Compound Sentence

The word "compound" means "composed of two or more parts". 

We can combine two or more independent clauses (or simple sentences) to create a COMPOUND SENTENCE.

 Simple Sentences:

• Merle drove his car across the country.  He saw many things along the way. 

Compound sentence:

• Merle drove his car across the country, and he saw many sights along the way.
• Merle drove his car across the country; he saw many sights along the way.

 Notice that in the first compound sentence, the two thoughts are separated with a comma and the word “and”, while in the second sentence, the two thoughts are separated by a semicolon. 

A compound sentence has to have two independent clauses - that is, there needs to be a subject and predicate that go in one part of the sentence, and a subject and predicate that go in a different part of the sentence. 

If you just put in two subjects and/or two predicates, that does not automatically make it a compound sentence.

• NOT COMPOUND: Bob and Doug ate and drank. (One compound subject and one compound predicate, but not two independent clauses)

• NOT COMPOUND: I swam and fished. (One simple subject and one compound predicate, but not two independent clauses)

Combining sentences CAN create a compound sentence, but it depends on how you combine them.

• TWO SENTENCES: I like coffee.  I like tea.

• COMBINED INTO COMPOUND: I like coffee, and I like tea.

• COMBINED, BUT NOT COMPOUND: I like coffee and tea.

 Compound sentences CANNOT start with “Because”.

A compound sentence can be any of the four kinds of sentences.

Rule of Thumb: COMPOUND SENTENCE

Write two separate, complete sentences, then join them together.  You can join them in one of two ways: you can add a comma and the word “and” between them, OR you can stick a semicolon between them.

I like to play soccer.  I like to play basketball.  --- two sentences

I like to play soccer, and I like to play basketball.  – ONE compound sentence.

I like to play soccer; I like to play basketball. – one compound sentence

I like to play sport.  I am very good.

I like to play sports, so I am very good.

I like to play sports; I am very good.