Are these SIMPLE sentences?

Question

I just want to be absolutely sure. The following sentences are SIMPLE sentences, right?

I moved to Singapore and got a teaching position at a small college.

I went back to Malaysia and Japan many times and hope to be able to go back again next summer.

Many thanks.

Donna

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi Donna,

No. A simple sentence contains one main clause. These are compound sentences.

Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

I moved to Singapore and (I) got a teaching position at a small college.

I went backto Malaysia and Japan many times and (I) hope to be able to go back again next summer.

Each underlined part is an independent clause and could stand alone as a simple sentence. The ands not underlined are the cordinating cunjunctions that connect the independent clauses. Two or more connected independent clauses like these make compound sentences. The (I)s are not necessary unless you want to break them up and make four simple sentenses.

Df2006 · Answer

Clive, thanks again, for coming to my rescue.

But I seem to remember that there is a certain rule saying a simple sentence can have compound verb (or predicate).

Therefore, I have always thought that:

u I moved to and got a teaching position at a small college.

(simple sentence)

Whereas:

u I moved to , and I got a teaching position at a small college.

(compound sentence joined by a coordinating conjunction and a comma)

Any further comments on this, or maybe I've been mistaken all along?

Df2006 · Answer

Hi, Anonymous

Thank you for your explanation. But could you please also comment on my earlier post RE simple sentence can have compound verb?

Donna

Clive · Answer

Hi again,

But I seem to remember that there is a certain rule saying a simple sentence can have compound verb (or predicate).

Therefore, I have always thought that:

u I moved to Singapore and got a teaching position at a small college.

(simple sentence)

Whereas:

u I moved to Singapore, and I got a teaching position at a small college.

(compound sentence joined by a coordinating conjunction and a comma)

Any further comments on this, or maybe I've been mistaken all along? Yes, you have.

The choices to use a comma and to omit the 'I' make no difference to the basic sentence structure.

A simple sentence has one main clause. Mary cooked dinner.

A compound sentence has two or more main clauses. Mary cooked dinner and Tom ate it.

A complex sentence includes a subordinate clause. Mary cooked dinner because Tom was hungry.

A compound-complex sentence is Mary cooked dinner and Tom ate it because he was hungry.

Best wishes, Clive

BarbaraPA · Answer

Ah. I think she is asking whether a statement like "I washed and set my hair" can be simple - two verbs, but still one clause. And then, by extension "I washed my hair in the sink and set it in big rollers."

Clive · Answer

Hi,

"I washed and set my hair"

In extended form, this is two main clauses. "I washed (my hair) and (I) set my hair".

Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

0I came across this post on simple sentences. 02br
02br
00I have a query. Please help.02br
02br
00Birds fly. Birds sing.02br
02br
00How do I combine the above sentences into i)simple and ii)compound sentence?02br
02br
00Bill loves cooking. Tina loves cooking.02br
02br
00How do I combine the above sentences into i)simple and ii)compound sentence?02br
02br
00What I am confused about is how do we combine sentences to make a simple and a compound sentence when the subject in both sentences is same or verb in both sentences is same.0-

Clive · Answer

0Hi,02br
02br
01font00I came across this post on simple sentences. 02font02br
02br
01font00I have a query. Please help.02font02br
02br
01font00Birds fly. Birds sing.02font02br
02br
01font00How do I combine the above sentences into i)simple 00<<< They are already two simple sentences 02font02br
02br
01font00a02font01font00nd ii)compound sentence?02font00 01i00Birds fly and birds sing02i00. Or you can omit the repetition of the subject and say 01i00Birds fly and sing.02i02br
02br
01font00Bill loves cooking. Tina loves cooking.02font02br
02br
01font00How do I combine the above sentences into i)simple 02font00<<< They are already two simple sentences, but you could also say 01i00Bill and Tina love cooking02i00, ie make the subject plural (similar to saying 'they')02br
02br
01font00and ii)compound sentence? 00eg00 02font01i00Bill loves cooking and Tina loves cooking02i00 or 01i00Bill loves cooking and so does Tina02i00 or 01i00Bill loves cooking and Tina does, too.02i02br
02br
00Best wishes, Clive0-

Anonymous · Answer

0Thank you. 02br
00Birds fly. Birds sing.02br
00If I had to combine the above two simple sentences into one simple sentence, then can I say:02br
00Besides flying, birds also sing.02br
00Is there a better way to combine them into a simple sentence?02br
02br
00Please also help me with this one:02br
00Tom and Harry are guilty - I think (from your reply earlier, since we can treat Tom and Harry as they), that this is a simple sentence. Is that correct? 02br
00Tom as well as Harry is guilty - Is this simple or compound? I have been told that it is a compound sentence since we use the co-ordinator 'as well as'. Is that correct? 02br
00Can I say:02br
00Bill as well as Tina love cooking - Is this a simple sentence (since we can treat the two subjects as they). Does 'as well as' function the same way as 'and'?0-

Are these SIMPLE sentences?

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