Simple Sentences and Compound Sentences

Conjunctions

The words and, or, and but in these sentences are coordinating conjunctions. They combine two or more independent clauses into one compound sentence. Notice how the unit clause differentiates from that of sentence. A unit clause is based on the quantity of constituents (NP – VP) while a sentence is based on the completion of the thought. If we eliminate the coordinating conjunction (or, and, or but) and place a period between the clauses, they can stand alone without losing their respective complete meanings:

• The school opened. Most seniors took the day off.
  
• The phone rang. There was a knock at the door.

However, because we have chosen to coordinate them into one compound sentence, both clauses are regarded as only one logical unit.

In this type of sentence, we cannot regard one clause as more important than the other. The position of the clauses will depend on the speaker’s or writer’s choice:

• Most seniors took the day off, but the school opened.
  
• There was a knock at the door, and the phone rang.

There are seven coordinating conjunctions that connect words, phrases, and clauses:

• And    The bowl of squid eyeball stew is hot and delicious.
  
• But    Rocky, my orange tomcat, loves having his head scratched but hates getting his claws trimmed.
  
• Or     The squid eyeball stew is so thick that you can eat it with a fork or spoon.
  
• For    I hate to waste a single drop of squid eyeball stew, for it is expensive and time-consuming to make.
  
• Nor    Rocky does not refuse to eat dry cat food, nor will he touch a saucer of squid eyeball stew.
  
• So    Even though I added cream to the squid eyeball stew, Rocky ignored his serving, so I got a spoon and ate it myself.
  
• Yet    Rocky terrorizes the poodles next door, yet adores the German shepherd across the street.

There are also correlative conjunctions that correlate in content i.e. they are used together, usually at the beginning of each clause of the composite or complex sentence.

• Both … and
  
• Not only … but also
  
• Either … or
  
• Neither … nor
  
• Whether … or

There are also other coordinators including conjunctional adverbs that serve to coordinate clauses in a compound or composite sentence, with the same coordinating values as that of the traditional conjunctions and, but, & or:

• Consequently
• Therefore
• However
• Nevertheless
• Thus
• Hence
• Henceforth
• In fact

Both groups (conjunctions and adverbs) are coordinating linkers that connect two independent clauses to form a compound or composite sentence with a complete logical thought.