Complex Sentences

Syllabus tag: Kenya CBC | Grade 9 English | Theme 13.0 Sea Travel | Strand 13.3 Grammar | Sub-Strand 13.3.1 Complex Sentences (2 Lessons)

Lesson objectives

By the end of this sub-strand, you should be able to:

• Distinguish main clauses from subordinate clauses.
• Identify complex sentences and the conjunctions that form them.
• Combine simple sentences into complex ones.
• Punctuate complex sentences correctly.

Summary

A complex sentence contains one main clause and at least one subordinate clause. The main clause can stand alone as a sentence; the subordinate clause cannot, because a subordinating conjunction such as because, although or when makes it dependent. Complex sentences matter because they show relationships that a series of simple sentences cannot: cause, condition, contrast, time and purpose. Learning to build them is what moves a learner from choppy writing to connected writing.