Compound Sentence

Compound Sentence 

Examples :

A compound sentence has two independent clauses or sentences. The independent clauses can be joined by a coordinating conjunction (such as "and," "for" and "but") or a semicolon.

Compound Sentences with Coordinating Conjunctions

·         She did not cheat on the test, for it was not the right thing to do.
·         I think I will buy the red car, or I will lease the blue one.
·         I really want to go to work, but I am too sick to drive.
·         I am counting my calories, yet I really want dessert.
·         He ran out of money, so he had to stop playing poker.
·         They got there early, and they got really good seats.
·         There was no ice cream in the freezer, nor did they have money to go to the store.
·         Everyone was busy, so I went to the movie alone.
·         I would have gotten the promotion, but my attendance wasn’t good enough.
·         Should we start class now, or should we wait for everyone to get here?
·         It was getting dark, and we weren’t there yet.
·         Cats are good pets, for they are clean and are not noisy.
·         We have never been to Asia, nor have we visited Africa.
·         He didn’t want to go to the dentist, yet he went anyway.

Compound Sentences with a Semicolon

·         Joe made the sugar cookies; Susan decorated them.
·         The sky is clear; the stars are twinkling.
·         The waves were crashing on the shore; it was a lovely sight.
·         There were white out conditions in the town; subsequently, the roads were impassable.
·         Check back tomorrow; I will see if the book has arrived.
·         He said he was not there yesterday; however, many people saw him there.
·         I am happy to take your donation; any amount will be greatly appreciated.
·         She only paints with bold colors; she does not like pastels.
·         She works two jobs to make ends meet; at least, that was her reason for not having time to join us.
·         Malls are great places to shop; I can find everything I need under one roof.
·         Italy is my favorite country; in fact, I plan to spend two weeks there next year.
·         He turned in the research paper on Friday; otherwise, he would have not passed the class.

Compound Sentences in Quotes

Here are examples of compound sentences used by well-known people:

·         "Always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't go to yours." - Yogi Berra
·         "Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one." - Lyndon B. Johnson
·         "The drought had lasted now for ten million years, and the reign of the terrible lizards had long since ended." - Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey
·         "Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them." - Ronald Reagan
·         "I have often wanted to drown my troubles, but I can't get my wife to go swimming." - Jimmy Carter

Now you have seen lots of different examples of compound sentences. 

Compound Sentence 

We can join independent clauses (IC) to create compound sentences by using a semicolon (;).   And like the comma-FANBOYS pattern, when we construct a compound sentence using the semicolon, we ask our readers to understand that the two ideas logically relate to each other. The pattern for compound sentences using a semicolon is easy to remember:IC ; IC.We must, however, make sure that there is an independent clause on both sides of the semicolon every time we use one. A common mistake is to place a fragment to the right of the semicolon.

Examples:

·         Small farmers, represented by the Scarecrow, were oppressed by Eastern bankers; the industrial workers, represented by the Tin Man, were also oppressed.
·         Baum's book is a political allegory; few people today would recognize the original events in this story.
·         The Wizard of Oz is a story of economic reform; Oz is short for ounce, signifying the gold standard.
·         The real Oz, the man behind the curtain, was neither great nor powerful; the story portrays an ineffective president as a bumbling wizard.

Unlike the comma-FANBOYS pattern, however, the use of a simple semicolon does not specify the relationship. As a result, we must be sure to give the reader sufficient clues to understand the relationship(s) we intend. Another option is a variation on the simple semicolon pattern, using a conjunctive adverb to indicate the relationship between the two independent clauses along with the semicolon, which joins the clauses: 

IC ; ca, IC.

Three methods of forming compound sentences 

Method 1: Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (IC, cc IC) Avoiding run-ons:

Method 2: Use a semicolon (IC; IC)

Method 3: Use a semicolon with a transitional expression (IC; transition, IC) Avoiding run-ons:

Considering that there are only five types of relationships which we can signify by use of the FANBOYS, this pattern gives us a great deal of flexibility and choice when constructing compound sentences.In addition to signifying a specific relationship between ideas, the compound structure also tells the reader that these clauses are valued equally--that one idea is no more important than the other. This is as true of the compound sentence constructed with a semicolon as with a comma and FANBOYS. If I choose to indicate contrast between my ideas by using the conjunctive adverb "however," wanting my reader to see the difference(s) between my ideas, I am also indicating to my reader that each independent clause should be equally valued. Note that the signified relationship is the same whether we choose to use "but" or "however," that in both cases the compound pattern indicates equality of value, but that the use of the semicolon and conjunctive adverb creates a more dramatic voice. Both patterns are grammatically correct; the choice is one of style.

Compound Sentence with Transitional Word 

When a transitional word joins two independent clauses, the usual pattern is a semicolon before the transitional word and a comma after it. (The common transitional words of this type are accordingly, consequently, furthermore, however, moreover, nevertheless, therefore.) The pattern looks like this:

Note: If the transitional word is separating independent clauses — each of which has its own subject and verb, and each of which could stand alone as a sentence — you may correctly use either a semicolon or a period to separate the independent clauses. Do not use the semicolon if the transitional word is not separating independent clauses.

Compound sentences

A compound sentence is a sentence formed from two or more simple sentences, or independent clauses (IC):

·         Megan cut the wood, and Ryan stacked it.

Note that the two clauses forming the compound sentence must be related in meaning. Because of the logical connection between the two clauses in the example above, they fit together easily in one sentence. There are three ways of joining independent clauses into a compound sentence:

·         with a coordinating conjunction (one of the fanboys);
·         with a semicolon; or
·         with a semicolon and a transitional expression.

You can use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (cc) to join two or more independent clauses into a compound sentence. (A coordinating conjunction is one of the fanboys : for, and, nor, but, or , yet and so) The resulting sentence has the structure IC, cc IC:

·         For: The two stopped to eat, for the work had made them hungry.
·         And: The afternoon had been long, and hours had gone by since lunch.
·         Nor: There was no house nearby, nor did they have any food with them.
·         But: They wanted to pick blueberries as a snack, but a bear growled at them from the berry patch.
·         Or: Should they set off for home now, or should they decide to work a little longer?
·         Yet: There was still work to do, yet they needed to rest and eat.
·         So: They were starving and exhausted, so they went home.

Note that the comma in the above sentences comes before the conjunction, not after it. If the independent clauses are very short, parallel and closely related, it is acceptable to use only a comma or a conjunction to join them:

·         Megan cut the wood, Ryan stacked it.
·         Megan cut the wood and Ryan stacked it.

But between longer clauses, it is important to use both a comma and a conjunction:

·         Megan cut the wood into one-and-a-half-foot logs, and Ryan stacked them carefully along the rear of the cabin.

If you used a comma alone in the last example, you would have a comma splice, a type of run-on sentence. Since it is never wrong to use a comma and conjunction together in this kind of compound sentence, it is best to do so in every case to avoid the risk of error. Like a period, a semicolon (;) creates a stop between two independent clauses. However, the clause after the semicolon does not begin with a capital. In this case, the sentence has the structure IC; IC. This method works readily with some of the examples:

·         The two stopped to eat; the work had made them hungry.
·         The afternoon had been long; hours had gone by since lunch.

However, it would be awkward to use a semicolon by itself to form some compound sentences. The sentence below, for example, is confusing:

·         Incorrect: There was still work to do; they needed to rest and eat.

These two clauses express contrasting ideas. We need a contrast word to make the connection clear. In this case, you might use the contrast conjunctions but or yet with a comma (Method 1), or you might decide to use Method 3. A transitional expression is a word or phrase that shows the relationship between two ideas. A semicolon with a transitional expression often makes a smoother connection than a semicolon alone. There are many transitional expressions showing different kinds of relationships. Here are a few common examples:

·         to add a similar idea: also, in addition, moreover
·         to show contrast: however, in contrast, on the other hand
·         to indicate a result: therefore, as a result, consequently
·         to introduce an example: for example, for instance
·         to list points in order: first, second, third; next; then

Note that a comma is used after the transitional expression. The sentence has the structure  

IC ; transition,  IC:

·         The work had made them hungry; therefore, they stopped to eat.
·         The job was not done; on the other hand, they needed to rest and eat.

Keep in mind that a transitional expression is not a conjunction; it does not join sentences grammatically. Therefore, a period or a semicolon is needed before a transitional expression between two independent clauses:

·         They wanted to pick blueberries as a snack. However, a bear growled at them from the berry patch.
·         They wanted to pick blueberries as a snack; however, a bear growled at them from the berry patch.

If you use a comma instead of a period or a semicolon, you will have a comma splice run-on:

        

Run-on: They wanted to pick blueberries as a snack, however, a bear growled at them from the berry patch.

Be careful to avoid this type of run-on; it is a very common error.