Punctuation errors are sometimes caused by the inability to distinguish between simple and complex sentences, as well as complex conjunctive (compound, compound) and non-conjunctive sentences.

To accurately determine what offer you are looking for, we offer the following recommendations.

How do I determine whether a sentence is simple or complex?

You should find out how many predicates there are in the sentence:

1) one predicate is a simple sentence

(A young oak stands in the middle of the clearing);

2) two (several) predicates that have the same subject in common - this is a simple sentence with homogeneous predicates

(The sun rose and lit up the world. The rain began to lash, then stopped, then fell again in torrents);

3) predicates don't have a single subject in common - it's a complex sentence

( The sun rose and everything melted. The autumn evening came, and it became gloomy and very sad ).

How do I determine the type of complex sentence?

We need to find out how parts of a complex sentence are combined into a complex one:

1) the parts of the sentence are equal in meaning and are connected by a compositional union - this is a compound sentence

(There was a flash of lightning, followed by a clap of thunder. It was getting dark, and the stars were beginning to light up in the sky);

2) one part of the sentence is subordinate to another and is connected with it by a subordinate conjunction or a union word - this is a complex sentence

(When the cloud fell, the sun came out. In the life of every person there are cases that are never forgotten);

3) the parts of the sentence are connected in meaning and do not connect with each other by a union - this is a non-union complex sentence.

(The birds of the sun are waiting, the birds are singing songs. There was no moon in the sky; it rose late at that time. The forest is cut down - splinters fly. The darkness of the night falls in the field; a cold wind has risen from the waves).

Permanent link to this publication: