A compound sentence is a sentence that combines two or more independent clauses, which are clauses that each have a subject and a verb and can stand alone as complete sentences. These independent clauses are typically connected either by a comma followed by a coordinating conjunction (such as and, but, or, for, nor, yet, so) or by a semicolon without a conjunction. Compound sentences allow related ideas to be expressed together in one sentence, improving flow and variety in writing.
Key Characteristics of Compound Sentences
- Contains at least two independent clauses.
- Connected by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) or a semicolon.
- Each clause has its own subject and verb.
- Different from complex sentences, which link an independent clause with one or more dependent (subordinate) clauses.
Examples
- Simple sentences: "My name is Montoya." "I’m here for the interview."
- Compound sentence: "My name is Montoya, and I’m here for the interview."
- Alternatively: "My name is Montoya; I’m here for the interview."
Compound sentences are useful for connecting closely related ideas in a smooth and effective way without making the sentence overly complicated or lengthy.
