Compound Sentences
Essential Question
When writing sentences, why do complete ideas sometimes work best when they’re working together as partners or teams?
Grammar in the World
Ideas, Assemble!
What Do I Know?
What do you already know about combining two sentences together? Use this interactive to find out.
Building Blocks
Grammar is a complex system and structure of language. Mizzou Academy Grammar Lab spotlights one skill (or block) at a time, but it’s often helpful to see how a skill works together with other, related blocks to build the language structure as a whole. You may find the following resource topics helpful as context for this lesson:
- Coordinating conjunctions
- Semicolons
- Colons
- Subject, Object, and Possessive Pronouns
- Independent Clauses
Learn About Compound Sentences
A compound sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses -- a complete idea with a subject and a verb that can stand on its own as a sentence. In a compound sentence, complete ideas work as partners or teams, meaning that they are of equal weight and importance. One is not dependent upon the other to make sense, but there is a relationship between the ideas that makes them stronger or richer or more meaningful when they work together.
For example, consider the two following simple sentences:
Writing a story sounds easy.
I’m struggling to think of a story worth telling.
Now look what happens when those two separate ideas work together in one compound sentence:
Writing a story sounds easy, but I’m struggling to think of a story worth telling.
Putting these ideas together into a single compound sentence creates a richer and more complete description of the full experience, and that’s what compound sentences can do for your writing. When multiple ideas go together in a meaningful way -- to show a contrast or connection, a cause or an effect, or a qualification, for example -- compound sentences establish and communicate how related ideas connect with one another.
There are three ways to connect independent clauses in to create a compound sentence:
Important note: the presence of a FANBOYS word does not always mean a sentence is complex.
For example, "We aren't there yet." is a simple sentence because yet doesn't connect two clauses.
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Semicolon (;) |
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When there is a close, logical connection between two independent clauses that is clear without a connecting word, use a semicolon by itself. |
I am going to the animal shelter today; I intend to bring a dog home. Mom has a kind heart; she’ll forgive me. I know she really wants a dog; she just won’t admit it. |
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When you need to establish how one independent clause relates to the other, use a semicolon, a conjunctive adverb, and comma to connect them. |
Mom resented having to quit her childhood baseball team; however, she truly loved her dog, too. Caring for her dog wasn’t all sacrifice; in fact, playing fetch with Ginger every day strengthened her pitching arm. I want my mom to have that joy in her life again without the extra work; therefore, I will care for our new dog all by myself. |
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Colon (:) |
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When one independent clause introduces a concept and the second independent clause illustrates, summarizes, or defines that concept, use a colon to connect them. |
I must be responsible: I will walk, feed, and groom the dog. Mom will not just change her mind about a dog: She will change her heart. Then, I will have only one thing to say to Mom: I told you so. |
Caution: When you combine independent clauses to create a compound sentence, use punctuation carefully and correctly to identify where each complete idea begins and ends. A compound sentence without correct punctuation between the independent clauses is called a run-on sentence.
Mom had a dog as a young girl and she had to quit the baseball team to care for it.
Mom had a dog as a young girl, and she had to quit the baseball team to care for it.
Caring for her dog wasn’t all sacrifice, in fact, playing fetch with Ginger every day strengthened her pitching arm.
Caring for her dog wasn’t all sacrifice; in fact, playing fetch with Ginger every day strengthened her pitching arm.
Mom will not just change her mind about a dog she will change her heart.
Mom will not just change her mind about a dog: She will change her heart.
Do I Get It?
Use the interactive below to test your knowledge of compound sentences.
Read all of the sentences below and click on the ones that are compound sentences: