4. 4. Sentences Classified by Structure

4. Sentences Classified by Structure

The Four Structures of Sentences Sentences can be classified by the number and kind of clauses
they contain.

Examples of compound clauses

 *I‘m happy, but my kids are always complaining.

  *Robert doesn’t eat meat, so Barbara made a special vegetarian dish for him.

 *My brother and I went to the mall last night, but we didn’t buy anything.

* This new laptop computer has already crashed twice, and I have no idea why.

Complex Sentence

  • I’m happy, even though I don’t make much money.
  • Robert, a friend I’ve known since high school, doesn’t eat meat.
  • My brother and I went to the mall last night, while my sister stayed home and studied.
  • This new laptop computer, which I bought yesterday, has already crashed twice.

Compound-Complex Sentence

  • I’m happy, even though I don’t make much money, but my kids are always complaining since we can’t afford to buy the newest toys.