Simple - Complex - Compound Sentences

 

SIMPLE/COMPLEX/COMPOUND SENTENCES

 

• When in a sentence that has one independent clause it is called simple sentence in other words A simple sentence has only one clause.

• When in a sentence that has one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses it is called a complex sentence.

• When in a sentence that has more than one main clause it is called the compound sentence in other words A compound sentence has two or more clauses of the equal rank.

 

FORMULAE TO TRANSFER SIMPLE-COMPLEX-COMPOUND:

Rule 1:

If the simple sentence starts with the word “in spite of (or) Despite of”, the compound sentences will be joined with “But, Still, yet” and the complex will begin the sentence with “Although, Though, Even though”

 

Examples:

SIMPLE: In spite of + verb + ing /despite + noun

Example: in spite of / despite her poverty, Anita stood first in examination.

 

COMPLEX: Though/Although/Even though

Example: Though/although/even though Anita is poor, she stood first in examination.

 

COMPOUND: But/yet/still

Example: Anita is in poverty but/yet/still she stood first in examination.

 

Rule 2:

If the simple sentence starts with the phrase “in the event of”, the compound sentence will be joined by “then only” and the complex sentence will begin with “If”.

Examples:

SIMPLE: In the event of

Example: In the event of studying hard, you will score high marks.

 

COMPLEX: If……will/can

Example: If you study hard you will/can score high marks.

 

COMPOUND: then only

Example: Study hard then only you can score high marks.

 

Rule 3:

If the simple sentence begins with either one of these phrases “Being/As a result of/Because of/On account of/Owing to/Due to”, the compound sentence will be joined by “so/and so/because” and the complex sentence will begin with “as/since”.

 

Examples:

SIMPLE: Being/As a result of/Because of/On account of/Owing to/Due to

Example: Being/As a result of/Because of/On account of/Owing to/Due to his old age, he cannot run.

 

COMPLEX: As/since/…. because….

Example: As/since he is old, he cannot run

 

COMPOUND: So/And so/because

Example: He is old so/and so he cannot run. {or}He cannot run because he is old.

 

Rule 4:

If the simple sentence starts with “Without/In case of not….”, the compound sentence will be joined by “…must/should…. or/or else/otherwise” and the complex sentence will begin with the word “unless”

 

Examples:

SIMPLE: Without/In case of not….

Example: Without/In case of not running fast, you cannot win the race.

 

COMPLEX: Unless

Example: Unless you run fast you can’t win the race.

 

COMPOUND: …must/should…. or/or else/otherwise

Example: You must/should run fast or/or else/otherwise you can’t win the race.

 

Rule 5:

If you find the words “…. too…to” in a simple sentence, Replace the word “Too” with the word “very” in a compound sentence and add “….and so…can/cannot” in the middle. In complex sentence replace the word “too/very” with the word “so” and add “that…. can/cannot” in the middle.

 

Examples:

SIMPLE: …. too…to

Example: He is too weak to run fast.

 

COMPLEX: ….so…that…. can/cannot

Example: He is so weak that he cannot run fast.

 

COMPOUND: …. very….and so…can/cannot

Example: He is very weak and so he cannot run fast.

 

Rule 6:

SIMPLE: On verb + ing

Example: On seeing the mother, the child stopped crying.

 

COMPLEX: When/As soon as/No sooner did…than

Example: when/as soon as/no sooner did the child saw the mother, it stopped crying.

 

COMPOUND: …and at once/and/immediately

Example: The child saw the mother and at once/and/immediately it stopped crying.

 

Rule 7:

SIMPLE: Having + past participle

Example: Having finished his work, Ramesh went to Cinema.

 

COMPLEX: After…had + v3

Example: After Ramesh had finished his work, he went to cinema.

 

COMPOUND: ….and then….

Example: Ramesh finished his work and then went to cinema.

 

Rule 8:

SIMPLE: Besides + verb + ing/Besides + being

Example: Besides knowing Tamil, he knows English.

 

COMPLEX: 8. …not only…but also

Example: He knows not only Tamil, but also English.

 

COMPOUND: …and /as well as

Example: He knows Tamil and/as well as he knows English.