Do you know what a complex sentence is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on complex sentences, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!
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Kevin
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December 10, 2021
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Common Questions
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What is a complex sentence?
According to Grammarly, a complex sentence is one of the four sentence types: simple sentences, complex sentences, compound sentences, and compound-complex sentences. Complex sentences contain a dependent clause, also known as subordinate clauses. These are clauses that cannot be a complete sentence on their own, and are considered a sentence fragment without an independent clause. Many complex sentences contain a comma, have an adjective clause or noun clause, or follow an if-then structure. These sentence structures form a complete thought, as opposed to a simple sentence that simply gives a short answer. These types of sentences utilize a coordinating conjunction or subordinate conjunction with punctuation like a semicolon, comma, or colon. The numerous types of sentence structure may seem confusing, but they will make sense in no time! Take a look at the below complex sentences from literature:
- As Grainier drove along in the wagon behind a wide, slow, sand-colored mare, clusters of orange butterflies exploded off the blackish purple piles of bear sign and winked and fluttered magically like leaves without trees. – Train Dreams, Denis Johnson
- Because he was so small, Stuart was often hard to find around the house. – Stuart Little, E.B. White
- The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood up in a corner and kept quiet all night, although of course they could not sleep. – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum
- Because he was so small, Stuart was often hard to find around the house – E.B White, Stuart Little
- I’ve never any pity for conceited people, because I think they carry their comfort about with them. – George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss
- Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aurelian Buendia was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice. – One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
- If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. – Walden, Henry David Thoreau
What are examples of complex sentences?
Complex sentences can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or grammatical technique is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using a complex sentence today! Below are a couple of examples of complex sentences that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use. Take a look at these common complex sentence examples from Your Dictionary!
- Â Now that he’s rich and famous, people make allowances for his idiosyncrasies.
- Â When she was younger, she believed in fairy tales.
- Â Although my friends begged me, I chose not to go to the reunion.
- Â Even though he’s thoroughly trained, he still makes a lot of mistakes.
- Â After the tornado hit, there was very little left standing.
- Â Because my coffee was too cold, I heated it in the microwave.
- Â Whenever prices goes up, customers buy less products.
- Â The museum was very interesting, as I expected.
- Â You should take your car in for a service because it’s starting to make weird noises.
- Â The actor was happy he got a part in a movie even though the part was small.
- Â Evergreen trees are a symbol of fertility because they do not die in the winter.
-  Let’s go back to Chez Nous because it’s where we had our first date.
- Â Since winter is coming, I think I’ll knit a warm sweater, because I’m always cold.
- Â I have to save this coupon in case I come back to the store tomorrow.
- Â Because I had to catch the train, and as we were short on time, I forgot to pack my toothbrush for our vacation.
- Â When he got a creampie smashed in his face, everyone laughed.
- Â She returned the computer after she noticed it was damaged.
- Â As genes change over time, evolution progresses.
- Â Wherever you go, you can always find beauty.
- Â After being apart for years, he still had feelings for her.
-  I really didn’t like the movie even though the acting was good.
- Â As she was bright and ambitious, she became a manager in no time.
- Â Although he was wealthy, he was still unhappy.
- Â Although it was very long, the movie was still enjoyable.
- Â As the bell rings, dozens of students are still working on their exams.
What are other grammatical terms?
There are many different grammar terms and devices that you might need to know when you are reading prose or poetry. It is important to recognize these terms because they are always used for some purpose. Knowing these terms can help readers understand basics of English grammar as well as the author’s deeper meaning and why they are using grammar in such a way. Take a look at the below list of grammatical devices from OED and see how many you know! Then try researching ones that are unfamiliar to you.Â
- main verb
- passive infinitive
- mass noun
- simple
- gender
- imperative (imper.)
- ellipsis | elliptical
- masculine
- proper noun | proper name
- causative
- determiner
- main clause
- tense
- active
- indirect passive
- nominal relative | nominal relative clause
- parasynthetic
- plural
- possessive
- concrete
- present participle
- nominative
- double object
- indirect speech
- common noun
- definite article
- positive
- indirect question
- conditional
- similative
- interjection
- phrasal verb
- prepositional passive
- special use
- part of speech
- auxiliary verb | auxiliary
- head
- apodosis and protasis
- prepositional phrase
- premodify | premodifier
- protasis
- infinitive
- count noun
- base form
- periphrasis | periphrastic
- adverbial | adverbially
- finite
- filler
- prepositional object
- progressive
- complement
- direct object
- dative
- neuter
- that-clause
- compound | compounding
- pleonasm | pleonastic
- sentence adverb |sentence adverbial
- number
- pro-form
- complex sentence
- cataphoric
- subject
- intransitive
- passive
- subjective
- impersonal (impers.)
- locative
- anticipatory
- quasi-
- predicative
- adverb (adv.)
- participial adjective
- relative
- modify | modifier
- personal pronoun
- attributive
- instrumental
- postmodify | postmodifier
- feminine
- combining form (comb. form)
- preposition (prep.)
- singular
- gerund
- article
- stem
- copular verb | copula
- demonstrative
- superlative
- transitive
- non-finite
- intensifier
- direct question
- anaphoric
- zero
- second person
- verbal noun
- dual
- modal verb | modal auxiliary verb | modal auxiliary
- declarative
- comparative
- to-infinitive
- bare infinitive
- antecedent
- first person
- non-referential
- subordinate clause
- possessive pronoun
- past tense
- phrase (phr.)
- parenthetical | parenthetically
- present tense
- person
- object | direct object | indirect object
- subjunctive
- participle | past participle | present participle
- adjective
- combination
- construction
- pronoun (pron.)
- noun phrase
- past participle
- indirect object
- accusative
- reflexive
- apposition
- objective
- direct speech
- third-person
- case
- optative
- element
- vocative
- agent noun
- complementary
- interrogative
- conjunction (conj.)
- absolute (absol.)
- cognate object
- appositive
- genitive
- unmarked genitive
- clause
- collective noun
- perfect
- complex sentence
- agree | agreement
- possessive adjective
- inflection | inflected | inflectional
- mood
- verb (v.)
- indicative
- indefinite
- collocation | collocate
- abstract
- morpheme
- construed (const., constr.)
- prefix
- noun (n.)
Overall, a complex sentence utilizes common subordinating conjunctions to form a complex relationship between the first clause and second clause. Try writing complex sentences today!
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