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Compound sentence (linguistics) - Definition and Overview |
| Related Words: Etymology, Glottochronology, Grammar, Lexicology, Lexicostatistics, Morphology, Paleography, Philology, Phonetics, Phonology, Psycholinguistics, Semantics |
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In the English language, a compound sentence is composed of at least two independent clauses, but no dependent clauses. The clauses are joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction, a comma and a correlative conjunction, or a semicolon with no conjunction.
Examples
- He finally read the book, or so I thought.
- The two independent clauses are joined by a comma and the coordinating conjunction "or."
- Either he goes, or I go.
- The compound sentence is held together by a comma and the correlative conjunction "either ... or."
- Mary understands math; she has studied it for years.
- Here, the two are joined by a semicolon, with no conjunction.
Contrast
- He finally read the book which I gave him
"which I gave him" is a dependent clause. This is a complex sentence, not a compound sentence.
See also
Clause
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