TRANSFORMATION OF SENTENCES
Simple, Compound And Complex Sentences
Sentences can be classified as simple, compound and complex. To understand these notions, it is essential to know the difference between a phrase and a clause.
A clause is a group of words with a finite verb.
A phrase, on the other hand, is a group of words without a verb.
Simple Sentence: A simple sentence is one which has only one clause. The clause is independent. A simple sentence may have non-finite verbs like present participle, past participle, to infinitive, plain infinitive or a gerund but it has only one finite verb.
Below are examples of simple sentences (The finite verb in each sentence is italicized):
1. The boy cried.
2. I bought a car.
3. The cop is chasing the criminal.
4. He goes to the library.
5. Mia was filled with remorse.
6. Seeing the snake, she fainted.
7. Beaten by the enemy, the army withdrew from the town.
8. He studied hard in order to pass.
9. Smoking is injurious to health.
10. I saw the man come.
(In sentences 6-10 there is a present participle, past participle, to-infinitive, gerund and plain infinitive but there is only one finite verb in each sentence.)
Compound sentence: A compound sentence is one which has two or more independent (main) clauses. Each clause can stand by itself as a meaningful unit or sentence. It follows that each clause has a finite verb. The clauses are often connected by conjunctions such as and, or, but, else.
Below are examples of compound sentences (The finite verb in each clause is italicized, while the conjunction is underlined):
1. Neela went to the mall and bought curtains.
2. Study else you will fail.
3. Either he is unbiased or he pretends to be so.
4. He was tired but he continued to write.
5. He felt famished so he made dinner.
· The connecting conjunctions in compound sentences include:
and, not only…..but also, yet, but, still, however, so, therefore, hence, else, or, either......or, neither......nor
· However, the connecting conjunction may sometimes be omitted.
· E.g., I came, I saw, I conquered.
· Here the conjunction and is understood but omitted.
· The conjunctions used in compound sentences are called co-ordinating conjunctions.
Complex Sentence: A complex sentence is one which has a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. The main clause can stand independently as a unit and it makes complete sense by itself. The subordinate clause, despite having a subject and predicate, cannot stand on its own and is dependent on the main clause for it to make sense.
Below are examples of complex sentences (The finite verb in each clause is italicized, while the conjunction is underlined):
1. I know that he is honest.
2. The students stood up when the professor entered the room.
3. She did not go to work as she was unwell.
4. They finished the project though they were shorthanded.
Sometimes the subordinate clause may come at the beginning of the sentence:
1. If you are thirsty, you can drink lemonade.
2. Unless he works fast, he will miss the deadline.
3. Wherever you may go, I will follow you.
4. Although he is talented, he is not egotistical.
· The connecting conjunctions in complex sentences include:
because, as, since, unless, if, though, although, so that, which, who whom, where, when, until, that (followed by a finite verb)
· The conjunctions used in complex sentences are called subordinating conjunctions.
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