Worked examples
Two examples
Example 1
What kind of sentence? The bus was late, so I walked.
- Count the subject-verb pairs: bus was, I walked. Two clauses.
- Can each one stand alone? The bus was late. I walked. Yes, both are independent.
- Two independent clauses, joined by a comma and so.
Answer: Compound
Example 2
What kind of sentence? When the bus came, I got on, and my sister waved.
- Count the clauses: bus came, I got on, sister waved. Three.
- When the bus came cannot stand alone: dependent. The other two can: independent.
- Two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.
Answer: Compound-complex
Where this is taught: Sentences: Start Here, Part 2: Clauses and kinds of sentences
More practice: Quiz 31, Clauses · In your Kaplan book: Unit 1, Chapter 4, Lesson 2, “Compound and Complex Sentences”
The drill
Ten questions
How many:
Tap your answer to each one, then press Check my answers at the bottom.Circle your answer to each one. The answer key, with the reasoning, is on the last page.