The Sentence is the largest grammatical unit in the English Rankscale and it refers to a group of words that begins with a capital letter and ends with any of these three punctuation marks: the period or full stop, the exclamation mark and the question mark. This post, Types of Sentences According to Structure with Examples, takes a close look at the English sentence, its definition and various types with illustrative examples for easy comprehension. Come along with me as we navigate this grammatical journey.
Table of Contents
Types of Sentences According to Structure with Examples
The English sentences are generally classified along two lines: classification based on the structural pattern or syntactic classes and classification based on the functions these sentences perform. We shall examine these classifications and discuss the type of sentences under each of these two basic classifications. However, we shall look in-depth at structural classification. I have written on the functional classification of sentences in another post. Do check it out. Let us see types of sentences according to structure with examples. Shall we?
Structural Classification of the English Sentences
There are six (6) types sentences based on structural classification. These are:
- Simple Sentence
- Complex Sentence
- Compound Sentence
- Compound-Complex Sentence
- Multiple Sentence
- Multiple-Complex Sentence.
Let us discuss them one after the other:
A simple sentence is one which has one main or independent clause. We also know this clause by the name alpha clause. It is main, independent or alpha because it can stand on its own, unlike the subordinate clause. See The English Simple Sentence. The structure or the composition of the simple sentence comprises the subject, the predicator, the complement and the adjunct. But the only obligatory element here is the predicator. See a detailed discussion on the syntactic elements of the clause structure. Let us see some examples of the simple sentence:
- This is my food.
- I love you so much.
- He has gone home
- Pat bought a book this morning.
- The hardworking farmer reaped a bumper harvest last year.
It is important to note that we do not determine whether a sentence is simple by how long or short it is. A sentence could be short and not be a simple sentence while another may be very long and still be a simple sentence. See these examples:
- He left and disappeared for good.
This sentence is NOT a simple sentence though it contains only six words. See the next sentence that is very long, yet qualifies as a simple sentence:
- Despite the big plate of rice with chicken and assorted meats, the boys still complained of serious hunger.
- The long-awaited massive Airbus from the United States of America finally landed at the London Heathrow airport amidst pomp and pageantry with the crowds full of joy at yet another landmark and historic event in the history of mankind.
The first sentence has eighteen (18) words while the second sentence has a stunning forty (40) words, yet both of them are simple sentences. The point? Never determine a simple sentence by length, you will certainly be wrong. Let us see the next type of sentence under structural classification… You can check out more examples of Simple Sentences and a post dedicated fully to Simple Sentence: Definition with Examples.
A complex sentence has one main, independent or alpha clause and one or more subordinate, dependent or beta clauses. The absence of a subordinate clause will make the sentence a simple one. The beta clause could be as many as possible, depending on what is grammatically acceptable, but one main clause must be present to make the sentence qualify for a complex sentence. The subordinate clause in a complex sentence is usually introduced by a subordinator or a subordinate conjunction. We usually refer to these subordinators as ‘binders’ because they bind the subordinate clause to the main clause. Let us see some examples:
- The boy failed the test because he did not work hard
- He locked the gate before beating the stubborn goats
- Even though the farmer worked hard the harvest was rather poor.
- Despite reading all night, the girl failed the test.
- If he had not run all the way home, he would have been caught in the rain.
I have dedicated a post to Complex Sentence in English; do check it out. You can also see Complex Sentence for Kids with Examples.
The next type of sentence, based on structural classification, is the compound sentence. A compound sentence is a sentence with two main, alpha or independent clauses with no subordinate clause. That is, two clauses make up a compound sentence and the two of them are main clauses as we have in the following examples:
- The boy won the game but he was not given the prize.
- The food was badly cooked yet the starving boys ate it with relish.
- The farmer worked very hard and reaped a bumper harvest.
- My uncle wished to clear my tuition and my accommodation bill but I politely declined his offer.
- He returned from work and immediately went to bed.
Note that each clause in a compound sentence can stand on its own as a complete sentence because each clause is actually a simple sentence joined by a conjunction. We refer to the items used to link the clauses in a compound sentence as coordinating conjunctions. These are: but, and, or. Some add ‘yet’ to the list but it is a ‘marginal conjunction’. We can also refer to the linking items as ‘linkers’ because they link items of equal grammatical weight or status; word and word, group and group, clause and clause then sentence and sentence. See 100 Examples of Compound Sentences in English. You might also want to see Compound Sentences with Semicolon. Sometimes there are Compound Sentences with Yet; do check them out. You can also see Compound Sentence for Kids to help them learn what a Compound Sentence is. There is a post dedicated wholly to Compound Sentence; check its definition with examples.
A sentence that is compound-complex is a sentence that has two main, alpha or independent clauses and one or more subordinate, beta or dependent clauses. In this type of sentence, one would find both a coordinator (linker) and a subordinator (binder) present. The linker joins the two alpha clauses while the binder(s) joins one of the alpha clauses with a subordinate clause. The following examples depict compound-complex structures:
- Jane gave the class a test and marked the test papers before writing the correction on the board
- The tenants refused to pay the house rent and gave the landlord a beating before the police arrived
- The resident doctors went on strike and refused to treat patients because the government refused to pay their allowances.
- Students prefer to buy phones and acquire other electronic gadgets with their money rather than buy textbooks.
- He washed his clothes and ironed them before he slept.
Read more about Compound-Complex Sentence in English.
A multiple sentence is a sentence which has three (3) or more main, independent or alpha clauses with no subordinate or dependent clause. Each of these clauses can stand on its own as a simple sentence. Consider these sentences:
- He came, he saw and he conquered
- John cleared the garage, washed the dirty cars and later went to the gym to play football.
- She attended the interview, answered all the questions brilliantly yet she did not get the job.
- He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them an inheritance by survey and made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.
- He arrived the country on Friday, went to see his mother on Saturday and returned to Austria on Sunday.
This is the last type of sentences under structural classification of sentences. A multiple-complex sentence has three main, independent or alpha clauses plus at least one subordinate, dependent or beta clause. Examples of this sentence type include:
- When he slew them then, they sought him and they returned and sought earnestly for God.
- I came, I saw, and I conquered because I was determined since no assistance was forthcoming.
- If the lawyers had not moved fast, the innocent man would have been ridiculed, made to refund the money he did not steal and thrown into prison.
- As a philosopher who likes simplicity, he wrote in the condolence register: ‘life is simple and life is fragile.
- I have had opportunity, in recent times, to interact closely with you and I have come to the conclusion painfully that if you can shun yourself to a great extent of personal and political interests and dwell more on the national interest and also draw the line between advice from selfish and self-centered aides and advice from those who in the interest of the nation may not tell you what you will want to hear, it will be
Note that as a good writer or speaker of English, one should be able to vary one’s sentence patterns to avoid monotony and lacklustre expressions. Ability to vary one’s sentence patterns shows an understanding of different sentence patterns and this enriches your writing and makes your speech interesting.
Can you give me the structural classification of the following sentences?
- One, the current situation and consequent possible outcome dictate that I should, before the door closes on reason and promotion of national interest, alert you to the danger that may be lurking in the corner.
- I could sense a semblance between the situation that we are gradually getting into and the situation we fell into as a nation during the Abacha era.
- I have also always told you that God has graciously been kind, generous, merciful and compassionate to me and He has done more than I could have ever hoped
- For five capacities in which you find yourself, you must hold yourself most significantly responsible for what happens or fails to happen in Nigeria and in any case, most others will hold you responsible and God who put you there will surely hold you responsible and accountable.
- I have always retorted that God only put you where you are and those that could be regarded as having played a role were only instruments of God to achieve God’s purpose in your life.
- I want nothing from you personally but that you should run the affairs of Nigeria not only to make Nigeria good but to make Nigeria great and I have always pleaded with you.
Tough right? If you are confused, go over the post again. Endeavour to send me your answers in the comment box.
Classify the type of sentence below in terms of structure/forms
I am hungry this morning
Clocks crow at dawn
The rich also cry
Stand up and go if you are tired
Use the knowledge you have acquired to classify the sentences.
1) Compound Sentence 2) Compound-Complex Sentence 3) Multiple-Complex Sentence 4) Complex Sentence 5) Simple Sentence 6) Multiple Sentence.
1) complex sentence
2) simple sentence
3) compound sentence
4) multiple complex sentence
5) compound complex sentence
6) multiple sentence
4. Multiple complex
The first example given for a ‘multiple-complex’ sentence seems to be incorrect:
When he slew them then, – beta clause
they sought him – alpha clause
They returned – alpha
Sought earnestly for god. – beta
The last example given for a ‘multiple-complex’ sentence seems to be a fragment that cuts off before the word ‘well’ and a full stop. It’s also missing an article before ‘opportunity’.
I have had [the/an] opportunity – alpha
In recent times – beta
To interact closely with you – beta
I have come to the conclusion painfully – alpha
that if you can shun yourself to a great extent of personal and political interests – beta
dwell more on the national interest – alpha
and also draw the line between advice from selfish and self-centered aides and advice -beta
from those who in the interest of the nation may not tell you what you will want to hear -beta
It will be [well.] – alpha
1. One, the current situation and consequent possible outcome dictate that I should, – beta
before the door closes on reason and promotion of national interest – beta
alert you to the danger that may be lurking in the corner. – beta
= I don’t know and feel the blog post hasn’t made this scenario clear.
2. I could sense a semblance between the situation that we are gradually getting into – beta
the situation we fell into as a nation – alpha
during the Abacha era – beta
3. I have also always told you – alpha
That god has graciously been kind, generous, merciful and compassionate to me – beta
he has done more than I could have ever hoped. – alpha
4. For five capacities in which you find yourself – beta
You must hold yourself most significantly responsible for what happens or fails to happen in Nigeria – alpha
in any case, most others will hold you responsible – alpha
god who put you there will surely hold you responsible and accountable – alpha
5. I have always retorted – alpha
that god only put you where you are – beta
those that could be regarded as having played a role were only instruments of god – alpha
to achieve god’s purpose in your life. – beta
6. I want nothing from you personally – alpha
but that you should run the affairs of Nigeria not only to make Nigeria good but to make Nigeria great – beta
I have always pleaded with you – alpha
PLEASE provide the answers for everyone to see so they don’t need to message for them.
Thanks for this. I have replied your mail. Kindly note the following:
When he slew them then, (BETA)
They sought him (ALPHA)
They returned (ALPHA)
(They) sought earnestly for God. (ALPHA)
From this simply analysis, what we have is a MULTIPLE-COMPLEX SENTENCE.
I have had [the/an] opportunity – (ALPHA)
In recent times – THIS IS NOT A BETA CLAUSE, IT IS A PHRASE!
To interact closely with you – (BETA)
I have come to the conclusion painfully – (ALPHA)
That if you can shun yourself to a great extent of personal and political interests – (BETA)
And (IF YOU CAN) dwell more on the national interest – (BETA)
And (IF YOU CAN) also draw the line between advice from selfish and self-centered aides and advice
From those who in the interest of the nation may not tell you what you will want to hear – (BETA)
It will be. (ALPHA)
Once you are able to identify 3 or more alpha clauses with one or more beta clauses, what you have is a MULTIPLE-COMPLEX SENTENCE.
Note that the excerpt is a LIVE TEXT from a national newspaper and we used it as it was written.
For the Quiz, I have responded to your mail with the answers. We want other people, who might be reading for the first time, to attempt the quiz; so, we may not provide the answers on the page. Readers are welcome to send their answers in the comment box.
Hello! I am a grade six student. Heere are my answers for your mini quiz. 1) Compound Sentence 2) Compound-Complex Sentence 3) Multiple-Complex Sentence 4) Complex Sentence 5) Simple Sentence 6) Multiple Sentence. Thank u so much for teaching me and other people around the world!
Thank you Ann. I will send the answers to your mail. You can subscribe also to our YouTube Channel
4. Multiple complex
5. Compound complex
How is this sentence NOT a simple sentence?
He left and disappeared for good.
This IS a simple sentence, just with a compound predicate.
‘He disappeared for good.’
These are two simple sentences generated from the sentence in question. The sentence in question is NOT a simple sentence. There are two lexical verbs with a shared subject; so, the sentence cannot be a simple sentence but, rather, a compound one.
please verify if im correct
the current situation: manin clause
and consequent possible outcomes : mainclause
that i should alert you on the possible danger that may be lurking in the corner : surbodinate clause
before the door closes on reason and promotion of national interest
the current situation: NOT A CLAUSE (there’s no verb)
and consequent possible outcomes: NOT A CLAUSE (there’s no verb)
that I should alert you on the possible danger that may be lurking in the corner: SUBORDINATE CLAUSE WITH ANOTHER EMBEDDED CLAUSE
before the door closes on reason and promotion of national interest: SUBORDINATE CLAUSE
I’m a student and I want become an English’ Teacher. Therefore I need your help in order to learn more on English Language.
Hello, with due regard, respect and honor, my name is shuaibu umar, a Nigerian also a student , i really appreciate the effort which you have been investing in promoting the standard of the English speech community in round development as well as the chances you provided for a comprehensive, sophisticated ,systematic, conventional methodology for impacting knowledge to the entire universe, which is the language fitting of any proud fully speech community for the purpose of an effective, meaningfully, communication / thanks for the effort.
Thank you so much.
Look at the possible structural analysis: NLC to develop a plan (infinitival clause).
To address the foul order (infinitival clause).
That may cause health hazard to personnel in the building of Cabello (subordinate clause).
Where the ammunition are stored (subordinate clause).
Therefore, since there is no independent clause in the statement, it is not a good sentence. It only qualifies for a fragment of a sentence.
Thanks, Elum Solomon Ekene. You are right from this perspective – analysing the sentence as it is. What I did was simply to expand it by adding a verb (will develop) for easy understanding. However, ‘where the ammunition are stored’ is truly a subordinate clause but it is subsumed under the first subordinate clause because it qualifies the noun ‘Cabello’. Your thoughts are further welcomed.
1.compound complex sentences
3.compound complex sentences
4.multiple complex sentences
6.compound complex sentences
Thank you for this teaching.
Plz send me the answers of the quiz above.
Hello Neor, please read through the article and you will easily identify the answers…
Send me the answers please…
Can you give me the anser of the quiz, please ?
So that I will not give out the answers openly and defeat the purpose of the quiz, send me a private message through our Facebook Page.
Thanks you so much for sharing your ideas and thoughts.
thank you Mr Vistakademia
Thank you for the wonderful article
Thanks, it is very informative
Thank you for the wonderful article
When did multiple and multiple-complex sentence start to exist? I only knew of simple, compound, complex and compound-complex? what is ur reference?
They are part of the classifications of sentences structurally. If you agree that a compound sentence consists of two main clauses with no dependent clause, then how do you classify sentences with more than two main clauses without a subordinate clause structurally? How would you also classify structurally sentences with multiple independent clauses and, at least, one subordinate clause? This is what gave rise to multiple sentence and multiple-complex sentence respectively.
“HE is brave and clever” should be compound sentence right? as if you were saying (He is brave + He is clever = two alphas)
If you write the sentence as ‘he is brave and is (equally) clever, then you have a compound sentence; but if you leave it as ‘he is brave and clever’, you have a simple sentence.
‘Brave and clever’ becomes the complement.
See more here: https://akademia.com.ng/types-sentences-according-structure-examples/
What of if I say kunle nd Sade are friends bcox they are gossips. Wht kind of sentence is dis
Try and avoid using non-standard form of communication.
To your question, “Kunle and Sade are friends because they are gossips” is a complex sentence.
It has one main clause and one subordinate clause.
YOU MEAN for reported speeches with several verbs within, should also be categorized? For example: “I wan to go home, eat, watch tv and then sleep ” he said.
I f i were to categorize this, this is a SIMPLE SENTENCE. But your categories would say this is MULTIPLE SENTENCE.
Pleas enlighten me. (:
Once you have more than three alpha clause, you have a multiple sentence. If you have one main clause, you have a simple sentence.
My uncle asked if he should pay for my tuition or clear my accommodation bill.
This was the example of a compound sentence but I can’t understand why. Look at this part: my uncle asked WHAT? – if he should pay for my tuition; and again: my uncle asked WHAT? – if he should clear my accommodation bill. IF in these situations is subordinate conjunction but it’s impossible to have it in compound sentences. We need to use only coordinating conjunctions. Am I right? Explain it to me, please!
Yes! You are very correct. The sentence was not complete at the time it was written but it has been updated. Thank you for your keen observation.
Kindly subscribe to Akademia EduConsult, our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc7HHnz6G-SLv6ZVGBkg59g
in your example:
As a philosopher who likes simplicity, he wrote in the condolence register: ‘life is simple and life is fragile.
How come this is a MULTIPLE-COMPLEX sentence?
There is only one subject “HE” then “life is simple and life is fragile” is OBJECT.
Is this not a COMLEX sentence: As philospher who likes simplicity” being beta and then “he wrote in the condolence register: ‘life is simple and life is fragile’ being alpha.
I feel you need to take time and read the post very well; you seemed not to have understood the categorisation of sentences according to structure…
However, to answer your question, the sentence is Multiple-complex comprising three main clauses and a subordinate clause as broken down below:
‘As a philosopher who likes simplicity,’ – beta clause
‘he wrote in the condolence register:’ – alpha clause
‘life is simple’ – alpha clause
‘life is fragile’ – alpha clause
Thanks for this informative piece. But I opine that one beta clause plus two alpha clauses should produce a compound-complex sentence
Yes, you are right; but what you have here is more than two alpha clauses, check it again. Thanks for your comment.
I am confused with your example for COMPUND-COMPLEX:
“Students prefer to buy phones and other electronic gadgets with their money rather than buy textbooks.”
“Students prefer to buy phones and other electronic gadgets with their money –ALPHA
“..rather than buy textbooks—BETA
IS THIS NOT A COMPLEX SENTENCE… can we also categorize this as a SIMPLE SENTENCE?
PLEASE help me identifying the structure of this sentence:
1. “About two years ago, my pet died.”
2. “My pet died about two years ago.”
3. “My pet died about two years ago”, he said.
4. “About two years ago after the program was launched, it earned full support from the government.”
5. “This time, the crisis is over!”
6. The presidential spokesperson Harry Bareto put it, “If the people continue selling drugs, they would be hunted down by the policemen who are so eager to work even at night .”
7. This morning, when I woke up, I found a dead man, who is at his 40’s, lying in our backyard.
_____PLESE HELP ME____ thank you. (:
1. “About two years ago, my pet died.” – Simple sentence
2. “My pet died about two years ago.” – Simple sentence
3. “My pet died about two years ago”, he said. – Compound sentence (2 main clauses)
4. “About two years ago after the program was launched, it earned full support from the government.” – Complex sentence
5. “This time, the crisis is over!” – Simple sentence
6. The presidential spokesperson Harry Bareto put it, “If the people continue selling drugs, they would be hunted down by the policemen who are so eager to work even at night .” – Compound-complex
7. This morning, when I woke up, I found a dead man, who is at his 40’s, lying in our backyard. – Complex sentence
Check the example, it is a compound-complex sentence.
There is a non- finite subordinate clause their which is “to buy”
It’s functioning as a direct object.
I think you need to go and read more on finite and non- finite verb phrases, then you will find this article engaging and informative
NLC to develop a plan to address the foul order that may cause health hazard to personnel in the building of Caballo where the ammunition are stored.
what is the structural classification of this sentence ? please help
The basic information is contained in one clause but with other clausal qualifications. This is a complex sentence with this structure – S/P/C/C. Let me break it down structurally…
‘NLC’ – subject
‘to develop’ can also read ‘will develop’ – verb
‘a plan’ – complement
‘to address the foul order’ – another complement
The second complement is qualified by a relative clause, ‘that may cause health hazard to personnel in the building of Caballo where the ammunition are stored.’
In the relative clause is also embedded another adverbial clause of place ‘where the ammunition are stored’. (See the post on English clauses)
So, in essence, we have a main clause, (NLC to develop a plan to address the foul order) and a relative clause (that may cause health hazard to personnel in the building of Caballo) with an embedded adverbial clause (where the ammunition are stored).
In my opinion, “NLC to develop a plan to address the foul order that may cause health hazard to personnel in the building of Caballo where the ammunition are stored” is NOT EVEN A SIMPLE SENTENCE. It is rather a fragment because: there is no finite verb, but infinitives (which are under non-finite), and also qualifies as a title of an article (and not a complete sentence).
I read somewhere that “come and dance” is a compound sentence, how true is this?
If the sentence stays at ‘come and eat’, then it is a compound sentence and also functionally, an imperative sentence.
Who classified types of sentences according to structurs?
The classifications are grammatical ways of describing sentences based on their outlook (Structure) and what they do (function). Our classification is based on the Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) pioneered by Neo-Firthians grammarians; a major figure in that movement is M. A. K. Halliday.
I had a doubt, is the sentence HE IS BRAVE AND CLEVER a compound sentence?
Thanks for your question Zoya.
‘He is brave and clever’ is a simple sentence. For a sentence to qualify as a compound sentence, it must have two independent clauses. You cannot have a clause without a finite verb. (See Types of Verbs). Your sentence has only one clause. Don’t let the conjunction ‘and’ confuse you. It joins grammatical items of equal weight together; clause and clause, phrase and phrase, word and word. ‘Brave’ and ‘clever’ are complements. To make your sentence a compound one, we can have an example like this:
He is brave but pretends to be clever.
He is intelligent and likes to show it.
I hope this helps.