Complex sentences are like compound sentences in that they both have at lease two clauses that you fuse into one sentence. Howev
er, one of the clauses in a complex sentence is "dependent". That means it cannot stand alone. For example: "Since I've been studying all day." This is not an independent clause because it doesn't contain a complete idea. It is "subordinated" to a dependent clause because it begins with a subordinating conjunction "since".
Other subordinating conjunctions: although, even though, because, as long as, as soon as, before, after, unless, until, in spite of, despite, when, whenever, once, as, if, while, even if, now that.
In my years of teaching, I find that the difficulty students have in forming complex sentences with subordinating conjunctions is that they don't follow one simple rule: If a complex sentence begins with a subordinating conjunction, then you must use a comma to separate the dependent from the independent clause, and vice versa.
For example: If you begin with the dependent clause"," you must use a comma./You must use a comma if you begin with a subordinating conjunction.
Today's recipe:
1. Create a complex sentence using a comma.
2. Use two of the following vocabulary words: coy, simpering, immutable, gamin, brook, onus
3. Bold or highlight the vocabulary words, and underline the dependent clause.
4. Topic: Banana splits
For example: When penurious sportsmen fish, they usually scotch any idea of purchasing a fishing license.
