Sentence types · CEFR B1 · Independent
Compound & complex — English sentence types
Two ideas in one sentence, joined so the link is clear.
The shape
clause + connector + clause
Join two ideas so the link between them is obvious.
In Hindi
एक ही वाक्य में दो बातें, इस तरह जुड़ी कि रिश्ता साफ़ दिखे।
CoCap explains every structure in both languages, because a rule you understand in Hindi is a rule you can use in English.
The mistake to fix first
The sentence Indian-English speakers actually produce, and the reason it is wrong.
| Commonly said | Correct English |
|---|---|
Although it was late, but we went. | Although it was late, we went. "Although" already carries the contrast; "but" repeats it. |
Easy to confuse with
Close enough to be mixed up with this one. Knowing the difference is most of knowing either.
- and / but / orA1Join two short sentences into one
- although / howeverB1Say two things that do not fit together
- Adverb clausesB1Attach a reason, a time or a contrast to a sentence
Questions people ask
- What is the compound & complex used for?
- Two ideas in one sentence, joined so the link is clear. In practice: join two ideas so the link between them is obvious.
- How do you form the compound & complex?
- clause + connector + clause.
- What is the most common mistake with the compound & complex?
- Saying “Although it was late, but we went.” instead of “Although it was late, we went.”. "Although" already carries the contrast; "but" repeats it.
Where compound & complex fits
Where this structure sits in the ladder, and what surrounds it.
Compound & complex is a CEFR B1 structure — the independent band — and it belongs to sentence types. CoCap’s syllabus files every structure this way so you can learn in order instead of jumping between whatever a search happened to return.
Reading it is not the same as saying it.
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