[Grammar] Simple or compound sentence?

[otevia]

what type of sentences are these?
1) Sarah went to the market and bought some food stuff.
2) keep quiet or go home!

 

[emsr2d2]

Otevia, I have two questions for you:

1. What do you think?
2. When must you submit your homework to your teacher?

 

[otevia]

I don't understand. I'm having a tough time distinguishing between a compound sentence and a simple one. This is not a homework drill.

 

[Barb_D]

A compound sentence requires two subjects.
Now what do you think?

 

[otevia]

I know that a compound sentence requires two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. What I find confusing is when one subject takes a compound predicate. E.g.

Sarah went to the market and bought some food stuff.

Is this a compound or simple sentence?

 

[otevia]

Is a compound sentence, then, the same as a compound-complex sentence?

 

[Barb_D]

It is a compound- complex sentence . You can find 2 finite verbs .

Sarah went to the market and (She) bought some food stuff.

Your answer is incorrect. I am unable to delete it right now, but would if I could, and will when I can.
Please show that you are NOT a teacher in your posts and please do not answer questions you are not confident about. There is no subordinate clause, so this sentence it NOT complex.

One subject with a compound predicate is not a compound sentence.

I have never seen an imperative classified as a compound sentence. Because the subject is implied, I actually don't know whether you'd classify it as a compound sentence or not.

 

[otevia]

So these sentences are simple sentences:

1) The cat slipped and fell down from the roof.
2) Tom goes to work early and comes home late.

Now they are compound sentences:

1) The cat slipped and it fell down from the roof.
2) Tom goes to work early but he comes home late.

Am I correct?

 

[Barb_D]

Yes, with two independent clauses (a subject for each predicate) joined by a FANBOYS conjunction gives you a compound sentence.

 

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Hello, Otevia:

The matter of simple vs. compound sentences drives me crazy, too.

I have some information from reputable books that may interest you.

I do NOT dare express any opinions. I will just present the material. Perhaps you or other members will respond with opinions.




1. "The pig got up and slowly walked away." = Simple sentence, says Roberts (fuller identification later).
2. "The pig got up, but it was unable to walk away." = compound sentence, says Roberts.
3. "We fished all day, but (we) didn't catch a thing." = compound sentence, says Alexander.

a. As you know, when Alexander put "we" in parentheses, he is saying that "we" can be omitted, and it is still a compound sentence.

i. In #2, can we then omit "it" without hurting its status as a compound sentence? Just asking.

4. "The hotel was cheap but clean." = simple sentence, says Alexander, because the subject and verb have been omitted.
5. "Does the price include breakfast only, or dinner as well?" = simple, Alexander says. Same reason.

6. Regarding your command, I found this example: "Hand me the hammer, and then help me hold the board." = compound sentence, says Roberts. I dare not comment. You may wish to compare that sentence with your command.

7. "Colonel Cathcart had courage, and he never hesitated to volunteer." = compound sentence, says Hodges.
8. "Colonel Cathcart had courage and never hesitated to volunteer." = simple sentence, says Hodges.

9. "John and Mary enjoyed the performance and applauded wildly." = simple, says Opdycke.
10. "John and Mary enjoyed the performance and they applauded wildly." = compound, says Opdycke.

(By the way, I love #9 and #10 because Opdycke tells us that the compound sentence "distributes the meaning more emphatically.")


James


Sources: 1. Paul Roberts (who taught at Cornell University in the United States), Understanding English (1954).
2. L.G. Alexander, Longman English Grammar (1988).
3. John C. Hodges and Mary E. Whitten, Harbrace College Handbook (1972).
4. John B. Opdycke, Ph.D, Harper's English Grammar (1965).

 

[Tarheel]

What types of sentences are these?
1) Sarah went to the market and bought some food stuff.
2)Keep quiet or go home!

Would you really say "food stuff" in Nigeria? (Here in Charlotte, NC we just say "food".)

~Ron

 

[renzheng04]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Hello, Otevia:

The matter of simple vs. compound sentences drives me crazy, too.

I have some information from reputable books that may interest you.

I do NOT dare express any opinions. I will just present the material. Perhaps you or other members will respond with opinions.




1. "The pig got up and slowly walked away." = Simple sentence, says Roberts (fuller identification later).
2. "The pig got up, but it was unable to walk away." = compound sentence, says Roberts.
3. "We fished all day, but (we) didn't catch a thing." = compound sentence, says Alexander.

a. As you know, when Alexander put "we" in parentheses, he is saying that "we" can be omitted, and it is still a compound sentence.

i. In #2, can we then omit "it" without hurting its status as a compound sentence? Just asking.

4. "The hotel was cheap but clean." = simple sentence, says Alexander, because the subject and verb have been omitted.
5. "Does the price include breakfast only, or dinner as well?" = simple, Alexander says. Same reason.

6. Regarding your command, I found this example: "Hand me the hammer, and then help me hold the board." = compound sentence, says Roberts. I dare not comment. You may wish to compare that sentence with your command.

7. "Colonel Cathcart had courage, and he never hesitated to volunteer." = compound sentence, says Hodges.
8. "Colonel Cathcart had courage and never hesitated to volunteer." = simple sentence, says Hodges.

9. "John and Mary enjoyed the performance and applauded wildly." = simple, says Opdycke.
10. "John and Mary enjoyed the performance and they applauded wildly." = compound, says Opdycke.

(By the way, I love #9 and #10 because Opdycke tells us that the compound sentence "distributes the meaning more emphatically.")


James


Sources: 1. Paul Roberts (who taught at Cornell University in the United States), Understanding English (1954).
2. L.G. Alexander, Longman English Grammar (1988).
3. John C. Hodges and Mary E. Whitten, Harbrace College Handbook (1972).
4. John B. Opdycke, Ph.D, Harper's English Grammar (1965).

Thank you for your sharing .You are "not ateacher" but you have a good quality to be my teacher .

Grammar is sometimes very complicated .It is not easy to distinguish A from B.

 

[otevia]

it is obvious there's no agreement even among grammarians over this matter, but the argument that an understood subject or an omitted subject still counts as subject of the second clause makes sense to me. I guess where the rules are not clear, one should apply common sense till there's a standard rule. Thanks to all the teachers and members of this forum; you've all been of great help.