Complex sentences: in-service training sessions
Complex sentences form a large area. In this we are only
covering the ideas listed below.
You should also consider the ways in which modification of nouns
happens, catenation of verbs, fronting and much else.
There are guides to all these areas on this site.
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The key ideas |
This serves as an introduction to the ideas of coordination and subordination and the four possible types of sentence that result.
These are the areas on which these worksheets focus. A
session of between 2 and 3 hours should be enough to cover the
essentials and give people the tools they need to focus on certain
aspects of the area for an assignment.
It will not be enough in itself, of course.
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Four types of sentence |
This should be a reminder but it is not an area which is covered
on all initial training courses.
Task 1 of the worksheet just asks people to identify the four
sorts of sentence. As a reminder:
- Simple sentences contain only one clause
- Compound sentences contain two coordinated clauses
- Complex sentences contain one main and one subordinated clause
- Compound-complex sentences contain a combination of subordination and coordination
Task 2 of the worksheet provides a list of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions. The only coordinating conjunctions in the list are: and, or, but (the core coordinators) and for, so that, so, yet, nor (coordinators with some subordinating characteristics). All other conjunctions in the list are subordinators and some are correlative subordinators. The conjunction so that can be coordinating when it means therefore and subordinating when it means so. It is usually the latter.
Task 3 asks people to identify the clauses in sentences and state what kind they are. Example 1 contains three coordinated clauses and one subordinate clause. Example 2 contains an embedded subordinate clause between two coordinated clauses and a final subordinate clause. Example 3 contains 3 coordinated clauses (and is a compound, not complex or compound-complex) sentence.
Task 4 is trickier so here's the key:
- Example 1: The rule is that for is a coordinator and must come between the two clauses (as coordinators should). The conjunction because (which means the same) is a subordinator and moves with the clause so can be initial or medial.
- Example 2: The rule is that and is a coordinator which can fulfil the same role as the subordinator if but, because it is a coordinator, it cannot be moved in the same way.
- Example 3: The rule is that the subject cannot be omitted with subordinating conjunctions even if it remains the same for both verbs.
- Example 4 shows that the subject
may be omitted with coordinating conjunctions but only
if it applies to both verbs. Compare:
I caught the bus and arrived on time - Example 5 shows the same phenomenon. The subject is omitted with the coordinator and but cannot be omitted with the subordinator when.
- Example 6: The rule is that coordinating conjunctions cannot be preceded by another conjunction but subordinators can.
- Example 7 shows the same rule as examples 4 and 5 for subject omission.
- Example 8 contrasts the coordinator so with the subordinator because. They both refer to cause and effect but so is a coordinator, albeit with subordinating characteristics, so the subject may be omitted, but because is a subordinator so it cannot.
- Example 9 is similar to example 2 in that the coordinator or can be used in the same way as if but, because it is a coordinator, it must remain between the two clauses.
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Related areas |
The worksheets here cover a minimal amount but they are a place to begin.
The areas linked below are guides to other complex sentences. The one to cleft sentences contains tasks that you may find helpful in a training session. Please credit them in the usual way.
| Related guides | |
| complex sentences | this is an introduction which considers other areas of complexity |
| coordination | this focuses only on the main ideas of coordination and distinguishes between core and peripheral coordinators |
| subordination | this guide does the same for subordinating conjunctions |
| relative pronoun clauses | another form of complex sentence construction |
| cleft sentences | and another |
| syntax | for the in-service index to the whole area |
| A-Z index | where you can find guides to or containing specific concepts and terms |