Chapter 13
The Complex Sentence
Both of these are complex sentences. They have the same basic meaning, but there
OVERVIEW OF are important differences. You’ll learn why in this chapter.
THIS CHAPTER
CONJUNCTION + NOUN + VERB +,+ NOUN + VERB +.
● Building Complex
= Because I study, I learn.
Sentences 354
● Recognizing Complex NOUN + VERB + CONJUNCTION + NOUN + VERB +.
Sentences 370 = I learn because I study.
● Solving Problems in
Complex Sentences:
Fragments Beginning
with Subordinating Building Complex Sentences
Conjunctions 374
● Bringing It All In the previous chapter, you learned that coordinating conjunctions (and, but,
Together 381 or, and so, and less commonly for, nor, and yet) work like glue to join simple sen-
tences into compound sentences.
KEY TO SIMPLE SENTENCE 1 SENTENCE 2
BUILDING BLOCKS
SENTENCES Our team won. We celebrated.
FOUNDATION WORDS
NOUNS COMPOUND SENTENCE 1 SENTENCE 2
VERBS SENTENCE Our team won, so we celebrated.
DESCRIPTIVE WORDS COORDINATING CONJUNCTION PRECEDED BY COMMA
ADJECTIVES
ADVERBS
In this chapter, you will study subordinating conjunctions, another group of words that
work like glue to join simple sentences into what are known as complex sentences.
CONNECTING WORDS
PREPOSITIONS SENTENCE 1 SENTENCE 2
SIMPLE
CONJUNCTIONS
SENTENCES Our team won. We celebrated.
COMPLEX SENTENCE 1 SENTENCE 2
SENTENCE Since our team won, we celebrated.
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTION
From these examples, you can already see that coordinating and subordinating conjunc-
tions work in a very similar way. However, you should keep some differences in mind:
● There are more subordinating conjunctions than coordinating conjunctions.
● Subordinating conjunctions may be trickier to use than coordinating
conjunctions.
● Subordinating conjunctions have different rules for punctuation.
● If you do not correctly punctuate sentences with subordinating conjunc-
tions, you can create a sentence fragment.
354
, Building Complex Sentences 355
Subordinating conjunctions are like a glue gun. When you use a glue gun, you Subordinating
need to be especially careful because you have more power and more risk of making Conjunctions
a mistake. Likewise, when you use subordinating conjunctions instead of coordinat- after, although, as,
ing conjunctions, you also have more power and more risk of making a mistake. because, before, even,
even if, if, since,
though, unless, until,
when, while
UNDERSTANDING COORDINATING VERSUS
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
From Chapter 12, you may remember that we use coordinating conjunctions to
● combine similar ideas ● show a result
● contrast different ideas ● show alternatives
This chart reviews the relationships shown by coordinating conjunctions, and those
shown by subordinating conjunctions. Examples of these relationships follow.
Relationships Shown by Conjunctions
COMBINATION CONTRAST RESULT ALTERNATIVES/
POSSIBILITIES
Coordinating and but so or
conjunctions (nor) (yet) (for)
Subordinating after although because if
conjunctions as even though since even if
before unless
when until
while
In each of the following sentence pairs, both sentences express the same idea.
However, the first sentence uses a coordinating conjunction, and the second
uses a subordinating conjunction. In the second (complex) sentence, the subor-
dinating conjunction comes at the beginning of the sentence. The comma is in
the middle of both sentences. FOUNDATION WORDS
NOUNS
Combining two similar ideas VERBS
The clouds passed, and the moon appeared. DESCRIPTIVE WORDS
ADJECTIVES
After the clouds passed, the moon appeared.
ADVERBS
Contrasting two different ideas CONNECTING WORDS
PREPOSITIONS
Blanca always remembers, but Bert always forgets.
CONJUNCTIONS
Although Blanca always remembers, Bert always forgets.
Power Tip
Showing a result Avoid using both although/even
though and but in the same
Our team won, so we celebrated. sentence. You need just one of
Because our team won, we celebrated. these expressions per sentence.
Incorrect: Although I left the
Showing alternatives or possibilities house early, but I was still late
for work.
You must study, or you will fail.
Correct: Although I left the
Unless you study, you will fail. house early, I was late for work.
The Complex Sentence
Both of these are complex sentences. They have the same basic meaning, but there
OVERVIEW OF are important differences. You’ll learn why in this chapter.
THIS CHAPTER
CONJUNCTION + NOUN + VERB +,+ NOUN + VERB +.
● Building Complex
= Because I study, I learn.
Sentences 354
● Recognizing Complex NOUN + VERB + CONJUNCTION + NOUN + VERB +.
Sentences 370 = I learn because I study.
● Solving Problems in
Complex Sentences:
Fragments Beginning
with Subordinating Building Complex Sentences
Conjunctions 374
● Bringing It All In the previous chapter, you learned that coordinating conjunctions (and, but,
Together 381 or, and so, and less commonly for, nor, and yet) work like glue to join simple sen-
tences into compound sentences.
KEY TO SIMPLE SENTENCE 1 SENTENCE 2
BUILDING BLOCKS
SENTENCES Our team won. We celebrated.
FOUNDATION WORDS
NOUNS COMPOUND SENTENCE 1 SENTENCE 2
VERBS SENTENCE Our team won, so we celebrated.
DESCRIPTIVE WORDS COORDINATING CONJUNCTION PRECEDED BY COMMA
ADJECTIVES
ADVERBS
In this chapter, you will study subordinating conjunctions, another group of words that
work like glue to join simple sentences into what are known as complex sentences.
CONNECTING WORDS
PREPOSITIONS SENTENCE 1 SENTENCE 2
SIMPLE
CONJUNCTIONS
SENTENCES Our team won. We celebrated.
COMPLEX SENTENCE 1 SENTENCE 2
SENTENCE Since our team won, we celebrated.
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTION
From these examples, you can already see that coordinating and subordinating conjunc-
tions work in a very similar way. However, you should keep some differences in mind:
● There are more subordinating conjunctions than coordinating conjunctions.
● Subordinating conjunctions may be trickier to use than coordinating
conjunctions.
● Subordinating conjunctions have different rules for punctuation.
● If you do not correctly punctuate sentences with subordinating conjunc-
tions, you can create a sentence fragment.
354
, Building Complex Sentences 355
Subordinating conjunctions are like a glue gun. When you use a glue gun, you Subordinating
need to be especially careful because you have more power and more risk of making Conjunctions
a mistake. Likewise, when you use subordinating conjunctions instead of coordinat- after, although, as,
ing conjunctions, you also have more power and more risk of making a mistake. because, before, even,
even if, if, since,
though, unless, until,
when, while
UNDERSTANDING COORDINATING VERSUS
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
From Chapter 12, you may remember that we use coordinating conjunctions to
● combine similar ideas ● show a result
● contrast different ideas ● show alternatives
This chart reviews the relationships shown by coordinating conjunctions, and those
shown by subordinating conjunctions. Examples of these relationships follow.
Relationships Shown by Conjunctions
COMBINATION CONTRAST RESULT ALTERNATIVES/
POSSIBILITIES
Coordinating and but so or
conjunctions (nor) (yet) (for)
Subordinating after although because if
conjunctions as even though since even if
before unless
when until
while
In each of the following sentence pairs, both sentences express the same idea.
However, the first sentence uses a coordinating conjunction, and the second
uses a subordinating conjunction. In the second (complex) sentence, the subor-
dinating conjunction comes at the beginning of the sentence. The comma is in
the middle of both sentences. FOUNDATION WORDS
NOUNS
Combining two similar ideas VERBS
The clouds passed, and the moon appeared. DESCRIPTIVE WORDS
ADJECTIVES
After the clouds passed, the moon appeared.
ADVERBS
Contrasting two different ideas CONNECTING WORDS
PREPOSITIONS
Blanca always remembers, but Bert always forgets.
CONJUNCTIONS
Although Blanca always remembers, Bert always forgets.
Power Tip
Showing a result Avoid using both although/even
though and but in the same
Our team won, so we celebrated. sentence. You need just one of
Because our team won, we celebrated. these expressions per sentence.
Incorrect: Although I left the
Showing alternatives or possibilities house early, but I was still late
for work.
You must study, or you will fail.
Correct: Although I left the
Unless you study, you will fail. house early, I was late for work.
