Ready to master the art of clear writing? Jump into our sentence structure quiz and challenge yourself to spot simple, compound & complex constructions in real sentences! In this simple compound and complex sentences quiz, you'll test your grammar chops, identify patterns with instant feedback, and polish your writing confidence. Perfect for students, educators, or language lovers, you'll learn to craft clear ideas and avoid common errors. Need more guidance? Explore our detailed worksheet with answers for extra practice and try a quick sentence types quiz to reinforce your skills. Dive in now and ace the simple and compound and complex sentences quiz!
Which of the following is a simple sentence?
She runs every morning; she also swims.
She runs and she lifts weights.
Although she was tired, she runs every morning.
She runs every morning.
A simple sentence consists of a single independent clause with one subject and one predicate and contains no dependent or subordinate clauses. 'She runs every morning.' expresses one complete thought and lacks any additional clauses. It stands alone grammatically without conjunctions joining separate clauses. More on simple sentences.
Which of the following is a compound sentence?
She laughed when she saw the joke.
She laughed before crying.
She laughed, and she cried.
Since she was late, she missed the bus.
A compound sentence consists of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as 'and,' 'but,' or 'or.' In this example, 'She laughed' and 'she cried' are both complete thoughts linked by the conjunction 'and.' The comma before 'and' correctly separates the independent clauses. More on compound sentences.
Which of the following is a complex sentence?
I like coffee and tea.
She dances; she sings.
Although it was raining, I went for a walk.
I finished my homework, and I watched TV.
A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction like 'although.' Here, 'Although it was raining' cannot stand alone, and 'I went for a walk' is the independent clause. The dependent clause adds additional context. More on complex sentences.
How many independent clauses does the sentence 'Before she left, he cleaned the house.' contain?
Two
One
Three
Zero
The clause 'Before she left' is dependent because it cannot stand alone as a complete thought. The independent clause is 'he cleaned the house,' which can function by itself. Therefore, the sentence contains one independent clause. More on independent clauses.
Which of the following is a dependent clause?
She studied and passed
Because she studied diligently
She studied diligently
She passed the exam
A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) begins with a subordinating conjunction like 'because' and cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. 'Because she studied diligently' relies on additional information to form a full idea. The other options are independent or compound structures. More on dependent clauses.
What is one key feature of a simple sentence?
It always uses a semicolon.
It contains an independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
It contains two independent clauses joined by a comma.
It contains exactly one independent clause and no dependent clauses.
A simple sentence is defined by having a single independent clause with a subject and a predicate and it does not include any dependent clauses. It cannot be broken into smaller clauses without losing its complete meaning. Using semicolons or adding subordinate clauses would change its classification. More on simple sentences.
Which word introduces a dependent clause?
And
Although
But
Or
Subordinating conjunctions such as 'although' introduce dependent clauses that cannot stand alone. Coordinating conjunctions like 'and' or 'but' join independent clauses. 'Although' signals a clause that relies on a main clause for full meaning. More on subordinating conjunctions.
Which one of these sentences is NOT a simple sentence?
After dinner, we walked.
He reads every day.
She runs fast.
Birds fly.
A simple sentence has one independent clause without any subordinate clauses. 'After dinner, we walked.' begins with the dependent phrase 'After dinner,' which forms a complex sentence. The others stand alone as simple sentences. More on clauses.
What type of sentence is 'When the bell rang, students hurried to class.'?
Complex
Compound
Simple
Compound-complex
A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The dependent clause 'When the bell rang' sets the time context, and 'students hurried to class' is the independent clause. This structure matches a complex sentence. More on complex sentences.
Which of these is a compound sentence that does NOT use a coordinating conjunction?
Because I baked a cake, she made cookies.
I baked a cake; she made cookies.
I baked and she made cookies.
I baked a cake and she made cookies.
A compound sentence can be formed by joining two independent clauses with a semicolon instead of a coordinating conjunction. In this example, both clauses are complete sentences joined solely by a semicolon. No coordinating conjunction is used. More on semicolons.
Which sentence contains a non-finite dependent clause?
He ran through the park.
He ran and he felt free.
Running through the park, he felt free.
He felt free, and he ran through the park.
A non-finite clause often begins with a participle and lacks a subject performing a finite verb. 'Running through the park' is a non-finite participial clause modifying 'he.' It cannot stand alone as an independent clause. More on non-finite clauses.
Which sentence correctly uses a colon to combine two related independent clauses?
She had one hobby she collected stamps.
She had one hobby: she collected stamps.
She had one hobby, she collected stamps.
She had one hobby; she collected stamps.
A colon can be used to introduce an explanation or elaboration and joins two independent clauses when the second explains or expands the first. In this example, 'she collected stamps' explains 'one hobby.' The colon is correctly placed. More on colon usage.
In the sentence 'I'll call you after I finish my work.', which word functions as the subordinating conjunction?
call
my
after
I'll
The subordinating conjunction 'after' introduces the dependent clause 'after I finish my work.' This clause cannot stand alone and depends on the main clause for meaning. It signals temporal relationship between the two clauses. More on conjunctions.
Which sentence is a compound-complex sentence?
I slept well.
I went to bed early, and I slept well.
Because I was tired, I went to bed early.
Because I was tired, I went to bed early, and I slept well.
A compound-complex sentence has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. 'Because I was tired' is the dependent clause, and 'I went to bed early' and 'I slept well' are two independent clauses joined by 'and.' More on compound-complex sentences.
What type of dependent clause is 'that I borrowed' in the sentence 'The book that I borrowed was thrilling.'?
Adverbial clause
Adjective clause
Noun clause
Independent clause
'That I borrowed' modifies the noun 'book,' providing more information about which book is referred to. Such clauses function as adjectives and are called adjective clauses. They usually follow the noun they modify. More on adjective clauses.
Which of the following is an adverbial clause?
Who he invited
That he sings
Which he left
Because he was late
An adverbial clause modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb and answers questions like why, when, or how. 'Because he was late' explains the reason and modifies the main clause. The other options are noun or adjective clauses. More on adverbial clauses.
Which sentence contains a comma splice?
She loves to travel and she visits new countries every year.
She loves to travel, she visits new countries every year.
She loves to travel; she visits new countries every year.
Because she loves to travel, she visits new countries every year.
A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction. In the first sentence, 'She loves to travel' and 'she visits new countries every year' are both independent but only separated by a comma. More on comma splices.
Which of these is still a simple sentence despite using 'and'?
The sun shines and the moon sets.
The sun rose, and the moon fell.
Although the sun rose and the moon fell, we were excited.
The sun and the moon shine brightly.
A simple sentence may have a compound subject but only one independent clause when there is a single predicate. Here, 'The sun and the moon' are a compound subject sharing the verb 'shine,' making it a simple sentence. More on simple sentences.
Which is a compound sentence with an elliptical construction?
He plays the guitar and she sings.
He plays the guitar; she plays the piano.
He plays the guitar she plays the piano.
He plays the guitar, and she the piano.
Elliptical construction in a compound sentence occurs when a repeated verb is omitted in the second clause. In this example, 'plays' is omitted before 'the piano' to avoid repetition. More on ellipsis.
Which sentence is NOT a complex sentence?
He completed the project before the deadline.
After we ate dinner, we watched a movie.
Although it's late, I'll finish the work.
When the rain stops, the game will continue.
A complex sentence must include at least one dependent clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction. 'Before the deadline' is a prepositional phrase, not a clause, so the sentence is simple. The other options feature true dependent clauses. More on dependent clauses.
What type of sentence is 'Although he was tired and hungry, he continued working.'?
Complex
Compound-complex
Simple
Compound
This is a complex sentence because it contains one dependent clause ('Although he was tired and hungry') and one independent clause ('he continued working'). There are no two independent clauses joined together, so it is not compound or compound-complex. More on complex sentences.
Which of the following is a compound-complex sentence?
We packed our bags and left the campsite when the sun rose.
We packed our bags before we left the campsite.
When the sun rose, we packed our bags, and we left the campsite.
They left the campsite when the sun rose.
A compound-complex sentence has at least two independent clauses and one dependent clause. 'When the sun rose' is the dependent clause, and 'we packed our bags' and 'we left the campsite' are two independent clauses joined by 'and.' More on compound-complex sentences.
Which sentence is punctuated correctly as a compound sentence?
He likes tea: he doesn't like coffee.
He likes tea, he doesn't like coffee.
He likes tea; he doesn't like coffee.
He likes tea he doesn't like coffee.
A compound sentence requires two independent clauses joined by a semicolon, coordinating conjunction with a comma, or both. The correct form uses a semicolon without a conjunction. More on semicolons.
What type of sentence is 'Dogs bark and cats meow.'?
Compound
Compound-complex
Complex
Simple
This sentence has two independent clauses, 'Dogs bark' and 'cats meow,' joined by the coordinating conjunction 'and.' That structure defines a compound sentence. There are no dependent clauses, so it cannot be complex or compound-complex. More on compound sentences.
Which of the following sentences is a compound-complex sentence?
She gave a great presentation, and she answered all the questions confidently.
She was nervous but gave a great presentation, answering all the questions confidently.
She gave a great presentation and answered all the questions confidently.
Although she was nervous, she gave a great presentation, and she answered all the questions confidently.
A compound-complex sentence combines at least two independent clauses with at least one dependent clause. Here, 'Although she was nervous' is the dependent clause, and 'she gave a great presentation' and 'she answered all the questions confidently' are two independent clauses joined by 'and.' More on compound-complex sentences.
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Study Outcomes
Identify Simple, Compound & Complex Sentences -
Learn to recognize the defining features of simple, compound, and complex sentences by analyzing their subjects, predicates, and connectors.
Distinguish Sentence Patterns -
Differentiate between sentence structures by spotting coordinating and subordinating conjunctions in various examples.
Apply Sentence Structure Rules -
Use your knowledge to classify sentences correctly and explain why each example fits a particular pattern.
Correct Misused Sentences -
Practice revising run-ons and fragments to form clear simple, compound, or complex sentences with proper punctuation.
Enhance Writing Clarity -
Strengthen your writing by choosing the most effective sentence structure for flow, variety, and emphasis.
Cheat Sheet
Simple Sentence Basics -
A simple sentence consists of a single independent clause with a subject and predicate. It's the foundation of clear writing and always stands alone as a complete thought, per Cambridge University guidelines. Example: "The sun rises."
Compound Sentences & FANBOYS -
Compound sentences join two independent clauses using coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) - remembered by FANBOYS. You can link them with a comma before the conjunction or a semicolon, as noted by Purdue OWL. Example: "I finished my homework, so I watched a movie."
Complex Sentences & A WHITE BUS -
Complex sentences combine one independent clause with at least one dependent clause using subordinating conjunctions such as although, because, or while. Use the mnemonic A WHITE BUS (after, while, if, though, etc.) from the University of Michigan to recall key subordinators. Example: "After the rain stopped, we went for a walk."
Identifying Independent vs. Dependent Clauses -
An independent clause has both a subject and a verb and can stand alone, whereas a dependent clause has a subject and verb but relies on an independent clause to complete its meaning. Spotting clause boundaries helps prevent fragments and run-ons, according to the Modern Language Association. Try underlining each subject-verb combo when analyzing sentence structure.
Varying Sentence Structure for Impact -
Mixing simple, compound, and complex sentences boosts readability and keeps readers engaged, a principle backed by Harvard University writing guides. Alternate structures to emphasize key ideas or create rhythm, and always review punctuation rules for clarity. Example tip: follow a complex sentence with a short simple one to drive a point home.
