Compound sentences are commonly used in different forms of communication. They make the content more effective and meaningful. However, many don’t talk much about them.
But today, we will discuss what they are, when they are used, and how to form impactful compound sentences. This short guide will help you have a solid command of the language and boost your writing abilities.
It's a sentence type with two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction or a semicolon. Each clause in the compound sentence reflects a different thought. For instance,
"I went for a walk, but it started raining."
Both clauses in this sentence are independent and are joined by a conjunction to complete the thought. The conjunction reflects a relationship between these clauses and conveys the message effectively.
Compound sentences have three main components including;
Independent Clauses: As mentioned earlier, compound sentences carry two or more independent clauses that stand alone.
Coordinating Conjunctions: Coordinating conjunctions join different clauses and develop their relationship. And, but, or, nor, for, so, and yet are examples of coordinating conjunctions.
Semicolons: Semicolons are also used sometimes to join the independent clauses. So, they are also a crucial part of compound sentences.
Each clause has its subject and verb.
The clauses are of equal importance.
They create variety and balance in writing.
The match was going for a draw, but Messi scored the winning goal in the last minute.
She wanted to go to the office, but the weather prevented her from leaving the home.
Jack studies all night; he still fails the test.
You cannot use compound sentences in each scenario. If you do so, you might ruin your content flow. Here are a few scenarios when compound sentences work the best.
You can use compound sentences to join two related thoughts or ideas. This can help you establish a relationship between them and communicate the message.
Example: I love watching movies, so I go to the cinema every weekend.
Long passages with too many short sentences can feel choppy. Compound sentences create balance and make the text easier to understand.
Example: We can convert "The restaurant was crowded. We decided to leave." to "The restaurant was crowded, so we decided to leave."
Using only simple sentences makes writing dull. Mixing sentence types keeps things interesting.
Simple Sentence Example: "He ran fast. He won the race."
Compound Sentence Example: "He ran fast and won the race."
In this scenario, the compound sentence is more understandable and clear.
Compound sentences also help communicators mention opposing ideas without ambiguity.
Example: She loves beaches, but he prefers mountains.
Writing a compound sentence isn't very difficult. Just use these practices, and you can form an extraordinary compound sentence.
Each conjunction serves a different purpose. Therefore, you must choose the conjunction wisely. A simple mistake in it can change the overall context. Here are a few conjunctions and what they reflect;
And: Adds similar ideas.
But: Shows contrast.
Or: Presents choices.
So: Shows cause and effect.
A comma alone isn't enough to write compound sentences. You need to add a conjunction or semicolon to reflect your thoughts. Otherwise, you might write run-on sentences and ruin your content flow. Here's how you can avoid run-on sentences.
Wrong: I was tired, I went to bed early.
Right: I was tired, so I went to bed early.
Here, we just added a conjunction to improve readability. If you want to add more clarity consider rewording your sentences.
Make sure to balance all the clauses. Avoid emphasizing one can neglecting the other one. Doing so might affect your sentences and make them hard to understand.
Unbalanced: He enjoys playing football; whenever he is free, he gathers his friends and plays football all day.
Balanced: He enjoys playing football, and he often plays it with his friends.
Use a semicolon if the ideas are closely related, but a conjunction feels unnecessary.
Example: The library was silent; everyone was focused on studying.
Avoid overly long compound sentences. If needed, break them into separate sentences. Or use a sentence shortener to make them more concise while retaining their meaning.
Compound sentences add variety, clarity, and balance to writing. They connect thoughts smoothly and improve readability. But they require careful construction. Understand what they are and how to construct them, you will surely be able to create outstanding content and impress your readers.
Rewording Tool
