Sentences Classified
According to Structure
Sentences may be classified according to purpose as declarative, impera-
tive, interrogative, or exclamatory. Sentences may also be classified
according to structure. The term structure refers to the number and
types of clauses in a sentence.
4g. Depending on its structure, a sentence can be classified as
simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex.
In the following examples, independent clauses are underlined once.
Subordinate clauses are underlined twice.
(1) A simple sentence contains one independent clause and
no subordinate clauses. It may have a compound subject, a
compound verb, and any number of phrases.
SV
EXAMPLES The boys wanted to take a vacation last summer.
SSV V
Ray and Joe worked and saved enough for a trip to Ohio.
(2) A compound sentence contains two or more independent
clauses and no subordinate clauses.
The independent clauses in a compound sentence may be joined by a
comma and a coordinating conjunction; by a semicolon; or by a semi-
colon, a conjunctive adverb, and a comma.
SV
EXAMPLES Originally, they wanted to ride bikes all the way,but
SV
they decided to take the train instead.
SV SV
Ray looked forward to seeing his cousins;Joe was eager to
play with his uncle’s band.
SV
Uncle James played in a country-music band;however,
SV
Joe preferred rock music.
Sentences Classified According to Structure 155
GRAMMAR
4
g
Reference Note
For more on classifying
sentences by purpose,
see page 109.
Paragraphs in which all the
sentences have the same
structure can be monoto-
nous to read. To keep your
readers interested in your
ideas, evaluate your writ-
ing to see whether you’ve
used a variety of sentence
structures. Then, use revis-
ing techniques—adding,
cutting, replacing, and
reordering—to enliven
your writing by varying the
structure of your sentences.
Identify and use simple
sentences. Identify and
use compound sen-
tences. Identify and use
complex sentences.
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