30 Complex Sentences Examples

So we can fully understand what complex sentences are, we need to understand two important concepts:

• A dependent clause is a group of words that has both a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a sentence. For Example: Where there is smoke

• An Independent Clause is a group of words made up of a subject and a predicate, it can stand alone as a sentence. For example. I have to buy food from the Supermarket

Now we understand what dependent and independent clauses are, we can define what a complex sentence is

In grammar, a complex sentence is a sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

A complex sentence is often used to make clear which ideas are most important, and which ideas are subordinate.

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Complex Sentences and Subordinating Conjunctions

A subordinating conjunction is a word or phrase that links a dependent clause to an independent clause.

Subordinating conjunctions have two main objectives.

• First, it provides a necessary transition between the two ideas in the sentence

• The second job of the subordinate conjunction is to reduce the importance of one clause so that a reader understands which of the two ideas is more important.

Complex sentences are often formed by putting these words at the beginning of the dependent clause.

after	once	until
although	provided that	when
as	rather than	whenever
because	since	where
before	so that	whereas
even if	than	wherever
even though	that	whether
if	though	while
in order that	unless	why

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Complex Sentences Examples

These are 25 examples of Complex Sentences

1. Wherever you go, you can always find good people.
2. I ate the meal that you cooked.
3. Although he was rich, he was still unhappy.
4. When she was younger, she believed in Santa Claus.
5. Although it was very long, the movie was still entertaining.

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1. I enjoyed the apple pie that you bought for me.
2. Stay in the bath until the phone rings.
3. My mom smiled when I made dinner
4. After I came home, I made dinner.
5. We visited the museum before it closed

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1. If the dog goes to the county fair, he will eat popcorn.
2. Stay in the room until the phone rings.
3. While he waited at the station, Joe realized that the train was late.
4. The football match was cancelled because it was raining.
5. Since we are already late, we don’t have time to stop.

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1. If you have found the page, please begin reading.
2. After being apart for years, he still had feelings for her.
3. We visited the museum before it closed.
4. When she was younger, she believed in ghosts
5. Because my coffee was too cold, I heated it in the microwave.

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1. Although the Justice League was very long, the movie was still enjoyable.
2. Because it was raining, the soccer match was cancelled.
3. Although I’m not very good, I really enjoy playing chess with my girlfriend
4. I learned English because I studied very hard.
5. Even though they were millionaires, they drive old cars.

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Differences Between Compound and Complex Sentences

One of the main differences between compound and complex sentences is that a compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses and a complex sentence is made of a dependent and independent clause

• I usually play soccer and my brother plays basketball ( Compound Sentence)
• I usually play soccer in the yard while my brother is watching TV (Complex Sentence)

As you can see in the examples, I usually play soccer, my brother plays basketball and I usually play soccer in the yard are independent clauses because they can stand on their own.

While my brother is watching TV is a dependent clause because it can’t stand on their own.

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Complex Sentences Video

This is a video that summarizes everything about complex sentences covered in this post.

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