compound sentence

What Are Compound Sentences (with Examples)

A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses. An independent clause (unlike a dependent clause) can stand alone as a sentence. In a compound sentence, the two clauses are joined using: a conjunction with a comma (e.g., ", and") (Read more about when to use commas before conjunctions.) a semicolon (Read more about using semicolons.) a colon (This is rare because the words after a colon are not often an independent clause.) (Read more about using colons.) a dash (Read more about using dashes instead of semicolons and colons.) a conjunction with a semicolon (e.g., "; and") (This is rare because it's an outdated style.) (Read more about when to use a comma before conjunctions.) Examples of Compound Sentences Below are examples of compound sentences. In each example, the independent clauses are shaded. Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. (Albert Einstein, 1879-1955) There used to be a real me, but I had it surgically removed. (Peter Sellers, 1925-1980) Go, and never darken my towels again. (Groucho Marx, 1890-1977) (Note: Go is the shortest sentence in English.) Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - and most fools do. (Dale Carnegie) The Four Types of Sentence Structure A compound sentence is one of four main sentence structures, all of which are shown below. In these examples, the independent clauses are shaded. A Complex Sentence. A complex sentence has an independent clause and at least one dependent clause. For example: Diplomacy is the art of saying "nice doggie" until you can find a rock. (Will Rogers, 1879-1935) A Compound Sentence. A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses. For example: Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. (Joseph Heller, 1923-1999) (Jane Wagner) (This example has three independent clauses.) A Simple Sentence. A simple sentence has just one independent clause. For example: A country can be judged by the quality of its proverbs. (German Proverb) A Compound-Complex Sentence.  A compound-complex sentence has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. For example: I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph. (Shirley Temple)