What is a multiple clause sentence

The Mastering the Mechanics webinar series also describes required sentence elements and varying sentence types. Please see these archived webinars for more information.

Key: Yellow, bold = subject; green underline = verb, blue, italics = object, pink, regular font = prepositional phrase

Independent clause: An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. It contains a subject and a verb and is a complete idea.

Dependent clause: A dependent clause is not a complete sentence. It must be attached to an independent clause to become complete. This is also known as a subordinate clause.

• Although I like spaghetti,…
• Because he reads many books,…

Subject: A person, animal, place, thing, or concept that does an action. Determine the subject in a sentence by asking the question “Who or what?”

Verb: Expresses what the person, animal, place, thing, or concept does. Determine the verb in a sentence by asking the question “What was the action or what happened?”

• I like spaghetti.
• He reads many books.
• The movie is good. (The be verb is also sometimes referred to as a copula or a linking verb. It links the subject, in this case "the movie," to the complement or the predicate of the sentence, in this case, "good.")

Object: A person, animal, place, thing, or concept that receives the action. Determine the object in a sentence by asking the question “The subject did what?” or “To whom?/For whom?”

• I like spaghetti .
• He reads many books .

Prepositional Phrase: A phrase that begins with a preposition (i.e., in, at for, behind, until, after, of, during) and modifies a word in the sentence. A prepositional phrase answers one of many questions. Here are a few examples: “Where? When? In what way?”

• I like spaghetti for dinner .
• He reads many books in the library .

English Sentence Structure

The following statements are true about sentences in English:

• A new sentence begins with a capital letter.
  • He obtained his degree.
  • A sentence ends with punctuation (a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point).
    • He obtained his degree.
    • A sentence contains a subject that is only given once.
      • Smith he obtained his degree.
      • A sentence contains a verb or a verb phrase.
        • He obtained his degree.
        • A sentence follows Subject + Verb + Object word order.
          • He (subject) obtained (verb) his degree (object).
          • A sentence must have a complete idea that stands alone. This is also called an independent clause.
            • He obtained his degree.

            Simple Sentences

            A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb, and it may also have an object and modifiers. However, it contains only one independent clause.

            Key: Yellow, bold = subject; green underline = verb, blue, italics = object, pink, regular font =prepositional phrase

            Here are a few examples:

            Compound Sentences

            A compound sentence contains at least two independent clauses. These two independent clauses can be combined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction or with a semicolon.

            Key: independent clause = yellow, bold ; comma or semicolon = pink, regular font ; coordinating conjunction = green, underlined

            Here are a few examples:

            • She completed her literature review , andshe created her reference list.
            • He organized his sources by theme ; then, he updated his reference list .
            • They studied APA rules for many hours , butthey realized there was still much to learn .

            Using some compound sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety.

            Complex Sentences

            A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Dependent clauses can refer to the subject (who, which) the sequence/time (since, while), or the causal elements (because, if) of the independent clause.

            If a sentence begins with a dependent clause, note the comma after this clause. If, on the other hand, the sentence begins with an independent clause, there is not a comma separating the two clauses.

            Key: independent clause = yellow, bold ; comma = pink, regular font ; dependent clause = blue, italics

            Here are a few examples:

            • Although she completed her literature review , she still needed to work on her methods section .
              • Note the comma in this sentence because it begins with a dependent clause.
              • Because he organized his sources by theme , it was easier for his readers to follow .
                • Note the comma in this sentence because it begins with a dependent clause.
                • They studied APA rules for many hoursas they were so interesting.
                  • Note that there is no comma in this sentence because it begins with an independent clause.
                  • Using some complex sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety.

                  Compound-Complex Sentences

                  Sentence types can also be combined. A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

                  Key: independent clause = yellow, bold ; comma or semicolon = pink, regular font ; coordinating conjunction = green, underlined ; dependent clause = blue, italics

                  • She completed her literature review , but she still needs to work on her methods sectioneven though she finished her methods course last semester.
                  • Although he organized his sources by theme , he decided to arrange them chronologically , andhe carefully followed the MEAL plan for organization .
                  • T hey studied APA rules for many hours , andthey decided that writing in APA made sensebecause it was clear, concise, and objective.
                  • Using some complex-compound sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety.
                  • Pay close attention to comma usage in complex-compound sentences so that the reader is easily able to follow the intended meaning.

                  Sentence Structure Video Playlist

                  Note that these videos were created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

                  • Structuring Sentences: Types of Sentences (video transcript)
                  • Structuring Sentences: Simple Sentences (video transcript)
                  • Structuring Sentences: Compound Sentences (video transcript)
                  • Structuring Sentences: Complex Sentences (video transcript)
                  • Structuring Sentences: Combining Sentences (video transcript)
                  • Common Error: Unclear Subjects (video transcript)
                  • Mastering the Mechanics: Punctuation as Symbols (video transcript)
                  • Mastering the Mechanics: Commas (video transcript)
                  • Mastering the Mechanics: Periods (video transcript)
                  • Mastering the Mechanics: Semicolons (video transcript)