I. Grammar 3.

4: The Sentence (Continued)

SENTENCES (CONTINUED)

Depending on the number and the kind of clauses used in them, sentences are
classified as (1) simple, (2) compound, (3) complex, and (4) compound-complex. We
examined the simple sentence in the preceding lesson. Now we are ready to
examine the longer and more complicated sentences that are formed by linking
clauses and simple sentences together.

First, let us learn some new words.

WORDS TO REMEMBER

1. "arrest" (verb) ---- To seize and take into custody by the authority of the law; to catch
and keep someone.
Example: "Then the men grabbed Jesus and arrested him."
2. "booth" (noun) ---- A small temporary shed or shelter.
Example: "Teacher, it is good that we are here. We will put three booths here - one
for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
3. "Council" (proper noun) ---- The Jewish high court, made up of seventy judges
including the high priest.
Example: "All through the night the leading priests and the Jewish Council tried to
find something against Jesus so they could kill him."
4. "curtain" (noun) ---- The beautiful cloth wall that hung between the Holy Place from
the Most Holy Place in the Jewish temple.
Example: "As Jesus died, the curtain in the temple in Jerusalem was torn into two
pieces."
5. "earthquake" (noun) ---- The shaking and trembling of the earth's surface.
Example: "The army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and
everything that happened when Jesus died."
6. "dice" (noun) ---- Small cubes marked with dots on each side, used for making
choices, answering questions, or playing games of chance.
Example: "Then the soldiers gambled with dice to decide who would get Jesus'
clothes."
7. "high priest" (noun) ---- The highest-ranking priest in the Jewish religious system; the
spiritual leader of the Jewish nation.
Example: "The men who arrested Jesus led him to the house of Caiaphas, the high
priest."
8. "humble" (adjective) ---- Meek; lowly in spirit; not proud.
Example: "Your King is coming. He is humble, and he is riding on a donkey."
9. "institute" (verb) ---- To establish; to organize; to begin; to set up.
Example: "Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper to help us remember him."
10. "Lord's Supper" (proper noun) ---- A simple memorial feast consisting of bread without
yeast and grape juice (or grape wine).
 Example: "While Jesus was eating the Passover meal with his apostles, he instituted
the Lord's Supper."
11. "mock" (verb) ---- To make fun of; to treat with scorn and contempt; to laugh, tease,
and ridicule.
Example: "Then the soldiers bowed before Jesus and mocked him."
12. "new covenant" (noun) ---- The agreement that God has made with the followers of
Jesus Christ.
Example: "God's new covenant went into effect when Jesus died."

THE COMPOUND SENTENCE

A compound sentence is made up of two or more simple sentences joined by

coordinating conjunctions.

Simple sentences: "He did nothing wrong. These things happened to him."

Compound sentence: He did nothing wrong, but these things happened to him.
If we used only simple sentences, our speech or writing would be very choppy and
often unclear. Notice how choppy the following simple sentences sound.
"Jesus' followers were troubled. Jesus tried to comfort them."
"Your spirit wants to do what is right. Your body is weak."

Now link these simple sentences together with carefully-chosen conjunctions and
see how much clearer and smoother they become.
"Jesus' followers were troubled, so Jesus tried to comfort them."
"Your spirit wants to do what is right, but your body is weak."

Each simple sentence has now become an independent clause in a longer compound
sentence. A compound sentence is formed when two or more simple sentences are
united by a coordinating conjunction. When a simple sentence becomes part of a
compound sentence, it is called an "independent clause."
Example:

Independent Clause Conj. Independent Clause

"Peter did not know what to say, and he was afraid."

As you already know, when two independent clauses are joined by "and," "but," "or,"
"for," or "nor," a comma is used before the conjunction.
Example: "He is guilty, and he must die."

THE COMPLEX SENTENCE

The complex sentence is one that contains one independent clause and one or
more dependent clauses. That is, it is a simple sentence to which at least one
dependent clause has been attached.
Example:

Dependent clause Independent clause

"While Jesus was praying, his face became bright like the sun."

A dependent clause is always introduced by a subordinating conjunction. (Review

Lesson 15 for a list of subordinating conjunctions.) In the complex sentence above,
"While" is the subordinating conjunction that introduces the dependent clause "While
Jesus was praying." A dependent clause gives information about the verb in the
independent clause. "While Jesus was praying" tells when "his face became bright."
That is why "While Jesus was praying" is also called an "adverb clause."

Remember, a comma is used after introductory words, phrases, and clauses. Notice
the following examples:

INTRODUCTORY WORD: "Finally, the high priest stood up and spoke."

INTRODUCTORY PHRASE: "After this, they sang a song."
INTRODUCTORY CLAUSE: "While they were eating, Jesus took some special bread
and gave it to his followers."

By combining two simple sentences into one complex sentence, you can make your
speech or writing clearer and more interesting. Notice how choppy and unrelated the
following sentences sound.
Jesus was hanging on the cross. He prayed for the people. They were killing him.
Jesus died. The curtain in the temple was torn.
Jesus was raised from death. Those people came out of their graves.

Now, let us combine these simple sentences by adding subordinating conjunctions.

Notice how much more interesting and meaningful they are when they become
complex sentences. The conjunctive adverbs provide important information.
--While Jesus was hanging on the cross, he prayed for the people who were killing
him. --As Jesus died, the curtain in the temple was torn.
--After Jesus was raised from death, those people came out of their graves.

THE COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE

A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses and

one or more dependent clauses. In other words, it contains all the necessary parts of
a compound and a complex sentence.
Compound-complex sentences are more complicated than any of the other types of
sentences. They are, therefore, more difficult for the beginning student to
understand and use.

For advanced students, however, the compound-complex sentence can be very

useful. More than any other type of sentence, it shows how the ideas expressed in
several clauses relate to one another. Notice again how choppy and unrelated a
series of simple sentences sound.
Many of the Jews heard. Jesus was in Bethany. They went there to see him.
I am gone. I will ask the Father. He will send you another Helper to be with you
forever.
Jesus died. The earth shook. Rocks were broken.

Now notice what a difference it makes when these simple sentences are combined
in compound-complex sentences by adding a few conjunctions.
--Many of the Jews heard that Jesus was in Bethany, so they went there to see
him.
--When I am gone, I will ask the Father; and he will send you another Helper to be
with you forever.
--When Jesus died, the earth shook and rocks were broken.

These highlighted coordinating and subordinating conjunctions give important

information about the verbs and thus add to the meaning of the simple sentences.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Now, test your understanding of this lesson by answering the questions in the test.

Then, read Lesson 4 once or twice,and answer the questions on it. For your own
benefit, make a list of five simple sentences, five compound sentences,and five
complex sentences in the reading assignment.

I. Grammar 3.4: The Sentence (Continued)

1. The word that means "the Jewish high court" is . . . .

Council

booth
 arrest

humble

mock

2. The word that means "to make fun of" is . . . .

Council

arrest

mock

humble

booth

3. The word that means "to seize; to take into custody"

is . . . .

humble

arrest

booth

mock

Council

4. The word that means "a small shed or shelter" is . . . .

humble

booth

arrest
 mock

Council

5. The word that means "meek; lowly in spirit" is . . . .

Council

arrest

mock

booth

humble

6. Classify the following sentence. "While Jesus was

praying, his face became bright."

Compound

Compound-Complex

Complex

Simple

7. Classify the following sentence. "Then, two men

appeared and began talking to Jesus."

Compound-Complex

Complex

Compound

Simple
A SIMPLE sentence is one that has only one subject and one predicate. If the
sentence has a compound subject and/or a compound predicate, it is still a simple
sentence. (See Intermediate, Book 3, Lesson 3..)

8. Classify the following sentence. "Peter did not know

what to say because he was afraid."

Compound

Compound-Complex

Simple

Complex

"Because" is a subordinating conjunction that connects a dependent clause to an

independent clause. The sentence in Question 8 is a complex sentence.

9. Classify the following sentence. "The followers were

very happy, and they thanked God."

Compound-Complex

Simple

Compound

Complex

10. Classify the following sentence. "If my followers

don't say these things, these rocks will cry out and say
them."

Complex

Compound-Complex

Compound
 Simple

A complex sentence is a simple sentence (an independent clause) linked to one or

more dependent clauses.

11. Classify the following sentence. "He is humble, and

he is riding on a donkey."

Compound-Complex

Simple

Complex

Compound

12. Classify the following sentence. "While they were

eating, Jesus took some bread."

Compound

Complex

Simple

Compound-Complex

13. Classify the following sentence. "He divided the

bread and gave it to his followers."

Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound-Complex
A compound sentence is made up of two or more simple sentences joined by a
coordinating conjunction. Therefore, a compound sentence contains two subjects
and two predicates. This sentence contains only one subject, "He," and is, therefore,
a simple sentence.

14. Classify the following sentence. "This bread is my

body that I am giving for you."

Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound-Complex

The complex sentence is one that contains one independent clause and one or more
dependent clauses. That is, it is a simple sentence to which at least one dependent
clause has been attached.

15. Classify the following sentence. "After I prepare a

place for you, I will come back."

Compound

Complex

Compound-Complex

Simple

16. Classify the following sentence. "When I am gone, I

will ask the Father, and he will send you another
Helper."

Simple

Compound
 Complex

Compound-Complex

17. Classify the following sentence. "When the Spirit

comes, he will lead you to all truth."

Complex

Compound

Simple

Compound-Complex

The complex sentence is one that contains one independent clause and one or more
dependent clauses. That is, it is a simple sentence to which at least one dependent
clause has been attached.

18. Classify the following sentence. "If my kingdom

belonged to this world, my servants would fight."

Simple

Compound-Complex

Complex

Compound

The complex sentence is one that contains one independent clause and one or more
dependent clauses. That is, it is a simple sentence to which at least one dependent
clause has been attached.

19. Classify the following sentence. "While Jesus was

hanging on the cross, he prayed for the people who were
killing him."

Compound
 Compound-Complex

Complex

Simple

20. Classify the following sentence. "When Jesus died,

the earth shook, and rocks were broken."

Complex

Compound-Complex

Simple

Compound

21. What are the conjunctions in the following sentence?

"When we open the New Testament today, we are
reading truths that came from God Himself."

are, reading

we, open

When, that

came, from

22. What is the conjunction in the following sentence?

"He is humble, and he is riding on a donkey."

is

and
 on

23. What is the conjunction in the following sentence?

"Jesus took our troubles and made them his own."

them

own

our

and

24. What is the conjunction in following sentence?

"While they were eating, Jesus took some bread."

they

while

took

some

25. What is the conjunction in the following sentence?

"Your spirit is willing, but your body is weak."

your

weak

is

but