Compound Sentences

COMPOUND SENTENCES

Compound sentence is one of the four basic types of sentences. The compound sentence is formed by combining two or more independent clauses with a help of a conjunction or punctuation.

Irrespective of how you structure a compound sentence, it signals the reader that you are discussing two equally important ideas.

Compound sentences allow us to shorten the things we say or write, as they help in pulling off the idea of writing many sentences with separate thoughts. One misconception we have is that more words provide more information, but the fact is communication of something in a summarized manner will be received easily by the audience.

Parts of a Compound Sentence

A basic compound sentence has at least two independent clauses and connected by coordinating conjunction.

1. INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

An independent clause is a basic clause with a SUBJECT and a PREDICATE which makes sense on its own.

Example: 1. The cat ate the mice.

2. They went to the theatre.

b) COORDINATIN GCONJUNCTION

A word that connects two sentences, phrases or words is called a conjunction. A compound sentence needs at least one conjunction to connect its clauses. The conjunction which is used to connect the independent clauses of the compound sentence is known as coordinating conjunction. Common coordinating conjunction known to all of us is “and”. Other coordinating conjunctions are for, nor, but, or, yet, and so.

Let’s move on to the crux of it.

As already mentioned above compound sentences are formed by joining two independent clauses using coordinating conjunctions like and, but, yet,nor,or so and for. These conjunctions should be preceded by a comma (,). If the phrases are small the comma can be avoided.

Conjunction ‘but ‘and ‘yet ‘are used for compound sentences where the first clause contrasts with the other clause, conjunction ‘or’ is used to join two alternative clauses. The conjunction ‘nor’ is used in a compound sentence the where the first clause uses a negative word like neither, in such a case both the independent clauses are untrue or doesn’t happen. The conjunction ‘so’ is used when the second clause is the reason for the first clause.

Compound sentences can also be joined using semicolons (;)

Example: The sky is cloudy; it is going to rain.

• Compound sentences can also be formed using conjunctive adverbs like ‘moreover’, ‘however’, ‘at least’. In such cases the conjunctive adverb has to be preceded with a semicolon and followed by a comma.

Example: Fruits are not expensive; moreover, they are very healthy.

Examples of compound sentences:

1. I left the house; I was running late.
2. He turned himself in to the police; otherwise, they would have arrested him.
3. Catherine walked to the park and I walked to the beach.
4. The girl ate cake in the party, but the boy drank soda.
5. What he did was incredible; in fact, I can hardly believe it.
6. Mary never wrote any letter, nor did she call him.
7. I have been reminding him about it, yet he has forgotten about it.
8. Italy is my favourite country; I plan to spend two weeks there next year.
9. I have paid my dues; as a result, I expect to receive all the privileges listed in the bylaws.
10. The piper advanced, and the children followed.