Simple Sentences:
* The cat sat on the mat.
* The dog barked loudly.
* The sun shines brightly.
Compound Sentences:
* The cat sat on the mat, and the dog barked loudly. (Joined by "and" - both clauses are equally important)
* The sun shines brightly, but it's still cold outside. (Joined by "but" - clauses express a contrast)
* The children played in the park, for it was a beautiful day. (Joined by "for" - second clause explains the reason for the first)
* He went to the store, so he could buy some milk. (Joined by "so" - second clause shows the consequence of the first)
* She either loves to dance or she loves to sing. (Joined by "or" - clauses present alternative options)
Examples with Different Conjunctions:
* The rain stopped, yet the ground was still wet. (Conjunction "yet" expresses a contrast)
* The movie was long, nor was it very interesting. (Conjunction "nor" adds a negative element to the first clause)
* The flowers bloomed, and the bees buzzed around them. (Conjunction "and" joins two related ideas)
Important Notes:
* Independent Clauses: A compound sentence always contains two or more independent clauses. An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a complete sentence.
* Coordinating Conjunctions: Compound sentences are joined by coordinating conjunctions like "and," "but," "or," "so," "for," "yet," and "nor."
* Punctuation: A comma is typically used before the coordinating conjunction, unless the clauses are very short.
Practice:
Try combining the simple sentences below to create compound sentences using different coordinating conjunctions:
1. The bird sang sweetly. The cat sat on the windowsill.
2. The car was old. It ran smoothly.
3. The students studied hard. They did well on the test.