Question

Identify the sentences as simple S, compound C, complex CX, or compound-complex CCX. Give an explanation for your choice by breaking down the sentence into its component independent clauses, subject/s, verb/s and dependent clauses. 1. They finished the work. 2. They finished the work before we did. 3. They went home, but we had to work for two more hours. 4. Because they had finished their work, they went home, but we had to stay longer. 5. He enjoys watching scary movies. 6. We can go to a restaurant for pizza, or we can make spaghetti at home instead. 7. Although she wrote an article for a magazine, it was not published immediately. 8. She wrote an article for a magazine, but it was not published immediately. 9. If i make the pizza, John will make the salad. 10. It was not published immediately.

Answer 1

Before identifying what type each sentence is, one must understand what a clause is. A clause is a group of words having a subject and a verb, it can be dependent (when it does not express a complete thought on its own) or independent (when it expresses a complete thought on its own).

Now, a simple sentence is one consisting of only one independent clause, a compound sentence is a sentence containing two or more independent clauses (that may be joined by a semicolon or coordinating conjunction), a complex sentence is a type of sentence made up of one independent clause, and one dependent clause (often introduced by a coordinating conjunction), and a compound-complex sentence is one comprised of at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

1. They finished the work: S

This sentence consists of only one independent clause (the clause “They finished the work” expresses a complete idea on its own). Subject: They, Verb: finished.

2. They finished the work before we did: CX

It is complex because it has an independent clause “They finished the work”, and the dependent clause “we did” introduced by the coordinating conjunction “before.”

3. They went home, but we had to work for two more hours: C

This sentence is compound because it has two independent clauses: “They went home,” and “we had to work for two more hours” joined by the conjunction “but.”

4. Because they had finished their work, they went home, but we had to stay longer: CCX

It is Compound-Complex: it contains two independent clauses: “They went home,” and “we had to work for two more hours” joined by the conjunction “but” and one dependent clause (“they had finished their work”) introduced by “because.”

5. He enjoys watching scary movies: S

It is simple: it consists of one independent clause: “He enjoys watching scary movies”

Subject: He

Verb: enjoys.

6. We can go to a restaurant for pizza, or we can make spaghetti at home instead: C

It is compound because it has two independent clauses: “We can go to a restaurant for pizza” and “we can make spaghetti at home instead.”

7. Although she wrote an article for a magazine, it was not published immediately: CX

It is complex because it has one dependent clause introduced by the coordinating conjunction “although,” which is “she wrote an article for a magazine” and one independent clause: “it was not published immediately.”

8. She wrote an article for a magazine, but it was not published immediately: CX

It is complex because it has an independent clause “She wrote an article for a magazine”, and one dependent clause introduced by the coordinating conjunction “but:” “it was not published immediately”

9. If I make the pizza, John will make the salad: CX

It is complex because it has one dependent clause introduced by the coordinating conjunction “If,” which is “I make the pizza” and one independent clause: “John will make the salad”

10. It was not published immediately: S

It is simple: it consists of one independent clause: “It was not published immediately”

Subject: It

Verb: was