Compound Sentences: How to Use Compound Sentences

A compound sentence is a sentence that contains two or more independent clauses joined by either a linking word, such as a conjunction, or a semicolon. Put simply, a compound sentence links together two simple sentences, which are sentences with one independent clause.

In the English language, compound sentences and complex sentences are two common types of sentence structures, but there are two crucial differences between them:

1. 1. Compound sentence: A compound sentence is a sentence comprising two or more independent clauses. The independent clauses in a compound sentence connect with coordinating conjunctions, like “for” and “yet,” or conjunctive adverbs, such as “however” and “nevertheless.”
2. 2. Complex sentence: A complex sentence is a sentence with one independent clause, also known as the main clause, and one or more dependent clauses, known as subordinate clauses. The independent and dependent clauses in a complex sentence join with subordinating conjunctions like “after,” “because,” “than,” “where,” “while,” “if,” and “unless.”
3. 3. Compound-complex sentence: The compound-complex sentence structure contains two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

Compound sentences include independent clauses and coordinating conjunctions, semicolons, or conjunctive adverbs:

1. 1. Independent clauses: A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses. An independent clause contains a subject and a predicate, and it expresses a complete thought. By itself, an independent clause could be a complete sentence.
2. 2. Conjunction: The independent clauses of a compound sentence are usually joined together by coordinating conjunctions. The seven conjunctions are: "for," "and," "nor," "but," "or," "yet," and "so"—which you can remember via the acronym “FANBOYS.” A comma usually comes before the coordinating conjunction unless the clauses are short.
3. 3. Semicolon: You can also join independent clauses with a semicolon.
4. 4. Conjunctive adverbs: The independent clauses can be joined by a conjunctive adverb like “moreover,” “however,” and “meanwhile.” A semicolon precedes the conjunctive adverb, and a comma follows.

There are three ways to combine two independent clauses to create compound sentences with new meaning. Consider these examples of compound sentences:

1. 1. There is traffic on the freeway, so I am going to be late. This sentence combines the two independent clauses “There is traffic on the freeway” and “I am going to be late” with the coordinating conjunction “so.”
2. 2. I love ice cream; my boyfriend prefers cake. This compound sentence joins two independent thoughts with a semicolon.
3. 3. I hurt my ankle; therefore, I did not go on the hike. In this example, a semicolon and the conjunctive adverb “therefore” connect two independent clauses.

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