Types of Sentences

Intermediate · Foundations

If every sentence you write is short, your English sounds robotic: "I woke up. I ate. I left." Combining ideas makes you sound natural and fluent.

There are four sentence types based on how many ideas (clauses) they contain. A "clause" is just a group of words with its own subject and verb.

How to build it

Simple = 1 idea · Compound = 2 equal ideas · Complex = 1 main + 1 supporting idea

Simple sentence: one complete idea.
One subject-verb pair. It can still be long, but it has only one main idea.
- I went home.
- The sun is shining brightly.
Compound sentence: two complete ideas joined by and, but, or, so (FANBOYS).
Both parts could be sentences on their own. Use a comma before the joining word.
- I was tired, so I went to bed.
- She called, but nobody answered.
Complex sentence: one main idea + one supporting idea that cannot stand alone.
The supporting idea starts with words like because, although, when, if. It depends on the main idea.
- I stayed home because it was raining.
- When she arrives, we will start.
Compound-complex: two main ideas + at least one supporting idea.
A mix of the two above — for richer, more advanced writing.
- When the rain stopped, we went out, and we had a picnic.

Vary your sentence length. A short sentence after two long ones adds punch.
FANBOYS = For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So — the seven words that join two equal ideas.

✗ I like tea, I don't like coffee. → ✓ I like tea, but I don't like coffee. — Two complete ideas cannot be joined by only a comma (this error is called a comma splice). Add a conjunction like "but".