What is a complex sentence? (2024)

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As you may have noticed from the examples above, a complex sentence can either start with the independent clause or the subordinate clause. If the subordinate clause comes first, you must add a comma. This is not needed if the independent clause comes first.

An independent clause contains a subject and a verb, it can stand alone as a complete thought.

The football match was cancelled.

A subordinate clause cannot stand alone, it needs to be linked to the independent clause to make sense.

Because it was raining.
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Put the two together and you have a complex sentence. Often the sentence will make sense whether the independent clause or the subordinate clause is put first;

Because it was raining, the football match was cancelled.
The football match was cancelled, because it was raining.

The difference between a compound sentence and a complex sentence.

Everyone can get confused between a compound sentence and a complex sentence, so here's an easy explanation:

A compound sentence has two independent clauses. Each of these clauses is equally important, they are joined by a co-ordinating conjunction that does not change the rank of either clause. For example;

He sang and she danced.
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Subject / verb / co-ordinating conjunction / subject / verb.

There are seven coordinating conjunctions that enable two clauses to be equal and they are worth taking the time to memorise;

A complex sentence has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. This means that the clauses are not equal, they use a co-ordinating conjunction that changes the rank of one or more of the clauses to make it less equal. For example;

My Dad laughed when I told a joke.
Independent clause / subordinating conjunction / dependent clause

If we took away the 'when', we would have two equal clauses; ‘My Dad laughed’ and ‘I told a joke.’ The use of the conjunction 'when' connects the clauses but displays a complex relationship between the two; indicating which is dominant and which is subordinate. Thus, a complex sentence.

There are lots of subordinating conjunctions (too many to memorisein fact!), but here are a few common examples;