Simple: Contains a subject and a verb and is a complete thought (independent clause)
(He ate an apple)
Compound: Contains two independent clauses combined with a coordinator.
(He ate an apple and walked to school)
Complex: Contains an independent clause and a dependent (can not be on its own) clause.
(He ate an apple after he finished his sandwich)
Relative clause: A dependent clause that begins with a W word (who,what etc) or “that”
(This is Joe, whom we met at the mall yesterday)
(Computer games that involve zombies are more fun that others.)
Appositive: is a noun or phrase that refers directly back to the main noun.
(The insect, an ant, is crawling across the kitchen table.)
(Tom, the messiest eater ever, spit his food all over the table.)
Past Participle: A past participle indicates past or completed action or time. It is often called the ‘ed’ form.
Combining sentences allows writers to avoid unnecessary repetition, provide emphasis and improve sentence variety. Here are a few examples of how to combine sentences:
Use a compound or complex sentence
Amit is an excellent cook. I like to eat at his house.
Amit is an excellent cook, so I like to eat at his house. (compound)
I like to eat at Amit’s house, for he is an excellent cook. (compound)
Since Amit is an excellent cook, I like to eat at his house. (complex)
I like to eat at Amit’s house, since he is an excellent cook. (complex)
Make a list
I am a good baseball player. I am a good swimmer. I am a good golfer.
I am a good baseball player, swimmer, and golfer.
Use an appositive or relative clause
Jason is an Eagle Scout. He is also an honour student.
Jason, an Eagle Scout, is also an honour student. (appositive)
Jason, who is an Eagle Scout, is also an honour student. (relative cl)
Use the past or present/ participle phrase
Kaysie was finished with the report. She left for the game.
Finished with the report, Kate left for the game. (past participle)
Kate, finished with the report, left for the game. (past participle)
Having finished the report, Kate left for the game. (present participle)
Kate, having finished the report, left for the game. (present participle)
