K/H: How to write a compound-complex sentence

"Mrs. Wise, why do you keep on going with this compound-complex stuff?"

There are four basic sentence types in the English language: simple, compound, complex, and - you guessed it - compound-complex. You don't want to wander through life not having at one time mastered the basics of English... right?

Relax: It's not that bad. I'm not a grammar person (you know, one of those people), and even I can figure out how to write one.

First, you need to know the difference between coordinating conjunctions (commonly referred to as FANBOYS) and subordinating conjunctions (AWUBIS), as well as how those two things create independent and dependent clauses. If you're not sure, do some quick Googling; ChompChomp usually has easy-to-follow grammar material.

Next, let's try to put some together.

I always start by writing a compound sentence:

I went to the teacher's lounge, and the soda machine wouldn't take my dollar.

This is two complete thoughts (yellow), stuck together with a coordinating conjunction (pink). Notice that both complete thoughts have a subject and a verb, and if taken out of context, they still make sense on their own.

Now, you take that compound sentence and add a dependent clause. This will make a compound-complex sentence. A dependent clause always starts with a subordinating conjunction.

I went to the teacher's lounge, and the soda machine wouldn't take my dollar because it was crinkled.

Notice that "it was crinkled" has a subject and a verb and would make sense on its own, but the presence of a subordinating conjunction at the beginning of this clause makes it a dependent one. Also notice that because the dependent clause comes last, there is no comma before the subordinating conjunction.

Let's try a compound-complex sentence with the dependent clause in other places.

After I had EOC tutoring, I went to the teacher's lounge, and the soda machine wouldn't take my dollar.

Again, I just took the compound sentence and put the dependent clause at the beginning. Notice that because the dependent clause comes first, a comma is needed.

I went to the teacher's lounge after I had EOC tutoring, and the soda machine wouldn't take my dollar.

See? That's not so bad.