Sentence Definition

A sentence is a group of words beginning with a capital letter and ending with a full-stop, exclamation or question mark in written language, containing a main verb.

 

Simple Sentences

A simple sentence contains a subject and a main verb; it contains one independent clause.

• I like coffee

This is a simple sentence with one subject and one verb forming an independent clause. Naturally, a simple sentence can include other things:

• I like a couple of cups of coffee first thing in the morning.

 

Compound Sentences 

A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses, often joined by a co-ordinator.

• I like coffee, but my partner prefers tea.

 

Complex Sentences

A complex sentence contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

• Because I have trouble waking up, I have coffee first thing in the morning. (The dependent clause is in bold and the independent clause is italicized)

The dependent clause cannot exist on its own; it requires the independent clause to make sense.

 

Compound-Complex Sentences

A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

• Some people say that the best coffee comes from Brazil, but others say that the best coffee comes from the Blue Mountains in Jamaica.