COMPOUND-COMPLEX

SENTENCE
•That would be fine.
•You’re quite right.
•Okay, let’s go.
•It’s not good enough.
•I love it.
•It’s a pleasure.
•See you this evening.
A. Before we arrived at
school, we met up at the
coffee house across the
street.
B. Clara, who has an
incredible voice, was asked
to sing the school song.
1. My father and I went to the
movie that I had been wanted
to see, and then we went to the
restaurant near the theater.
2. Before they were friends,
Louisa and Julie knew Aimee,
but they didn’t realize that they
knew her until they met.
A compound-complex
sentence has two or more
independent clauses and
one or more dependent
clauses. It is a compound
sentence with dependent
clause/s.
Example #1:
My father and I went to
the movie that I had
been wanted to see, and
then we went to the
restaurant near the
 Independent clause: My
father and I went to the
Independent clause:
Independent clause:
My father and I went to the movie.
then we went to the restaurant near the

movie.
Theater.
Dependent clause: that I had been wanting to see

Independent clause: then we

went to the restaurant near
the Theater.
Dependent clause: that I had
been wanting to see
Example #2:
Before they were friends,
Louisa and Julie knew
Aimee, but they didn’t
realize that they knew
her until they met.
Dependent clause: Before they
were friends
Independent clause: Louisa and
Julie knew Aimee
Independent clause: They didn’t
realize
Dependent clause: that they
knew her
Dependent clause: until they met.
Work with your pair:
Identify how many
independent and dependent
clauses each sentence has.
Then underline all the
independent clauses and
box all the dependent
clauses.
1. We can put
together the puzzle,
which Aunt Lucy
brought, or we can
play the board game
that was in the closet.
We can put together
the puzzle, which
Aunt Lucy brought, or
we can play the board
game that was in the
closet.
2. The laptop that I
bought last year is still
working, but the new
one that my sister
bought me has
crashed.
The laptop that I
bought last year is still
working, but the new
one that my sister
bought me has
crashed.
3. The teacher showed
one class the movie
based on the book that
they had read, but the
other class didn’t have
time.
The teacher showed
one class the movie
based on the book that
they had read, but the
other class didn’t have
time.
4. Terri didn’t want to
get wet, but when her
sister pushed her into
the pool, she didn’t
have a choice.
Terri didn’t want to
get wet, but when her
sister pushed her into
the pool, she didn’t
have a choice.
5. The photographs
that Grandma had in
boxes in her attic were
faded and cracked, but
we were able to scan
and restore them for
her.
The photographs that
Grandma had in boxes
in her attic were faded
and cracked, but we
were able to scan and
restore them for her.
In each sentence, the
dependent clause is
underlined once.
Underline the
independent clauses
twice.
1. When I grow up, I
want to be a
ballerina, and my
mom is proud of me.
2. I will get to watch
television, but first, I
have to clean up the
dishes after we
finish eating.
3. We won the
game, but my
uniform was muddy
because it rained
the entire time.
4. After our trip to
the beach, school
started back, and I
was excited to see
my friends.
5. Sarah cried when
her cat got sick, but
he soon got better
Remember:
A compound-complex sentence
is composed of two or more
independent clauses and one or
more dependent or
subordinate clauses. It
combines the elements of
compound and complex
sentences.
Conjunctions are used
to connect the
independent clauses to
the dependent clause
or clauses.
Choose which of the following is a
compound-complex sentence:

1. a. I’d like to visit Quebec, but I

will have to start learning
French for my trip there.

b.I’d like to visit Quebec, but

because I don’t speak French,
I’ll have to start learning.
2. a. Although she was dismayed,
Nicole set off to the campsite alone;
she said goodbye to her friends
who’d decided not to join her.
b. Although she was dismayed,
Nicole set off to the campsite alone,
having said goodbye to her friends
who’d decided not to join her.
 3. a. Liza gets scared very easily,
•A

but she loves to watch scary movies,

and she will often stay up really
late watching movie marathons.
b. Although Lia gets scared very
easily, she nevertheless loves to
watch scary movies, and she will
often stay up really late watching
movie marathons.
4. a. Because of the fruitful
harvest, instead of eating a modest
Thanksgiving dinner, we filled our
plates with an abundance of food
that year.
b. Because of the fruitful harvest,
instead of eating a modest
Thanksgiving dinner, we filled our
plates to the brim; an abundance
of food was had that year.
5. a. Although she doesn’t like the
vegetarian kind, pizza is Michelle’s
favorite food; she loves the variety
of toppings that can go on it.
b. Although she doesn’t like the
vegetarian kind, pizza is Michelle’s
favorite food because she loves the
variety of toppings that can go on
it.
Assignment:
Write your own
compound-complex
sentences. Write at 3 in
your English notebook.