Kinds of Sentences and Their Punctuation

A sentence may be one of four kinds, depending upon the number and type(s) of clauses it contains.

        Review:

•         An independent clause  contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.

•    A dependent clause contains a subject and a verb, but no complete thought.

1. A SIMPLE SENTENCE has one independent clause.

Punctuation note:  NO commas separate compound elements (subject, verb, direct object, indirect object, subjective complement, etc.) in a simple sentence.

2. A COMPOUND SENTENCE has two independent clauses joined by

        A.  a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so),

        B.  a conjunctive adverb (e.g. however, therefore), or

        C.  a semicolon alone.

Punctuation patterns (to match A, B, and C above):

        A. Independent clause, coordinating conjunction  independent clause.

        B. Independent clause; conjunctive adverb, independent clause.

        C. Independent clause; independent clause.

3. A COMPLEX SENTENCE has one dependent clause (headed by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun ) joined to an independent clause.

 Punctuation patterns (to match A, B, C and D above):

        A.  Dependent clause,  independent clause

        B.  Independent clause  dependent clause

        C.  Independent,    nonessential dependent clause, clause.

        D.  Independent    essential dependent clause  clause.

4. A COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE has two independent clauses joined to one or more dependent clauses.

Punctuation patterns:

Follow the rules given above for compound and complex sentences.

A compound-complex sentence is merely a combination of the two. CONNECTORS--COMPOUND AND COMPLEX SENTENCES Two independent clauses may be joined by     1.  Coordinating conjunctions  (FANBOYS)         Ic,  and    ic     2.  Conjunctive adverbs       Ic;    therefore,     ic.        A dependent (subordinate) clause may be introduced by     1. Subordinating conjunctions (ADVERB CLAUSE)     Dc, ic.   or    Ic dc.     2. Relative pronouns (ADJECTIVE CLAUSE)  I, dc,  c.    or      I  dc  c.    3.  Relative pronoun, subordinating conjunctions, or adverbs (NOUN CLAUSE)