Becoming Savvy with Sentence Structures: Part Three
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Becoming Savvy with Sentence Structures: Part Three
Sentence structures are the beams of the building of composition. The stronger and better formed they are, the firmer our communication foundation will be.
Part One of our discussion introduced us to simple and compound sentences. In Part Two, we explored complex and compound-complex sentences. Let’s take a brief look at all four as a recap.
| Simple Sentence | Compound Sentence |
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Examples: Simple Sentence
Cats (subject) meow (verb).The shepherd’s sheep (subject) have wandered (verb) away (adverb).
His fastball (subject) reaches (verb) ninety-nine miles per hour (direct object).
Examples: Compound Sentence
Cats meow (main clause), and dogs bark (main clause).
The shepherd’s sheep have wandered away (main clause), but they will not go far (main clause).
His fastball reaches ninety-nine miles per hour (main clause); his slider hits eighty-eight (main clause).
| Complex Sentence | Compound-Complex Sentence |
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Examples: Complex Sentence
When I grow up (dependent clause), I want to be an astronaut (main clause).
The roads are closed today (main clause) because it’s snowing so much (dependent clause).
I have given you all of my money (main clause) so that I will not be tempted to spend it (dependent clause).
Examples: Compound-Complex Sentence
When I grow up (dependent clause), I want to be an astronaut (main clause); my sister wants to be a physician (main clause).
The roads are closed today (main clause) because it’s snowing so much (dependent clause), but they might reopen (main clause) if it stops (dependent clause).
I have given you all the money (main clause) that I have (dependent clause) so that I will not be tempted to spend it (dependent clause), and then I will have some left for tomorrow (main clause).
To complete our review of sentence structures, we’ll next want to consider how to use them together to achieve greater style in our writing.
Applying the Four Types
Good prose skillfully mixes the four sentence types. It also varies their lengths.
Consider the following text using all simple sentences:
Bernice loves the rodeo. Her father was a rancher. Their family had many animals. She grew up around horses. Her father often let her ride them. She became very comfortable with them. In time she could even stay on the broncos. She also learned to rope calves.
This format is forthright, but an overuse of one sentence type can make writing choppy and droning. Let’s see how compound structures can help to break the monotony.
Bernice loves the rodeo [simple]. Her father was a rancher, and their family had many animals [compound with conjunction]. She grew up around horses; her father often let her ride them [compound with semicolon]. She became very comfortable with them, and in time she could even stay on the broncos [compound with conjunction]. She also learned to rope calves [simple].
A little bit better. Now let’s look at adding a complex sentence for enhancing effect.
Bernice loves the rodeo [simple]. Because her father was a rancher, their family had many animals [complex]. She grew up around horses; her father often let her ride them [compound]. She became very comfortable with them, and in time she could even stay on the broncos [compound]. She also learned to rope calves [simple].
Now let’s insert a compound-complex structure to complete our transformation from a mechanical, repetitive paragraph to a more stylized one with all four sentence types.
Bernice loves the rodeo [simple]. Because her father was a rancher, their family had many animals [complex]. She grew up around horses, and her father often let her ride them, which made her very comfortable with them [compound-complex]. In time she could even stay on the broncos; she also learned to rope calves [compound].
Crisp composition can take many forms. You might have a short paragraph of all simple sentences followed by one with a few complex sentences. You can start content with two compound sentences and finish it with a compound-complex sentence. The possibilities are endless: You need only understand the four types and practice their combined sound and flow to become a master of melodious writing.
If the article or the existing discussions do not address a thought or question you have on the subject, please use the "Comment" box at the bottom of this page.
This is a very useful and applicable post. I intend to make good use of it. Thanks!
Thank you. We’re glad you found the article helpful.
Which is the correct way to write these sentences?
The final step is to take and pass the specialty board exam; thereby, making them board certified. You now must complete Maintenance of Certification every so many years to maintain your board certification. The amount of time you have to take your maintenance certification depends on the specialty.
Because your first sentence states a “final step,” but the second sentence adds another step, we recommend:
The final step in becoming board certified is to take and pass the specialty board exam. In order to maintain your board certification, you must complete Maintenance of Certification every X years. The amount of time you have to take your maintenance certification depends on the specialty.
Shouldn’t the correct word be “that” instead of “which”?
“She grew up around horses, and her father often let her ride them, which made her very comfortable with them [compound-complex].”
Our post That and Which: Rule or Guideline? explains that when a dependent clause (which made her very comfortable with them) requires a comma to introduce it, the relative pronoun which is necessary. Such a clause is called nonrestrictive (or nonessential or nondefining). See also our post That vs. Which.
I thought if a dependent clause comes after an independent clause that it did not require a comma. But in this sentence you have a comma. I have given you all of my money, so you will have to wait until tomorrow for the rest.
Please explain why there is a comma.
The sentence contains two independent clauses. Our Rule 3b of Commas says, “In sentences where two independent clauses are joined by connectors such as and, or, but, etc., put a comma at the end of the first clause.” The coordinating conjunction so serves as a connector in the sentence; therefore, a comma is necessary after the first clause.