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Before you learn the fourth type of sentence, the compound-complex sentence, let’s review the three other
types of sentences:
1. Simple Sentence: A sentence with only a subject and a predicate.
Examples: The dog barked. OR The big, mean dog barked ferociously at the cat in the tree.
2. Compound Sentence: A sentence with two independent clauses joined by a coordinate conjunction.
Example: The dog barked, and the cat ran away.
3. Complex Sentence: A sentence with an independent clause and a dependent clause.
Example: When the dog barked, the cat ran away.
Compound-Complex Sentences
A compound-complex sentence is exactly what its name states. It is a compound sentence. One or both
of the independent clauses will have a dependent clause. This makes the sentence complex as well.
Example:
Compound Sentence: The dog barked, and the cat ran away.
Add the dependent clause: “ When he saw the cat ”
The dog barked when he saw the cat, and the cat ran away.
Add the dependent clause: “ until she was safe. ”
The dog barked when he saw the cat, and the cat ran away until she was safe.
Directions: Turn the compound sentences below into compound-complex sentences by adding the
dependent clauses in parentheses.
Example: Dependent Clauses: ( Until I feel better ) ( Whenever I’m sick )
My mom makes chicken soup, and my dad reads to me.
Whenever I’m sick my mom makes chicken soup, and my dad reads to me until I feel better.
1. Dependent Clause: ( as soon as we arrived )
We went to the game, but it started to rain.
We went to the game, but it started to rain as soon as we arrived.

2. Dependent Clauses: ( while the parents made punch ) ( once the party started
) The music was loud, and everyone danced.
The music was loud while the parents made punch, and everyone danced once the party started.

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 3. Dependent Clauses: ( when the students took their seats ) ( which was in room
304 ) The class started, and the teacher began to teach.
The class started which was in room 304, and the teacher began to teach when the students took their seats.

4. Dependent Clause: ( if the weather is bad )

We’ll go camping, or we might stay in a
hotel.
We’ll go camping, or we might stay in a hotel if the weather is bad.

5. Dependent Clauses: ( because he had to go to a meeting ) ( when class started )

The students were ready, but the teacher was late.
The students were ready when class started, but the teacher was late because he had to go to a meeting.

6. Dependent Clauses: ( when his parents came home ) ( so we could have more
fun ) The party ended, and we went to Tom’s house.
The party ended when his parents came home, and we went to Tom’s house so we could have more fun.

7. Dependent Clause: ( until the people left the theater )

We bought our tickets, but we couldn’t go in.
We bought our tickets, but we couldn’t go in until the people left the theater.

8. Dependent Clause: ( that went over the center field fence )

He hit a homerun, and the Dodgers won the game.
He hit a homerun that went over the center field fence, and the Dodgers won the game.

9. Dependent Clauses: ( while I do my work ) ( when I get

home ) You can play in the park, or you can go swimming.
When I get home you can play in the park, or you can go swimming while I do my work.

10. Dependent Clauses: ( so she’d be ready to win ) ( when she arrived at the field )
The girl put on her cleats, and she warmed up for twenty minutes.

The girl put on her cleats when she arrived at the field, and she warmed up for twenty minutes so she’d be ready to win.

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Directions: Write a dependent clause that turns the compound sentence into a compound-complex
sentence. Use the subordinate conjunctions in the extension below for ideas.
1. While my mom baked the cake she whistled a song, and I hummed along.

2. We went to the store after my class ended , and my dad bought me

a bike because I got the highest rank in the class .

3. The cat will drink the milk if I pour it into the glass , or it will drink the
milk before the cat eat it food .
4. When the lamp goes yellow the cars will warm up their engines, and they will
race off the starting line after the lamp goes green .

5. The girls sat in the grass while she had her lunch , and they told stories
after the girls finish her lunch .

6. Whenever something came too close too it nest the snake came out of the hole, but it
wasn’t able to eat because the snake just ate a whole lamb before .

7. The band played a song since the concert began , and crowd went crazy .

8. Because there is some incident we had to call to say we’d be late, but no one
was home after we have arrived .

9. You can sing a solo if no ones can’t make a group with you , or you can sing with
the choir if anyone can make it with you .

10. Amy cleans the board after the teacher told her to do , and she
empties the trash after the class is finished .

Extension: Write three ( 3 ) compound sentences. Next, turn them into compound-complex
sentences by adding dependent clauses. Use the subordinate conjunctions below for
ideas.
after as because before if once since so unless when
whenever wherever whether while

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Directions: Write a dependent clause that turns the compound sentence into a compound-complex
sentence.

1. I go to the golf course since I decided to become a professional , and I help carry
the bags while my teacher teach me .

2. My cat jumps on my bed whenever I come to my room , and she licks

my ear whenever I lay on the bed .

3. We wanted our picture taken because this is the first time we came here , but we were out of film.

4. When their father comes home the kids come running out of the house,
and they scream like wild animals because their father bought them the toys that they always
dreamed for
.

5. Before Della had an accident she had her choice to take gymnastics lessons, or
she could play soccer.

6. The magician needed a volunteer after the show began , and I raised
my hand because I really wanted to see the magician closer .

7. We counted the pennies after the guys paid us , and they rolled
them after we gave the change .

8. Jim and Sarah were going to sit in the grass before they had their breakfast , but
it was too crowded.

9. We can’t go to the movies because the ticket was sold out , and we’ll have to
take my sister before she started to get exhausted
.

10. You can wash the cars after I finished wash mine , or you can dry
them off if you really in a hurry
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Directions: The sentences below are either simple, complex, compound or compound-complex sentences.
Read the sentence then circle the letter below that describes the sentence.
1. When the work is finished, we’re going to go out for pizza.
A. Simple Sentence B. Complex Sentence C. Compound Sentence D. Compound-complex Sentence

2. We were hungry, but dinner wasn’t ready yet.

A. Simple Sentence B. Complex Sentence C. Compound Sentence D. Compound-complex Sentence

3. The puppy jumps into my lap whenever he wants to play, and licks my face.
A. Simple Sentence B. Complex Sentence C. Compound Sentence D. Compound-complex Sentence

4. The birds were playing in our pool.

A. Simple Sentence B. Complex Sentence C. Compound Sentence D. Compound-complex Sentence

5. Ken mowed the lawn, and Jeff washed the car.

A. Simple Sentence B. Complex Sentence C. Compound Sentence D. Compound-complex Sentence

6. The beautiful dancer walked across the stage to accept the flowers from the director.
A. Simple Sentence B. Complex Sentence C. Compound Sentence D. Compound-complex Sentence
7. We have fun whenever my cousins come over, but they won’t visit us until they sell their house.
A. Simple Sentence B. Complex Sentence C. Compound Sentence D. Compound-complex Sentence
8. We had to stop swimming because it started to rain.
A. Simple Sentence B. Complex Sentence C. Compound Sentence D. Compound-complex Sentence
9. There is a big box of old baby clothes in the back of the closet.
A. Simple Sentence B. Complex Sentence C. Compound Sentence D. Compound-complex Sentence
10. The boys played while the girls painted, and everyone had a good time.
A. Simple Sentence B. Complex Sentence C. Compound Sentence D. Compound-complex Sentence

Extension: Write two ( 2 ) simple

sentences, two ( 2 )
complex sentences, two

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Do you notice anything funny

about this sentence?
Running
down the
Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the following sentences so that they
are not confusing.
1. Singing in the shower, I heard my dad. = I heard my dad, Singing in the shower.
2. My teacher is a tall, skinny man with a mustache weighing only one hundred and fifty
pounds. = My teacher is a tall, skinny man with mustache and weighing only one
hundred and fifty pounds.
3. Walking to school, the sky looked like it was going to rain. = while I walking to school,
the sky looked like it was going to rain.

4. When throwing a fit, Mom puts my baby sister in time-out. = Mom puts my baby sister in
time-out, when throwing a fit

5. The bird we saw suddenly flew away. = We saw the bird and suddenly flew away

6. Our dog has a pink tongue and a long tail who barks a lot. = our dogs who barks a lot
has a pink tongue and long tail.

7. Flying the kite, the trees got in the way. = The trees got in the way, when flying the kite

8. When he sucks his thumb, my dad knows it’s time to put my baby brother to bed. =
my dad knows its time to put my baby brother to bed when he sucks his tumbs.

9. The ice-cream she made quickly melted in the sun. = she made the ice cream quickly
melted in the sun

10. Riding my bike, the police car passed by me. = while riding my bike, the police car
passed by me.

11. When they need to be punished, the teachers make the students stay after school. = the
teachers make the students stay after school, When they need to be punished

12. Ordering the food, the waiter asked if I wanted fries.= the waiter asked if I wanted
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Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the following sentences so that they
are not confusing.
1. Climbing to the top of the mountain, the lights of the city shined brightly. = the lights of
the city shined brightly, while climbing to the top of the mountain

2. Walking the dog, the cat started a fight. = when the dog walking, the cat started the fight.

3. When hungry, a hamburger will be perfect for dinner. = a hamburger will be perfect for
dinner, When hungry.

4. The boat that hit the iceberg slowly sank into the sea. = The boat that hit the iceberg, and
slowly sank into the sea.

5. Copying down the homework, the teacher reminded them to study for their test. = the
teacher reminded them to study for their test, and Copying down the homework

6. The dancer was wearing a beautiful costume having practiced all week. = The dancer was
wearing a beautiful costume, and having practiced all week

7. The volcano exploded violently shooting lava into the air. = The volcano exploded
violently, and shooting lava into the air.

8. Eating popcorn, the moneys I watched were funny. = The moneys I watched were
funny, when eating popcorn

9. Paying for the tickets, the money fell off the counter. = the money fell off the counter,
while Paying for the tickets

10. The child the parent disciplined stubbornly stormed into his bedroom. = the parent
disciplined the child and stubbornly stormed into his room

11. He was a funny clown wearing a big nose telling silly jokes. = He was a funny clown
wearing a big nose and telling silly jokes.

12. Picking weeds, several worms crawled to the top of the soil. = several worms crawled to
the top of the soil, while Picking weeds

13. When angry, the doctor told me to punch a pillow. = the doctor told me to punch a
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pillow, When angry

14. Talking on the phone, my mom needed to ask a question. = = my mom needed to ask
a question, while Talking on the phone

15. The student dressed beautifully sang the song. = The student dressed beautifully, and
sang the song.

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I. Simple and Complete Subjects and Predicates

Use any literature book to find examples of the items below:
A. Copy any sentence that is ten ( 10 ) words or longer.
The soldier immediately cut off her head, and there she lay on the ground.
1. The simple subject of the sentence is soldier 2. The predicate is cut
3. Complete Subject: The soldier 4. Complete Predicate cut off her head

II. Phrases and Clauses

A. Find three phrases:
1. Well, it is quite hollow 2. you will then see three 3. You can then open the chest
inside, and you must climb to doors,
the top

B. Find three dependent clauses:

1. when you will see a hole
2. which can be easily opened
3. and take from it as many pence as you please

C. Find three subordinate conjunctions:

1. when
2. which 3. and

III. Types of Sentences

A. Find a compound sentence. Copy it below:
The soldier immediately cut off her head, and there she lay on the
ground

B. Find a complex sentence. Copy it below:

You can then open the chest and take from it as many pence as you please

C. Find an imperative. Copy it below:

Now tie the rope round my body.

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