The Four Types

of Sentence
Structures
A clause is a group of words that function as one part of
speech and that includes a subject and a verb.

Independent Clause Dependent Clause

Expresses a complete Expresses incomplete
thought and can stand thought and cannot be a
alone. sentence itself.
 Simple Sentence
A simple sentence consists of one independent clause.
(An independent clause contains a subject and verb and
expresses a complete thought.)
Example:
Sally kicks the ball.
subject verb
• Ben forgot his homework
• Tom kicked the ball
• Emma waited for the train
 Compound Sentence
A compound sentence contains two (or more)
independent clauses joined by a conjunction or
semicolon. Each of these clauses could form a
sentence alone.
He was hungry. He cooked dinner.

He was hungry, so he cooked dinner.

Other example of coordinating conjunctions include:
For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

• She is rich, yet she is very humble.

• I’m hungry, but I don’t know what to eat.
 Compound-Complex
Sentence
A compound-complex sentence consists of at
least two independent clauses and one or more
dependent clauses.
Example:
Because I worked hard, I got an A+ on the test and
I was so happy.
IC
DC Coordinating Conjunction