Depending on the number and types of clauses they contain, sentences are classified as
simple
compound
complex
compound-complex
Clauses come in two varieties: independent and subordinate.
An independent clause contains a subject and a predicate, and it either stands alone or could stand alone.
A subordinate clause also contains a subject and a predicate, but it functions within a sentence as an adjective, an adverb, or a noun; it cannot stand alone.
Simple sentence
A simple sentence is one independent clause with no subordinate clauses.
Compound sentence
A compound sentence is composed of two or more independent clauses with no subordinate clauses. The independent clauses are usually joined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) or with a semicolon.
Complex sentence
A complex sentence is composed of one independent clause with one or more subordinate clauses.
Compound-complex sentence
A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one subordinate clause. The following sentence contains two independent clauses, each of which contains a subordinate clause.
Exercises:
Sentence types 1
Sentence types 2
Related topics:
Subordinate clauses
Subjects
Verbs, objects, and complements