Compound Sentences

Two or more simple sentences (independent clauses) joined by a connecting word such as and, or, or but form a compound sentence. Only sentences closely related in thought should be joined to form a compound. Below, we connect two simple sentences.

TWO SIMPLE SENTENCES:

  • My aunt is an office manager.
  • She works in Detroit.

ONE COMPOUND SENTENCE:

  • My aunt is an office manager, and she works in Detroit.

Notice that the compound is made up of two independent clauses that can each stand alone and make sense.

Any number of independent clauses can be joined to form a compound. For example, here we join four independent clauses (simple sentences) to form one compound:

  • Jill plays the flute, and Celina beats the drums, but I just hum along, and Robert doesn't make a sound.
  • Sergio arrived early, and Ilbea came on time, but Liz was a little late, and Bill never showed up at all.
  • Dan cooked dinner, and Milly washed the dishes, but I just watched, and the captain fell asleep.

Notice that independent clauses are usually joined by coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so). Sometimes the independent clauses are joined by a semicolon as in this sentence:

The potatoes are rotten; they smell like old shoes.

Examples

Form one compound sentence from each group of simple sentences. Answers may vary.

  1. Words can hurt. Words can heal.
  2. Kurt plays guitar. Ken plays drums.
  3. Lola has a ranch. She raises cattle.
  4. I like classical music. Tom prefers jazz.
  5. You may exercise. You may rest.
  6. Tim likes dogs. Tom prefers cats.
  7. Amy should study. She might fail the test.
  8. James might come today. He might come tomorrow.
  9. Ann made spaghetti. She shared it with me.
  10. Sid has a bike. He rides it every day.

Solutions

  1. Words can hurt, or words can heal.
  2. Kurt plays guitar, and Ken plays drums.
  3. Lola has a ranch, and she raises cattle.
  4. I like classical music, but Tom prefers jazz.
  5. You may exercise, or you may rest.
  6. Tim likes dogs, but Tom prefers cats
  7. Amy should study, or she might fail the test.
  8. James might come today, or he might come tomorrow.
  9. Ann made spaghetti, and she shared it with me.
  10. Sid has a bike, and he rides it every day.