A compound sentence consists of two independent clauses, each of which could be a complete sentence in itself. Compound sentences can be constructed using either coordinating conjunctions or conjunctive adverbs.
Compound Sentences with Coordinating Conjunctions
The table below lists all the coordinating conjunctions in English. The handy mnemonic, FANBOYS, will help you to remember and distinguish coordinating conjunctions in English.
| List of Coordinate Conjunctions | |
|---|---|
| for | reason or cause |
| and | addition |
| nor | negative option |
| but | contrast |
| or | choice or option |
| yet | contrast or surprising result |
| so | result |
Carefully review the sample sentences below. Notice that each clause is independent and can, therefore, stand on its own.
Also notice that a comma (,) precedes each coordinate conjunction.
Examples of Compound Sentences Using Coordinate Conjunctions
The government really must invest in infrastructure spending, for many of the city’s roads are in dangerous disrepair.
Several of our trucks now operate on electricity, and we are hoping to power our ships with hydrogen fuel by 2024.
He never attends meetings, nor does he participate in team projects.
Our manager considered operating the factory using geothermal technology, but the implementation costs were too high.
Coordinated Sentences: Punctuation
Place a comma before the coordinate conjunction if the information in each clause is a complete thought (an independent clause). However, an ellipsed sentence does not require a comma. Ellipsed sentence is the term used to describe two independent clauses that are combined and shortened.
Examples of Ellipsed Compound Sentences
Mary wrote the report, and John proofread it. (Use a comma because each clause is independent.)
Mary wrote and proofread the report. (Omit the comma because “and proofread the report” is not an independent clause. Note that Mary is the subject of both “wrote and proofread”.)
Coordinated Sentences: Comments on “for” and “nor”
Both sentences below are rather formal. They are grammatically correct. They could, nonetheless, be recrafted to produce a more conversational tone.
Examples of Recrafted Formal Sentences
Original Sentence: The government really must invest in infrastructure spending, for many of the city’s roads are in dangerous disrepair.
Recrafted: The government really must invest in infrastructure spending because (or since) many of the city’s roads are in dangerous disrepair.
Original Sentence: He never attends meetings, nor does he participate in team projects.
Recrafted: He never attends meetings and doesn’t participate in team projects.
Compound Sentences with Conjunctive Adverbs
Compound sentences can be created by using conjunctive adverbs. Review the table below to ensure that you understand what each word(s) mean.
| Addition | Alternative | Contrast | Time | Example or Emphasis | Result or Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| additionally | instead | however | eventually | for example | consequently |
| also | otherwise | nonetheless | finally | for instance | therefore |
| besides | alternately | nevertheless | later | of course | thus |
| furthermore | meanwhile | in fact | hence | ||
| moreover | subsequently | undoubtedly | |||
| in addition | indeed |
Compound Sentences with Conjunctive Adverbs: Punctuation
Sentences constructed using conjunctive adverbs may be punctuated two ways.
- Join the two independent clauses. Use a semicolon in front of the conjunctive adverb and a comma after.
- Keep the two independent clauses as separate sentences. Use a full stop after the first sentence, capitalize the conjunctive adverb in the second sentence, and use a comma after.
Carefully review the sentences below.
Note the two different punctuation options.
Also, carefully note the meaning implicit in the conjunctive adverb used.
Examples of Sentences with Conjunctive Adverbs
Many of the city’s roads are in dangerous disrepair; therefore, the government really must invest in infrastructure spending.
Many of the city’s roads are in dangerous disrepair. Therefore, the government really must invest in infrastructure spending.
Several of our trucks now operate on electricity; in addition, we are hoping to power our ships with hydrogen fuel by 2024.
Several of our trucks now operate on electricity. In addition, we are hoping to power our ships with hydrogen fuel by 2024.
He never attends meetings; moreover, he never participates in team projects.
He never attends meetings. Moreover, he never participates in team projects.
Our manager considered operating the factory using geothermal technology; however, the implementation costs were too high.
Our manager considered operating the factory using geothermal technology. However, the implementation costs were too high.
We can purchase the computers before December; alternately, we can purchase an updated version in January.
We can purchase the computers before December. Alternately, we can purchase an updated version in January.
We have had several meetings about our office renovation plans; nevertheless, we never seem to agree on the execution plans.
We have had several meetings about our office renovation plans. Nevertheless, we never seem to agree on the execution plans.
Several companies are concerned about reducing their environmental footprints; consequently, they are exploring new ways to heat their office buildings.
Several companies are concerned about reducing their environmental footprints. Consequently, they are exploring new ways to heat their office buildings.
Practice Activities on Basic Sentence Structure
Exercises
Part 1: Prepositional Phrases
Locate the prepositional phrases in each sentence by enclosing it with parentheses.
- She submitted the feasibility report on time.
- Her report about women in the trades sector in Canada revealed several reasons women refrain from participating in trades apprenticeships.
- On Monday, we met with several sales managers from our subsidiary in Montreal.
Part 2: Clauses
Underline the independent clause(s) in each sentence.
- Once our demographic scan is completed, we will have a better idea of consumer preference.
- We conducted a demographic scan so that we could capture consumer preference.
- Our data is incomplete, so we need to conduct another focus group study.
- Because our date is incomplete, we need to conduct another focus group study.
- Cyber security has become a pressing concern; therefore, this year’s budget allocates significant funds to help curb cyber security breaches.
- We have allocated significant funds to increase cyber security because we want to maintain our product users’ confidence.
- Since we are concerned about sustainable and ethical production, we have requested detailed reports on our suppliers’ practices.
- Sustainable and ethical production is one of our top priorities; consequently, we have requested detailed reports on our suppliers’ practices.
- Klara Smith and Manpreet Singh, who have opted for the four-day work week trial, will begin their new schedules in February.
- Lillian Mak’s report, which included thought-provoking recommendations on the four-day work week, was presented at last week’s meeting.
Part 3: Sentence Combining
The sentences below provide information on the BlackBerry cell phone. Combine the choppy sentences by using appropriate subordinate or coordinate conjunctions.
(Content for this activity was retrieved from The Canadian Encyclopedia)
- In 2003, Canada-based Research in Motion (RIM), launched the BlackBerry smartphone.
- Its physical keyboard resembled the small drupelets of the blackberry fruit. It was named BlackBerry.
- BlackBerry attracted users. The users wanted email as well as a phone on a mobile device.
- Companies and governments preferred BlackBerry’s secure network. About 80 percent of the world’s G20 governments used BlackBerry smartphones in 2007.
- In 2009, RIM subscribers reached over 50m. The company expanded, creating thousands of new jobs.
- In 2011, the number of iPhone users exceeded the number of BlackBerry users in the US market. Shares fell and the company cut 2,000 jobs.
- In 2012 RIM was struggling with market shares dropping to $16. The founders, Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, resigned as co-CEOs.
- They were replaced by CEO Thorsten Heins. Two months later he released quarterly earnings showing a loss.
- BlackBerry was one of the first smartphones. It failed to keep up with how the smartphone market was changing.
Part 4: Additional on-line practice
(The following content is provided by HyperGrammar2 Sentence Structure https://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/en/hypergrammar-2/index-eng)
Complete the self-graded quizzes if you require more practice.
- Building Clauses
- Recognizing Clauses
- Review: Identifying Clauses
- Using Clauses as Nouns, Adjectives, and Adverbs
- Review: Noun, Adjective and Adverb Clauses
- Building Phrases
- The Function of Phrases
- Review: Phrase Functions
- Building Sentences
- Why Sentence Structure Matters
- The Structure of a Sentence
- Review: Sentence Structure
- The Order of a Sentence
- The Purpose of a Sentence
- Review: Sentence Usage
Additional Resources
Listed below are links for more information on English sentence structure.
Transcript
To Access the Video Transcript:
1. Click on “YouTube” on the bottom-right of the video. This will take you directly to the YouTube video.
2. Click on the More Actions icon (represented by three horizontal dots)
3. Click on “Open Transcript”
Transcript
To Access the Video Transcript:
1. Click on “YouTube” on the bottom-right of the video. This will take you directly to the YouTube video.
2. Click on the More Actions icon (represented by three horizontal dots)
3. Click on “Open Transcript”
References
- Learn Easy English. (2020). Types of sentence structures: Simple, compound, complex & compound-complex [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/Z0bZ8wNfuYA
- Leung, I. (2022). BlackBerry Limited. In The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/blackberry-limited
- Oxford Online English. (2018). English sentence structure – English grammar lesson [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/jul2urONzOQ