II. BUILDING COMPOUND AND COMPLEX SENTENCES
2. Complex Sentences: Joining an Independent Clause to a Dependent Clause
A complex sentence joins an independent clause to a dependent clause. Although both clauses are grammatically complete, the idea of the dependent clause is not complete. Joining an independent clause to a dependent clause completes the idea.
Examples
'After we eat dinner' is a dependent clause. Although it has a subject 'we' and a verb 'eat', the idea is not complete. The person who is listening to this or reading it will be left with a question, "Well, what will happen after we eat dinner?" You could complete the idea by adding an independent clause such as, "we will watch a movie."
Subordinating conjunctions (used with dependent clauses) connect clauses in a different way than coordinating clauses. Rather than going between the two clauses, they are always connected to the dependent clause. If the dependent clause moves, the subordinating conjunction moves with it—they are part of a 'family' that must stay together.
- If the dependent clause comes first in the sentence, the subordinating conjunction will be at the beginning of the sentence.
- A comma must come between the two clauses.
Examples
While we are watching a movie, we will eat pizza.
On the other hand:
• If the independent clause comes first in the sentence, the subordinating conjunction will be between the two clauses because the conjunction stays with the dependent clause, which now comes after the dependent clause.
• Here, a comma must come between the two clauses.
We will eat pizza while we are watching a movie.
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