Sentence Structure
This page about sentence structure will focus on the differences between simple sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences and compound-complex sentences.
You must know how to correctly write these sentence types for IELTS as the examiner will be looking for them when they grade you for your ‘grammatical range’.
Clauses are the buliding blocks of sentences.
So, before you go any further, make sure you understand what clauses are by looking at the previous lesson.
Sentence Types
There are four types of sentence:
- Simple
- Compound
- Complex
- Compound-Complex
1. Simple Sentences
A simple sentence is one clause with a subject and verb.
Computers are important in the modern world.
Formula = SV
However, it can have more than one subject and verb:
2 subjects:
Computers and other technological devices areimportant in the modern world.
Formula = SSV
2 Verbs:
I search for information and play games on my computer.
Formula = SVV
2 subject and 2 verbs:
My brother and I search for information and play games on our computers.
Formula = SSVV
2. Compound Sentences
A compound sentence consists of 2 or 3 clauses. It is when simple sentences are joined together.
In this sentence structure, the clauses are joined with the following coordinating conjunctions:
F = for
A = and
N = nor
B = but
O = or
Y = yet
S = so
The word ‘fanboys’ is an easy way to remember the different conjuntions that make up compound sentences. Obviously the most common are ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘or’ and ‘so’.
Here are some examples of compound sentence structure:
Computers are important, but they can be dangerous too.
Formula = SV but SV
Computers are important, but they can be dangerous too, so we must be careful.
Formula = SV but SV so SV.
Avoid writing too many clauses as the sentence may get difficult to follow, and you cannot use each one more than once in a sentence to join clauses.
This is wrong:
Computers are used widely in most countries now, andthey are a sign of progress, and we must ensure everyones has access to them.
Incorrect formula = SV and SV and SV. X
Two possible corrected versions:
Computers are used widely in most countries now, andthey are a sign of progress. We must ensure everyones has access to them.
Formula = SV and SV. SV.
Computers are used widely in most countries now, andthey are a sign of progress, so must ensure everyones has access to them.
Formula = SV and SV so SV.
Using semicolons
There is an instance when you can have a compound sentence structure without a coordinating conjuntion, and this is when you join two clauses with a semicolon. It is used when two ideas are related.
For example:
Computers are used widely in most countires; they are a sign of progress.
3. Complex Sentences
Complex sentences are more complicated (which is maybe why they are called ‘complex’!).
This type of sentence structure is important for IELTS because to get awarded a band 6 or higher for your ‘grammatical range and accuracy’, you need to demonstrate that you are able to use them.
The more varied and the more accurate your complex sentences are, the higher the band score for this.
There are different types of complex sentences and these will be looked at in more detail later, so here you are just provided with the basics.
Complex sentences are two (or more) clauses joined together, but they are not joined by ‘fanboys’ (coordinating conjuntions). They are joined by subordinating conjuntions.
These are subordinating conjunctions:
| after although as as if as long as as much as as soon as as though because before | even if even though if in order to in case once since so that that though | unless until when whenever whereas where wherever while |
For example:
People take natural health supplements even thoughthey may not have been tested.
Our children may not be properly educated if we don’t spend more on schools.
I went to bed as soon as he left because I was tired.
These are all adverbial clauses. In these types of complex sentence, the second clause can be used to start the sentence.
In this case, a comma is needed in the middle.
Even though they may not have been tested, people take natural health supplements.
If we don’t spend more on schools, our children may not be properly educated.
As soon as he left, I went to bed because I was tired.
Noun clauses and relative clauses are also a type of complex sentence structure, but these will be looked at later.
4. Compound-Complex Sentences
Compound-complex sentences are the same as complex sentences but they also have a simple (or compound) sentence before or after the ‘complex’ part.
For example:
I ate a lot when I got home, but I was still hungry.
The part that is underlined is the complex sentence. As you can see, it also has a simple sentences connected to it. It can also have a full compound sentence attached to it:
I ate a lot when I got home, but I was still hungry, so I went shopping to buy some more food.
These are compound-complex sentences.
Complex Sentences
Understanding complex sentences and knowing how to write them is crucial for IELTS.
The examiner will not award you above a band 5 for ‘grammatical range and accuracy‘ if you cannot write them or if you have a very limited ability to write them.
This is the marking criteria for a band 6 for grammar:
- Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms
- Makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication
So you must have a mix of complex sentence forms, though some errors in them are acceptable.
If, for example, you learned a couple of complex structures and used the same ones throughout your essay, this would not demonstrate a ‘mix‘.
For the higher band scores, you will need to show a greater range and more accuracy.
What are independent and dependent clauses?
A clause is a group of words with a subject and verb. This is a dependent clause:
…because it was raining so hard.
If something or someone is ‘dependent’ then it needs or relies on something else for aid, support, life etc.
For example, a baby is dependent on its mother. Without the mother the baby cannot survive.
In a similar way, a dependent clause cannot ‘survive’ on its own. It relies on something else. The clause above “….because it was raining so hard” cannot be used on its own as a sentence because it does not make sense.
In order to function, it needs an independent clause. An independent clause can function on its own as a sentence:
I took my umbrella.
This has meaning so is ok on its own. It makes a simple sentence.
If we now join this independent clause with the dependent clause, we have a complex sentence that has meaning:
I took my umbrella because it was raining so hard.
Types of complex sentence
Complex sentences have three types:
- Adverbial Clauses
- Relative Clauses
- Noun Clauses
In the following sections, there is a brief explanation of how to construct each of these with some examples.
However, they are complicated, so lessons explaining them in more detail will follow later on.
1) Adverbial Clauses
Adverbial clauses answer questions such as how? why? when? where?
They are made by connecting an independent clause and a dependent clause with a subordinating conjunction.
Here are some common subordinating conjunctions that make complex sentences:
| because, although , if , until | while, when , even though , as |
For example (the subject is in green and the verb in blue).:
Some experiments on animals give us the wrong result because animals’ bodies are not exactly the same as our own.
SV subordinating conjunction SV
Some experiments on animals give us the wrong result
—— INDEPENDENT CLAUSE ——
…because animals’ bodies are not exactly the same as our own.
—— DEPENDENT (SUBORDINATING) CLAUSE ——
In adverbial clauses, however, it is possible to put the dependent clause before the independent clause. In fact, more often than not, this is the case.
When you do this though, you MUST put a comma after the dependent clause (a comma is not needed when the independent clause comes first):
Because animals’ bodies are not exactly the same as our own, some experiments on animals give us the wrong result.
subordinating conjunction SV, SV
Here are some further examples. Notice how in some sentences the dependent clause comes first, in others it is second. This is your choice:
Even though he arrived late, he did not apologize.
Pollution will get worse if car emissions are not reduced.
While the number of people going to Japan increased, the number going to the UK decreased.
I don’t know when he will arrive.
2) Relative Clauses
Like adverbial clauses, relative clauses are made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause.
However, these clauses have a different use. Relative clauses are used to modify a noun. In other words, to give more information about it.
The relative pronouns who, which, that and where are used to do this, and the relative clause is placed after the noun it is modifying.
For example:
Animal experimentation, which is legal in most countries, should be banned.
Animals experimentation should be banned.
—— INDEPENDENT CLAUSE ——
which is legal in most countries
—— DEPENDENT (RELATIVE) CLAUSE ——
Unlike adverbial clauses, the dependent clause (which is the relative clause) can break up the independent clause – the dependent clause just needs to go after the noun, wherever that is.
Notice also that there are two Subject–Verb combinations. This will always be the case with complex sentences as there are two clauses.
Here are some more examples. The dependent (relative) clause is in red, the independent clause is in bold, and the noun being modified is underlined.
A library is a place where you can borrow books.
Global warming is a problem that must be solved.
Obesity, which is the condition of being overweight, affects millions of children.
A person who breaks the law must face serious penalties.
3) Noun Clauses
Noun clauses are probably the most difficult to master of the complex sentences, so we’ll focus here on the most common and easiest form which you will probably have used many times. We’ll look at them in more detail later.
A noun clause answers the question ‘who?‘ or ‘what?’. Unlike relative clauses, which come after the noun, noun clauses come after the verb.
For example:
What do you think about corruption?
I think that corruptions is wrong and that those guilty of it should be punished.
In this example, there are two noun clauses, and they are the objectof the verb ‘think’.
The noun clauses are the dependent clauses because they do not make sense on their own. They need the independent clause “I think…“.
I think
—— INDEPENDENT CLAUSE ——
that corruption is wrong
that those guilty of it should be punished
—— DEPENDENT (NOUN) CLAUSE ——
Here are some more examples. The dependent (noun) clause is in red, and the independent clause is in bold:
I agree that capital punishment must be abolished.
I hope that the government intervenes to resolve the situation.
I believe that experimentation on animals is unethical.
It is common to omit ‘that‘ when speaking. For example, we can say:
I believe experimentation on animals is unethical.
However, in formal writing such as IELTS, or academic writing generally, you should include it.
IELTS and Complex Sentences
To achieve a good score for your grammatical range, you would need to be able to use a mix of these types of complex sentences, and to use them fairly accurately for a band 6, and very accurately for a band 7 or higher.
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