figure A.7.1. Simple Sentence Baseline: The students studied
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Syntax tree showing coordinated NP subject, not a compound sentence
Figure A.7.2. Compound Subject (Not a Compound Sentence): Marcus and Elena traveled
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Syntax tree showing compound sentence with two independent clauses joined by "and"
Figure A.7.3. Compound Sentence with and: She writes poetry, and he composes music
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Syntax tree showing compound sentence with two independent clauses joined by "but"
Figure A.7.4. Compound Sentence with but: She studied hard, but she failed the exam
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Syntax tree showing complex sentence with dependent clause following independent clause
Figure A.7.5. Complex Sentence — Dependent Clause Second: She declined because she had other plans
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Syntax tree showing complex sentence with dependent clause preceding independent clause
Figure A.7.6. Complex Sentence — Dependent Clause First: When the power flickered, everyone looked up
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Syntax tree showing subordination with dependent clause in final position
Figure A.7.7. Subordination — DC Following: I laugh because you cry
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Syntax tree showing subordination with dependent clause fronted
Figure A.7.8. Subordination — DC Fronted: Because you cry, I laugh
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