complex sentences in creative writing

What Is a Complex Sentence? A Guide with Examples

Marcus Froland

March 28, 2024

Understanding the building blocks of English can turn a simple conversation into an engaging story. One such cornerstone is the complex sentence . It’s not just about throwing words together; it’s about crafting sentences that breathe life into ideas. But what exactly makes a sentence complex, and why should you care?

The answer lies in the subtle dance of clauses and how they’re woven together. A complex sentence does more than convey a message; it adds depth, emotion, and clarity to what you’re trying to say. So, if you’ve ever wondered how to elevate your speaking or writing with this powerful tool, you’re in for a treat. The journey into mastering complex sentences starts here, but where it takes us is a story only time will tell.

A complex sentence is a type of sentence that combines one independent clause (a complete thought that can stand alone) with at least one dependent clause (a group of words that cannot stand alone as a sentence). The key to understanding complex sentences is knowing they show a relationship between ideas. This relationship often involves a connection like cause and effect, contrast, or time. For example, “Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk.” Here, “Although it was raining” is the dependent clause that adds context to the independent clause “we decided to go for a walk.”

Defining the Complex Sentence in English Grammar

A complex sentence can be best understood by examining its two core components: the independent clause and the dependent clause. When you define a  complex sentence , it is essential to recognize that it contains one independent clause that could stand alone as a complete sentence, paired with at least one dependent or subordinate clause that cannot stand alone. These sentences offer enriched context and detail within writing, often employing subordinating conjunctions as grammatical markers to bind the clauses together.

Complex sentences are invaluable constructs within English grammar, offering writers the tools to express comprehensive thoughts that simple sentences cannot fully capture. The proper understanding and application of grammar rules for complex sentences enable writers to develop a well-rounded writing style that is not only grammatically accurate but also engaging and expressive.

Let’s learn more about the complex sentence structure by looking at its essential components and the relationships between them:

• Independent clause: A complete sentence consisting of a subject and a predicate. An independent clause can stand alone as a coherent thought and does not rely on other clauses for its meaning.
• Dependent clause: A group of words that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and typically require an independent clause to convey a clear meaning. Dependent clauses often begin with a subordinating conjunction.
• Subordinating conjunction: A word or a group of words that connect dependent clauses to independent clauses. Subordinating conjunctions set the relationship between the two clauses and denote the purpose or goal of the dependent clause in the overall sentence.

‘Although the weather was harsh, they continued hiking.’ In this example, ‘Although the weather was harsh’ is the dependent clause, and ‘they continued hiking’ is the independent clause. The subordinating conjunction ‘although’ defines the relationship between the two clauses and explains the contrasting nature of the information presented.

Complex sentences are fundamental elements of English grammar that allow writers to articulate detailed and multi-layered thoughts effectively. By applying the proper grammar and understanding the relationships between independent and dependent clauses, writers can craft compelling, complex sentences to enhance their writing and communication skills.

The Anatomy of a Complex Sentence: Independent and Dependent Clauses

Complex sentences are built from the combination of independent and dependent clauses. Understanding the individual characteristics of these clauses and the role of subordinating conjunctions in connecting them is crucial to crafting effective, complex sentences in your writing.

What Makes a Clause Independent?

An independent clause is a complete sentence on its own, containing all the necessary elements, such as a subject and a predicate. It conveys a complete thought, maintaining coherence without needing any additional information, and does not rely on other clauses for its meaning. These standalone sentences can be as simple as:

“The cat sat on the mat.”

Or more complex, like:

“She studies for the exam while listening to music.”

Characteristics of Dependent Clauses

Dependent clauses, on the other hand, require an independent clause to form a complete idea, as they cannot stand alone. These incomplete sentences begin with subordinating conjunctions and serve to either complement the main clause or alter its meaning by providing additional information or context. Some key dependent clause characteristics include the presence of subordinating conjunctions , their reliance on independent clauses, and their function as subordinate clauses within the sentence.

Here are some examples of dependent clauses:

• “ Because she was tired , she went to bed early.”
• “He finished his work before his boss arrived .”

How Subordinating Conjunctions Bind Ideas Together

Subordinating conjunctions are the linguistic glue connecting independent clauses to their dependent counterparts. They indicate the relationship between the two and bring depth to the sentence’s overall meaning. These conjunctions can show a wide range of relationships, such as:

By understanding the function of subordinating conjunctions in connecting clauses and the characteristics of dependent and independent clauses, you can create complex sentences that convey sophisticated thoughts. This knowledge is essential in achieving nuanced grammar subordination in your writing.

Examples of Complex Sentences to Enhance Your Writing

Understanding and applying the structure of complex sentences in writing can significantly improve the depth and quality of your writing. In this section, we’ll provide you with several complex sentence examples and tips on how to write complex sentences effectively, exploring a range of subordinating conjunctions that can create diverse complex sentences, suitable for a wide array of writing needs, from academic to creative writing.

First, let’s take a look at the influence of the dependent clause’s position on punctuation and emphasis:

When a dependent clause comes before an independent clause, it usually requires a comma before the independent clause.

If a dependent clause follows an independent clause, the comma is often omitted, considering the emphasis of the sentence.

Let’s explore some complex sentence examples that showcase these punctuation rules:

• Because she practiced every day, Sarah became an expert pianist.
• Since they were on sale, I bought three oranges.
• She decided to go for a run, even though it was raining.

Now, let us look at a number of subordinating conjunctions that can help you break up long sentences and show how they relate to each other:

Mastering the art of sentence crafting by understanding the structure of complex sentences and their punctuation rules, as well as exploring different subordinating conjunctions, can greatly enhance your writing. Providing complex sentence examples and practicing regularly will help you develop the skills needed to create compelling and diverse complex sentences for both academic and creative writing purposes.

Why Use Complex Sentences? Advantages in Communication and Writing

Complex sentences offer several advantages in both communication and writing, making them essential components of expressive and sophisticated writing . By implementing these multifaceted structures in your work, you ultimately enhance the clarity and depth of your ideas. This section will explore the key benefits of utilizing complex sentences for effective communication and creating high-quality writing.

• Introduction of additional details: Complex sentences allow writers to incorporate more information within their text, enriching the content and providing a thorough understanding for readers.
• Clarification of the time sequence: The use of complex sentences can help in establishing the order of events mentioned in your writing, enabling readers to follow along with ease.
• Showing cause and effect or contrast: With complex sentences, you can depict causal relationships or contrasts between ideas, contributing to the overall coherence and logic of your message.

By embracing the advantages of complex sentences and integrating them into your work, you will find that your writing becomes more precise and nuanced. This, in turn, makes it easier for readers to comprehend your thoughts and engage with your work.

It is crucial to highlight the significance of complex sentences in academic writing . The ability to concisely convey sophisticated connections between ideas sets complex sentences apart from other sentence structures and makes them indispensable when presenting complex topics or arguments.

“In academic writing, the ability to connect and convey ideas is what turns information into knowledge. Complex sentences are invaluable tools for achieving that goal.” – Dr. Sandra Jones, linguistics professor and author

Writers who proficiently employ complex sentences in their work demonstrate a mastery of language, as they communicate nuanced thoughts and intricate relationships between ideas with ease. It is within the domain of effective communication and sophisticated writing that complex sentences truly shine, propelling your writing to new heights of clarity and depth.

Insights from Literature: Complex Sentences Across Famous Works

Famous literary works often employ complex sentences to convey profound or intricate thoughts, thereby adding richness and texture to the narrative. These sentences encapsulate the themes, emotions, and philosophical insights of the authors, exhibiting the power of complex sentence structures to shape the reader’s experience and understanding of a text. In this section, we explore some famous complex sentences in literature and analyze their impact on the reader.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens masterfully uses a complex sentence structure to establish a stark contrast between opposing states of existence in the opening line of his novel, A Tale of Two Cities . This sentence unstintingly mirrors the tumultuous nature of the French Revolution and sets the stage for the story’s dual themes of love and hate, life and death. While this sentence structure provides an immense level of detail, it also establishes clarity by separating conflicting ideas with commas and parallelism.

“In the midst of life, we are in death: Of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased?” – Thomas Cranmer, Book of Common Prayer

Thomas Cranmer’s complex sentence from the Book of Common Prayer highlights a fundamental human paradox: even as we live, we are destined to die. The dependent clause “Of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord” clarifies that our help and comfort can only come from a higher power, further deepening the significance of the sentiment expressed in the independent clause.

• Orhan Pamuk, Snow: “I would stare at the bright screen while a writer who had taken on my name and identity pretended to be inside my brain, watching me struggle with my obsessions and my life…”
• Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter: “In either case, there was very much the same solemnity of demeanour on the part of the spectators, as befitted a people amongst whom religion and law were almost identical, and in whose character both were so thoroughly interfused, that the mildest and the severest acts of public discipline were alike made venerable and awful.”
• James Joyce, Ulysses: “And as he sat in Eustace Street, Dublin, tipping in the beautiful thing, he saw pass him by something of a hind whose spouse stood some distance behind, a harm done to him for a harm done to another intertwined fate with fate and for thought another thought, husband with husband.”

Above is a list of famous complex sentences from renowned literary works. These examples show the versatility and power complex sentences have in enriching narratives, providing nuanced insights, and conveying profound thoughts

The use of literary complex sentences not only enhances the reader’s experience but also demonstrates the boundless possibilities of language when writers embrace complex sentence structures in their work.

The Role of Subordinating Conjunctions in Complex Sentences

Subordinating conjunctions play a pivotal role in creating complex sentences, as they establish the connection between independent and dependent clauses. They initiate the dependent clauses and serve as vital grammatical components that guide the flow and intricacy of a complex sentence. Employing subordinating conjunctions correctly is essential for crafting complex sentences that are both structurally sound and meaningful.

• Time-related subordinating conjunctions: after, before, since, until, when, whenever
• Causal subordinating conjunctions: because, now that, since, in order that, so that
• Contrast-related subordinating conjunctions: although, though, whereas, while
• Condition-related subordinating conjunctions: if, unless, provided that, in case

Interpreting the roles of different subordinating conjunctions is crucial in understanding complex sentence composition . Recognizing and categorizing them according to their functions — such as expressing time, causality, contrast, or condition — will enable you to become proficient in conveying complex ideas and relationships through your writing.

“Although it rained all day, we decided to continue with our picnic plans because we had already prepared everything.”

In the example above, the two subordinating conjunctions — although and because — provide an insight into how these conjunctions help establish relationships between independent and dependent clauses. The first conjunction, although , portrays contrast, while the second, because , presents the motive behind the subject’s decision. This intricate composition allows the writer to effectively express a more nuanced message compared to a simple sentence.

Utilizing the appropriate subordinating conjunctions in complex sentence composition enhances the overall coherence and clarity of your writing. By mastering the correct usage of these conjunctions, you’re able to create meaningful connections between your ideas and elevate your writing to new heights.

Constructing Your Complex Sentences: Tips and Practices

Mastering the art of constructing complex sentences can greatly enhance your writing and communication skills. By following some simple tips and practices, you can effectively incorporate complex sentences into your writing and convey your ideas with greater depth and clarity.

Begin by understanding the relationship between independent and dependent clauses and the role of subordinating conjunctions . Once you have a strong grasp of these concepts, focus on balancing the rhythm of your sentences and using punctuation correctly. For instance, if a dependent clause precedes the independent clause, use a comma to separate them; if the independent clause comes first, no comma is needed unless the dependent clause is nonessential to the main idea.

Finally, practice makes perfect. Consistently analyze and create complex sentences using various subordinating conjunctions in different contexts. Consider revising and editing your writing to improve the flow and clarity of your complex sentences. By honing these skills, you will be able to produce dynamic, engaging, and informative content that resonates with your audience and effectively delivers your message.

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Mastering Complex Sentences: A Guide to Writing Like a Pro

Are you looking to improve your writing skills? One way to enhance your writing is by using complex sentences. A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. These sentences are an essential tool in writing because they allow you to convey more information and add variety to your writing.

Learning how to create complex sentences can be a challenge, but it’s a skill that can be developed with practice. In this article, we’ll explore the different types of complex sentences, provide examples of how to use them, and offer tips on how to avoid common mistakes. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of how to use complex sentences to improve your writing.

Understanding Complex Sentences

As you advance in your English writing skills, you will encounter complex sentences. A complex sentence is a sentence that has one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. The dependent clause(s) in a complex sentence cannot stand alone as a sentence because they do not express a complete thought.

To create a complex sentence, you need to use a subordinating conjunction to connect the dependent clause to the independent clause. The subordinating conjunctions include words such as because, although, since, while, and if.

Here are some examples of complex sentences:

• Because I was tired, I went to bed early.
• Although I studied hard, I did not pass the test.
• Since it was raining, we decided to stay indoors.

In each of the above examples, the dependent clause is italicized, and the subordinating conjunction is bolded.

Complex sentences are useful when you want to provide more information to explain or modify your sentence’s main point. They can help you to express your ideas more clearly and precisely.

It is important to note that complex sentences are different from compound sentences. Compound sentences are sentences that have two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, so.

Here is an example of a compound sentence:

• I went to the store, and I bought some milk.

In this example, there are two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction “and.”

Components of Complex Sentences

Independent clauses.

An independent clause is a complete sentence that can stand alone. It contains a subject, verb, and expresses a complete thought. In a complex sentence, an independent clause is joined with one or more dependent clauses.

Here are some examples of independent clauses:

• She went to the store.
• I am going to the beach.
• They are playing soccer.

Dependent Clauses

A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It contains a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete thought. Dependent clauses are used to provide additional information to the independent clause in a complex sentence.

Here are some examples of dependent clauses:

• When she went to the store
• Although I am tired
• Because they are playing soccer

In a complex sentence, the dependent clause is joined to the independent clause with a conjunction. Common conjunctions used to join dependent clauses include “although,” “because,” “since,” and “when.”

Here are some examples of complex sentences with independent and dependent clauses:

• Although she was tired, she went to the gym.
• When the movie ended, we went to get ice cream.

In each of these examples, the dependent clause provides additional information to the independent clause. The use of complex sentences can make your writing more interesting and varied. However, it is important to use them correctly to avoid confusing your readers.

Remember to use a comma before the conjunction when joining an independent and dependent clause. Also, be sure to use the correct conjunction to show the relationship between the clauses.

Forming Complex Sentences

When you want to add more detail or explanation to your sentence’s main point, you can use complex sentences. These sentences contain one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The dependent clause provides additional information, and it cannot stand alone as a sentence. Here’s how to form complex sentences.

Using Subordinating Conjunctions

One way to form a complex sentence is by using subordinating conjunctions. These words connect the dependent clause to the independent clause, and they show the relationship between the two clauses. Here are some common subordinating conjunctions:

Using Relative Pronouns

Another way to form a complex sentence is by using relative pronouns. These words introduce the dependent clause, and they refer back to a noun or pronoun in the independent clause. Here are some common relative pronouns:

Remember that the dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence. It needs the independent clause to make sense. Here are some examples of complex sentences using subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns:

• Although it was late, she continued to work on her project.
• The man who won the race received a medal.
• Because the weather was bad, they decided to stay home.
• The book which I read last night was very suspenseful.

By using subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns, you can create complex sentences that provide more detail and explanation to your writing.

Punctuation in Complex Sentences

When it comes to complex sentences, punctuation is crucial to ensure clarity and avoid confusion. In a complex sentence, there are two or more clauses, and the way they are punctuated can significantly affect the meaning of the sentence.

The most common punctuation mark used in complex sentences is the comma. However, the use of commas depends on the type and position of the clauses. Here are some rules to keep in mind:

• Use a comma to separate two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so). For example: You can come to the party, but you have to bring a gift.
• Use a comma after a dependent clause that comes before an independent clause. For example: If you study hard, you will pass the exam.
• Do not use a comma after an independent clause that comes before a dependent clause. For example: I will go to the gym if I have time.
• Use commas to set off non-essential clauses or phrases. For example: The book, which I read last week, was excellent.
• Do not use a comma to separate essential clauses or phrases. For example: The man who stole my wallet was caught by the police.

It’s important to note that the use of commas in complex sentences can vary depending on the writer’s style and preference. However, it’s essential to be consistent and avoid ambiguity .

In addition to commas, other punctuation marks can also be used in complex sentences. Here are some examples:

• Semicolon: Use a semicolon to separate two independent clauses that are not joined by a coordinating conjunction. For example: She is a great singer; her voice is amazing.
• Colon: Use a colon to introduce a list or an explanation. For example: There are three things you need to do: study, practice, and believe in yourself.
• Dash: Use a dash to indicate a sudden change in thought or to emphasize a point. For example: I love pizza – who doesn’t?

In conclusion, punctuation plays a crucial role in complex sentences. By following the rules and guidelines, you can ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and easy to understand. Remember to use punctuation marks appropriately and consistently to avoid confusion.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When it comes to complex sentences, there are a few common mistakes that writers tend to make. Here are some tips on how to avoid these mistakes and improve your writing:

Run-On Sentences

One of the most common mistakes in complex sentences is creating run-on sentences. A run-on sentence is a sentence that contains two or more independent clauses that are not properly separated. To avoid run-on sentences, you can use one of the following methods:

• Use a period to separate the two independent clauses into two separate sentences.
• Use a semicolon to separate the two independent clauses.
• Use a coordinating conjunction (and, or, but, so, yet, for, nor) to join the two independent clauses.

Example: You can avoid run-on sentences by using proper punctuation; for example, a period, semicolon, or coordinating conjunction.

Sentence Fragments

Another common mistake in complex sentences is creating sentence fragments. A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence that is missing a subject, verb, or both. To avoid sentence fragments, make sure that each sentence has a subject and a verb.

Example: Avoid sentence fragments by making sure that each sentence has a subject and a verb.

Dangling Modifiers

A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word that is not in the sentence. This mistake can make your writing confusing and difficult to understand. To avoid dangling modifiers, make sure that the modifier is placed next to the word it is modifying.

Example: To avoid dangling modifiers, make sure that the modifier is placed next to the word it is modifying.

Misplaced Modifiers

A misplaced modifier is a word or phrase that is placed in the wrong part of the sentence, making the sentence unclear or confusing. To avoid misplaced modifiers, make sure that the modifier is placed next to the word it is modifying.

Example: To avoid misplaced modifiers, make sure that the modifier is placed next to the word it is modifying.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can create complex sentences that are clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Congratulations! You now have a good understanding of complex sentences. You know that they contain one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, and that they can be used to add detail and complexity to your writing.

You also know that subordinating conjunctions like “because,” “since,” and “until” are often used to connect clauses in complex sentences. Remember to use these conjunctions correctly and to avoid common errors like comma splices and run-on sentences.

To help you remember the key points of complex sentences, here is a quick summary:

• Complex sentences contain one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
• Use subordinating conjunctions like “because,” “since,” and “until” to connect clauses.
• Be careful to avoid common errors like comma splices and run-on sentences.

Now that you have a solid understanding of complex sentences, you can start using them in your own writing. Remember to practice and experiment with different sentence structures to find what works best for you. Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common conjunctions used in complex sentences?

Common conjunctions used in complex sentences include “although,” “because,” “since,” “when,” and “while.” These conjunctions are used to connect the dependent clause to the independent clause.

What is the difference between a complex sentence and a compound sentence?

A complex sentence has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, while a compound sentence has two or more independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction. In other words, a complex sentence has a dependent clause and an independent clause, while a compound sentence has two or more independent clauses.

What are some examples of complex sentences with dependent clauses?

Here are some examples of complex sentences with dependent clauses:

• Although I was tired, I stayed up late to finish my project.
• Because it was raining, we decided to stay inside and watch a movie.
• Since she had a lot of homework to do, she couldn’t go to the party.

How do you identify a complex sentence?

To identify a complex sentence, look for a sentence that has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The dependent clause will usually start with a subordinating conjunction such as “although,” “because,” or “since.”

What are some strategies for writing clear and effective complex sentences?

To write clear and effective complex sentences, make sure that the dependent clause is connected to the independent clause in a logical and clear way. Use subordinating conjunctions appropriately, and make sure that the dependent clause is not too long or complicated. Also, try to vary the length and structure of your sentences to keep your writing interesting.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing complex sentences?

Common mistakes to avoid when writing complex sentences include using too many dependent clauses, using subordinating conjunctions incorrectly, and making the dependent clause too long or complicated. It’s also important to make sure that the dependent clause is connected to the independent clause in a clear and logical way.

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General Education

What makes someone a “good” writer? While there are lots of answers to that question, one thing most great writers do is vary their sentence structure. They mix long, flowing sentences with short, powerful ones to communicate their points. 

But don’t worry: you can learn to do this, too! It starts with understanding different types of sentences and their structures. One type of sentence you’ve probably heard of that can add variety and depth to your writing is a complex sentence. But what are complex sentences, exactly? 

We’re here to help you understand exactly what complex sentences are and why they’re important by covering the following in this article: 

• Answering the question, “What is a complex sentence?”
• Discussing when to use complex sentences
• Reviewing the different parts of complex sentences 
• Explaining the difference between complex sentences, compound sentences, and compound-complex sentences 

Ready to become a complex sentence wizard? Then let's get started!

What Is A Complex Sentence? 

Here’s a pretty straightforward complex sentence definition: a complex sentence is made up of two clauses, one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.  

And that’s it! That’s the definition of a complex sentence. But it’s probably pretty obvious that in order to write complex sentences of your own, you need to understand what a clause is. A clause is a part of a sentence that contains a subject and a verb . The subject is the person or entity taking action in the clause, and the verb is the action that the subject is taking. These clauses fall into two category types: independent clauses and dependent clauses. 

Independent Clauses

Both independent clauses and dependent clauses --the types of clauses that make up complex sentences--have a subject and a verb . But how do you know when you’re dealing with an independent clause vs. a dependent clause? Here’s the difference between the two: an independent clause can stand alone as a sentence, and a dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence.  

In other words, if you broke up a complex sentence into its individual clauses, the independent clause could make a new sentence all by itself. Here are some examples of complex sentences where we’ve bolded the independent clause.

Independent Clause #1: Because she was late for school, Cora has detention this afternoon. 

Independent Clause #2: We’re definitely going to the Lizzo concert even though it’s supposed to rain. 

See how the bold part of the sentence, i.e. the independent clause, can make a sentence all by itself? 

Dependent Clauses

But if you tried to make the dependent clause into its own sentence, it wouldn’t make any sense on its own. Take a look at the not bolded sections of the sentences above. If you walked up to your friend and said “Because she was late for school,” your friend would have no idea what you were talking about! That’s because you need an independent clause to understand what a dependent clause means. In other words, dependent clauses rely on independent clauses in order to make sense! 

Dependent clauses don’t make sense on their own because they begin with something called a subordinating conjunction that subordinates, or makes the clause dependent on the independent clause . Here’s a list of subordinating conjunctions to help you identify where a dependent clause begins in a complex sentence: 

Now, let’s take a look at some of those subordinating conjunctions in action. In the examples below, we’ve put the dependent clause in bold and underlined the subordinating conjunction: 

Dependent Clause #1: After the store closed, the manager locked the doors. 

Dependent Clause #2: They checked for an oil leak before they started the car . 

Dependent Clause #3: Even though they waited for an hour , their food never came. 

See how the subordinating conjunction helps us find the dependent clauses? Knowing what to look for makes finding a dependent clause a lot easier. 

Independent Clauses + Dependent Clauses = Complex Sentences

Thee three examples above also show us how dependent clauses need to be paired with independent clauses for them to make sense. The independent clauses (which aren’t bolded) reveal what happened after the store closed, what they did or what happened before they started the car, and what did or didn’t happen even though they waited for an hour. 

And that’s why dependent clauses can’t stand alone--they need an independent clause to go with them in order to form a complete thought, which creates a complex sentence!

We’re going to look at more examples of dependent clauses, independent clauses, and how they come together to form complex sentences in a bit, but let’s talk about when to use complex sentences first.

When to Use Complex Sentences

Maybe you aren’t sure when it’s appropriate or necessary to use a complex sentence in your own writing. One way to decide when to use a complex sentence is to think about what meaning or information you want to convey.  

When you use simple sentences, it’s difficult to convey much more information than a single action that a single subject took. But when you use complex sentences, you can convey cause and effect, the progression of events, and other critical information. You can also use complex sentences to elaborate on a claim, compare and contrast ideas, and combine ideas that are similar into one point. You can see how a complex sentence can add clarity that a simple sentence can’t in this example: 

Simple Sentence: I’m going swimming! 

Complex Sentence: I’m going swimming even though there are sharks in the water! 

Another reason to use complex sentences is sentence variety, which is one way you can take your writing to the next level . Sentence variety is when you use different types of sentence structures in your writing in a strategic, intentional way . A piece of writing that is made up of varied sentence structures can be much more engaging for people to read. Writing that doesn’t strategically use a variety of sentences can often strike readers as boring and monotonous, and no writer wants that!

Here’s an example of a paragraph that doesn’t have sentence variety . This paragraph is only made up of simple sentences , which consist of a subject, a verb, and a predicate. These three elements come together to create one independent clause: 

I went to the store on Thursday. I bought chips and salsa. I drove home. I ate the chips and salsa. I watched TV. I got tired at midnight. I went to bed. 

You see how robotic and choppy that paragraph is? That’s because it’s made up of one type of sentence only--simple sentences. Creating sentence variety by incorporating some complex sentences could help this paragraph have better flow , and someone reading this paragraph would be less likely to get frustrated or bored. 

The example paragraph above would sound a bit different if the writer incorporated complex sentences. Here’s what the paragraph above could sound like if some of the simple sentences were rewritten as complex sentence s: 

I went to the store on Thursday because I wanted to buy some chips and salsa. After I drove home, I ate the chips and salsa. I watched TV until I got tired at midnight. I went to bed.  

Incorporating complex sentences lets you combine similar ideas, express cause and effect, and clarify ideas by adding important details. And as an added bonus: complex sentences make this paragraph much more pleasant to read. 

Just remember: if you aren’t sure when to use complex sentences, just think about what type of writing you’re doing, what your goals are for your writing, and check what you’ve already written for sentence variety. That should help you decide when it could be effective to incorporate a complex sentence!

3 Complex Sentence Examples

Let’s look at three complex sentence examples to help you get a better idea of what a complex sentence looks like, what the parts of a complex sentence are, and how to break down complex sentences into their parts so you can identify them on your own in the future!

Example #1: Independent Clause, Dependent Clause

While complex sentences must have one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, the clauses can go in any order. Here’s an example of a complex sentence where the independent clause comes first, and the dependent clause comes second: 

I didn’t go to the store because I already had chips and salsa at home. 

Can you tell that there are two clauses in that sentence, and where one clause ends and the next begins? Let’s break the sentence down into the independent clause and the dependent clause: 

Independent clause: I didn’t go to the store

Dependent clause: because I already had chips and salsa at home. 

The independent clause-- I didn’t go to the store -- can stand alone as a sentence because it forms a complete thought. The dependent clause-- because I already had chips and salsa at home --can’t stand alone as a sentence. It doesn’t form a complete thought! 

Also note that there isn’t a comma before the subordinating conjunction. In most instances, you don’t need to separate a dependent clause with a comma when it comes after an independent clause!

Example #2: Dependent Clause, Independent Clause

Next, we’ll look at a second complex sentence where the dependent clause comes first, and the independent clause comes second. This type of complex sentence is called a periodic sentence --a sentence where the essential information doesn’t come until the end of the sentence. 

Complex sentences that place the essential information at the end of the sentence can create a sense of suspense in your writing! We’ll use the same sentence from above so you can get an idea of how you can rewrite sentences for sentence variety:

Because I already had chips and salsa at home, I didn’t go to the store. 

You already know which clause is the dependent clause-- because I already had chips and salsa at home-- and which clause is the independent clause-- I didn’t go to the store. But do you see how the clauses in complex sentences can be rearranged and the sentence still makes sense? This is something to keep in mind when you’re trying to add variety to your writing: you can move the clauses around in complex sentences!

One last tip: when a dependent clause comes before an independent clause, you separate them with a comma. 

Example #3: Two Dependent Clauses

We’ve looked at two similar complex sentence examples, so now let’s look at a third example that’s a little bit different from the first two: 

Even though I was nervous about the date, I had a really great time after we started talking. 

We know this is a complex sentence because it’s made up of a dependent clause and an independent clause. But this complex sentence has two dependent clauses . Let’s break this complex sentence down into its three clauses so we’re on the same page: 

Dependent clause: Even though I was nervous about the date,

Independent clause: I had a really great time

Dependent clause: after we started talking. 

Some complex sentences include multiple dependent clauses to add more context to the essential information conveyed by the independent clause , like in the example above!

Now let’s talk about how to use those commas. Remember: complex sentences that begin with a dependent clause need a comma between the dependent and independent clauses , and sentences that begin with an independent clause don’t need a comma separating the independent clause and the dependent clause. 

In this case, we need to use both comma rules. To make this grammatically correct, we need to add a comma after the first dependent clause (since it comes before the independent one). We don’t need a comma between the independent clause and the second dependent clause since the dependent clause comes second! 

Now that we’ve talked through complex sentences and looked at some complex sentence examples, let’s discuss the difference between two types of sentences that are commonly confused with each other: compound sentences and complex sentences. 

Compound Vs. Complex Sentences: What’s the Difference? 

Complex sentences are sometimes confused with compound sentences, but they aren’t the same thing! We defined complex sentences as sentences that are made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause, but what’s a compound sentence?  

A compound sentence is made up of at least two independent clauses that are joined by a coordinating conjunction (remember that for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so are coordinating conjunctions). Unlike complex sentences, compound sentences don’t have a dependent clause . And, unlike complex sentences, the two clauses that make up a compound sentence can be separated and made into their own, stand-alone sentences. 

Put another way, you could also describe compound sentences as being made up of two simple sentences.

Let’s look at a couple of examples of compound sentences so you can see how they’re different from complex sentences! Here’s one example of a compound sentence:  

I cooked dinner, but I didn’t set the table. 

The sentence above is a compound sentence because it’s made up of the following independent clauses: 

Independent Clause #1 : I cooked dinner,

Independent Clause #2: but I didn’t set the table. 

Each of those clauses could stand alone as simple sentences, right? Both clauses also convey information that is essential to understanding the full meaning of the sentence. They’re also separated by the coordinating conjunction, “but.”

Though the independent clauses in compound sentences are often separated by a comma and coordinating conjunction, the clauses in a compound sentence can also be separated by a semicolon, which means that there’s no need for a coordinating conjunction.

Here’s an example of a compound sentence with independent clauses separated by a semicolon: 

The cat ran away; the children were devastated. 

Just like in the first example of a compound sentence, the two (really sad!) independent clauses in the sentence above can function as sentences by themselves. They’re just separated by a semicolon instead of a comma and coordinating conjunction. 

So, to tell the difference between complex and compound sentences, you just need to remember that a complex sentence is made up of an independent and a dependent clause, and a compound sentence is made up of independent clauses and no dependent clauses!

Next, we’ll look at another type of complex sentence: the compound-complex sentence. 

What Compound-Complex Sentences Are (And When to Use Them)

In addition to complex sentences and compound sentences, there are also compound-complex sentences . Since this type of sentence is named after both compound and complex sentences, it makes sense that a compound-complex sentence would combine some of the characteristics of complex and compound sentences, right? That’s pretty much exactly what it does! 

A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses (like a compound sentence) and one or more dependent clauses (like a complex sentence). 

Since compound-complex sentences combine some of the components of complex sentences and compound sentences, you might be wondering whether compound-complex sentences count as complex sentences and as compound sentences. Technically, yes! Since compound-complex sentences include all of the minimum clauses required to make a complex sentence and a compound sentence, you could say that compound-complex sentences count as both . But compound-complex sentences go above and beyond the required components of compound and complex sentences, so that’s why they need to be called by their proper name: compound-complex sentences. 

Since compound-complex sentences contain more clauses and types of clauses, they’re a more sophisticated type of sentence. You can use compound-complex sentences to add greater complexity and depth to your writing style . Compound-complex sentences really allow you to infuse your writing with detail and context, like explaining when something happened, why it happened, and/or how it happened. 

Because you can include multiple independent and dependent clauses in compound-complex sentences, you’re able to give your reader even more essential and supplementary information about a scenario or story in a single sentence . This can be an important tool for making sure your readers understand what you’re trying to say. (They’re also a great way to add sentence variety to your writing.) 

3 Examples of Compound-Complex Sentences

To help you get a better idea of what this type of sentence looks like in action, we’ve pulled together three compound-complex sentence examples and broken them down so you can see the different parts of compound-complex sentences and how they work together.

Example #1: Ending With Two Independent Clauses 

Though Jada was afraid, she gathered her courage and she opened the door. 

We know that compound-complex sentences contain at least three clauses, so let’s break down the clauses in that sentence:

The sentence above qualifies as a compound-complex sentence because it’s composed of at least one dependent clause and two independent clauses. 

Example #2: Starting With Two Independent Clauses

Khalid got on the road early, but he arrived late because he hit rush hour traffic.   

This example of a compound-complex sentence has three clauses, but in contrast to the first example, it begins with two independent clauses that are separated by a coordinating conjunction, “but.” Instead of beginning with a dependent clause, this sentence ends with a dependent clause that is introduced with the subordinating conjunction “because.” Here’s a breakdown of the clauses in the sentence above:  

Independent clause : Khalid got on the road early, 

Independent clause : but he arrived late 

Dependent clause: because he hit rush hour traffic. 

Now, remember, most of the time, you don’t need a comma to separate independent clauses and dependent clauses if the dependent clause comes after the independent clause , like in the example above. 

Example #3: Two Independent Clauses and Two Dependent Clauses

After everyone went home, though the kitchen was a mess, I left the dirty dishes out and I went to bed. 

This example includes two independent clauses--like the first two examples- -but differs from the first two examples because it includes two dependent clauses . 

It’s pretty easy to pick out where the clauses are split up in the example above because of the commas, but let’s go ahead and break it down: 

Dependent Clause: After everyone went home, 

Dependent Clause: though the kitchen was a mess, 

Independent Clause: I left the dirty dishes out, 

Independent Clause: and I went to bed. 

In this case, you can find the dependent clauses by looking for subordinating conjunctions (“after” and “though”). The independent clauses are easier to find, especially since they’re joined by “and”...which you now know is a coordinating conjunction! 

As you can see, compound-complex sentences can start getting pretty long depending on how many clauses you include! But that’s actually one of the perks of compound-complex sentences: they allow you to effectively communicate an extended idea or part of a story or argument. This means that compound-complex sentences can play an important role in sentence variety in your writing, just like complex sentences and compound sentences. 

6 Question Quiz: Practice Your New Sentence Knowledge!

We’ve covered a lot of info about complex, compound, and compound-complex sentences, so it might be helpful to review what you’ve learned. 

Take a crack at answering the following six questions about the types of sentences we’ve covered , and see if you can pick out the correct examples of each type of sentence as well!

1) What’s the difference between an independent clause and a dependent clause?

a) An independent clause has a subject and a verb, but a dependent clause doesn’t. b) An independent clause can stand-alone as a sentence, but a dependent clause can’t. c) An independent clause always includes an adjective, but a dependent clause doesn’t.

2) What is a complex sentence? 

a) A complex sentence is made up of two independent clauses.  b) A complex sentence is made up of two dependent clauses. c) A complex sentence is made up of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. 

3) What’s the definition of a compound-complex sentence?

a) A compound-complex sentence is made up of at least two dependent clauses and at least one independent clause.  b) A compound-complex sentence is made up of at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. c) A compound-complex sentence is made up of two independent clauses and two dependent clauses. 

4) Which of the following is an example of a complex sentence? 

a) I went for a quick walk while the sun was out. b) I waited on the sun to come out, and I went for a quick walk. c) Though it had been drizzling all morning, I waited for the sun to come out, and I went for a quick walk.

5) Which of the following is an example of a compound sentence? 

a) We played hard, and we won the game.  b) We won the game because we played hard. c) We won the game, we played hard. 

6) Which of the following is an example of a compound-complex sentence?

a) After we went swimming, though we were tired, we went to the movies.  b) Though we were tired, we went to the movies, and we had a great time.  c) After we went swimming, we weren’t tired, we went to the movies.

So, how did you do? If you got B, C, B, A, A, and B, you totally aced it! 

If you didn’t, that’s okay: luckily for you, it’s easy to practice identifying complex sentences.  All you have to do is look at real-life writing examples like books, academic articles, or sample papers. They’ll contain a variety of sentence types, so you’ll have plenty of practice picking out complex sentences. 

What's Next?

When it comes to sentences, there’s a lot to learn. This post will help you find sentence fragments and run-ons in your writing , and this post will give you general strategies for identifying sentence errors .

Knowing your way around sentence structure is key to writing killer admissions essays. Did you know that we have comprehensive guides for tackling admissions essays for the nation’s top colleges? We have comprehensive guides to admissions essays for Harvard , Notre Dame , USC , Yale , and more!

But before you tackle admissions essays , you’ll have to knock your SAT and ACT essays out of the park . Check out our comprehensive guides to acing your SAT essays and your ACT essays to set yourself up for success.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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11 days ago

Can You Start a Sentence with Because?

How to use a semicolon, what is a complex sentence, your welcome or you’re welcome, how to improve grammar.

Ever tried to build a piece of IKEA furniture without a manual? That’s what writing can feel like if you don’t understand complex sentences. But if you do know how to use them, your writing transforms from basic assembly instructions to a symphony of ideas. Let’s see how all this works. And we promise, no Allen wrenches are required.

What is a Complex Sentence?

We all know from the early days of schooling that a few words together make sentences. They’re the building blocks of our communication, much like the tiny Lego pieces that hold our grand constructions together. Sentences come in different flavors: simple, compound, and complex, each with its characteristics. They can express statements, questions, exclamations, or commands, each performing distinct functions in communication.

A complex sentence is made up of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone, while the dependent clause, though related, cannot exist separately and needs the independent clause to make sense.

So, how do you spot these tasty sentences? Look for sentences that have a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. Subordinate clauses often start with words like “because,” “although,” “since,” “if,” “when,” and “while.” For example:

Other ways to identify a complex sentence is by relative pronouns and punctuation. Pronouns like “which”, “that”, “who”, “whom”, “whose” introduce clauses that modify nouns, and a comma often separates the dependent clause from the independent clause if the dependent clause comes first.

Get all your complex sentences checked for punctuation

When to use complex sentences vs simple sentences.

Complex sentences are your best friend when you want to show the relationship between ideas, add depth to your writing, and convey more information. They allow the writer to connect ideas elegantly and emphasize certain points over others. They are perfect for explanations, descriptions, and showing cause and effect. Use them to:

However, try not to overuse them. In certain types of writing, like instructions or action scenes, shorter sentences might work better to maintain clarity and pace. Simple sentences make instructions easier to follow and action scenes remain dynamic and fast-paced.

• Action Scenes : “She ran to the door. She opened it quickly.”

Simple sentences are effective in action scenes because they create a fast-paced, dynamic flow that mirrors the urgency and rapid progression of events. They allow the reader to follow the action easily without getting bogged down by complex structures.

2. Instructions : “Press the button. Wait for the light to turn green.”

When giving instructions, simplicity is key to prevent confusion. Simple sentences break down tasks into clear, manageable steps, making it easier for the reader to follow along and execute the instructions correctly.

3. Conveying Urgency: “Call 911. Stay calm.”

In emergencies or situations requiring immediate action, simple sentences deliver the message quickly and unambiguously, ensuring that the reader understands exactly what needs to be done without delay.

4. Highlighting Key Points: “Study hard. Get good grades.”

When you want to emphasize important points or principles, simple sentences can make your message more impactful and memorable by stripping away any unnecessary words.

5. Introducing New Concepts: “Photosynthesis is a process. Plants use it to make food.”

When introducing new or complex concepts, starting with simple sentences helps to build a foundational understanding before delving into more intricate details. This approach ensures that the reader grasps the basics before moving on to more complex explanations.

6. Summarizing Information: “Exercise regularly. Eat a balanced diet.”

Simple sentences are excellent for summarizing key takeaways or providing concise advice. They distill information into its most essential elements, making it easy for the reader to remember and apply.

7. Creating Dramatic Effect: “The lights went out. Silence filled the room.”

In narrative writing, simple sentences can be used to create dramatic pauses or build suspense, allowing the reader to feel the intensity of the moment.

How to Make Complex Sentences

Creating complex sentences depends on the context and style of your writing. But first of all, it requires an understanding of a few important grammar concepts that often work together in a team when it comes to this type of sentence. They are  independent clauses, dependent clauses, and subordinating conjunctions. 

• An independent clause is like an adult who can live on their own. It expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. 
• A dependent clause , on the other hand, is like a teenager who still needs support. It cannot be used on its own and needs to be connected to an independent clause.
• Subordinating conjunctions are the glue that holds complex sentences together. They introduce dependent clauses and show the relationship between the dependent and independent clauses. Common subordinating conjunctions include “although,” “because,” “since,” “unless,” “while,” and “if.”

Now you know the elements and the structure of complex sentences. All you need to do is to practice. Mastering complex sentences is an invaluable skill for any writer. By understanding how to use independent and dependent clauses along with subordinating conjunctions, you can add depth and clarity to your writing. Complex sentences help you convey complicated ideas, show relationships between concepts, and create a more engaging and sophisticated narrative. Practice incorporating complex sentences into your writing to enhance your communication and captivate your readers with your command of language.

Why are complex sentences important?

Complex sentences are important because they allow writers to show the relationship between ideas, add detail, and convey more information in a single sentence. They make writing more engaging and nuanced.

What are some common subordinating conjunctions?

Some common subordinating conjunctions include because, although, since, if, when, while, even though, unless, and as soon as.

Can a complex sentence start with a dependent clause?

Yes, a complex sentence can start with a dependent clause. For example, “Although it was raining, we went for a walk.” In this case, the dependent clause “Although it was raining” comes first, followed by the independent clause “we went for a walk.”

How can I practice writing complex sentences?

You can practice writing complex sentences by combining simple sentences using subordinating conjunctions, expanding your ideas with additional details, and reading examples of complex sentences in well-written articles or books. Writing exercises that focus on sentence combining can also be helpful.

What is the difference between a complex sentence and a compound sentence?

A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, while a compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (e.g., and, but, or) or a semicolon. For example, “She finished her assignment, and she went to bed” is a compound sentence, whereas “Although she was tired, she finished her assignment before going to bed” is a complex sentence.

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What is a Complex Sentence? (Definition, Examples, Guide)

How does a person use a complex sentence correctly in their writing? As with any other type of sentence, there are certain rules for constructing a complex sentence. Keep reading to discover what elements a complex sentence contains, examples of complex sentences, and how these examples differ from other types of sentences .

What are complex sentences?

A complex sentence is a sentence that contains an independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Typically, these statements are used to include more information to modify or explain a sentence’s main idea.

To connect clauses , complex sentences often use a subordinate conjunction like “since” or “because.”

The most common type of complex sentences are conditional sentences, which use an “if-then sentence structure).

Therefore , if one clause is true, then the other must also be true.

Although they share similarities with compound sentences, complex sentences are a little different.

Additionally, complex statements are different from simple sentences.

The primary distinction complex sentences contain from other types of sentences is that they include a dependent clause.

What is a subordinating conjunction?

Subordinating conjunctions are the words or phrases that connect a dependent clause to an independent clause.

Most often, subordinating conjunctions signal a cause and effect relationship or a shift in time and place between the two clauses.

Some of the most common subordinating conjunctions include:

• Provided that

Dependent clauses that begin with a subordinating conjunction are called subordinate clauses.

Again, subordinating clauses cannot be written as a complete statement on their own; they must have more information to form a complete thought.

Coordinating conjunctions

It’s important to note that subordinating conjunctions are different from coordinating conjunctions .

These conjunctions are words that join two independent clauses of equal grammatical rank.

They can join two verbs, two nouns , two phrases, two independent clauses, or two adjectives .

There are only seven coordinating conjunctions, which are the following terms:

To make it easier to remember, use the acronym FANBOYS .

Dependent clause

As previously mentioned, complex sentences must contain at least one dependent clause.

Dependent clauses cannot act as a complete sentence on their own.

Rather, dependent clauses require an independent clause connected to them.

Still, a dependent clause always contains a subject and a verb .

The detail that makes a dependent clause different is that it typically begins with a subordinating conjunction.

Examples of dependent clauses

“Because my dad asked for more soda…”

“If he were to study more often than one night a week…”

“Whenever Gertrude gets back…”

As you can see , these examples cannot stand alone as a sentence.

Rather, they express partial thoughts and require more information to form a complete sentence.

Independent clause

The difference between independent and dependent clauses is pretty simple.

Where dependent clauses express only part of a thought, an independent clause is a complete sentence on its own.

The way these two clauses are similar, however, is that both include a subject and a verb.

Still, independent clauses serve as a standalone sentence.

Dependent clauses are integral to independent clauses, especially when discussing complex sentences.

That said, the subordinating conjunction that a dependent clause begins with alters the meaning of an independent clause that previously stood alone.

Examples of independent clauses

• “Tim cannot come over after school.”
• “My dog ran away.”
• “The weather is cooler today.”
• “Lisa’s basketball game ended early.”

What is a simple sentence?

A simple sentence is any sentence structure that only includes one independent clause.

Therefore, any sentence with more than one clause cannot be a simple sentence.

Simple sentences are some of the most basic clauses in the English language.

Still, although a simple statement typically doesn’t contain a lot of words, the clause can stand alone.

In writing, one can often combine two simple sentences to form a complex sentence that makes sense.

With that, one uses a subordinating or coordinating conjunction to combine the two.

Simple vs. complex sentences

The primary difference between simple and complex sentences is that the former only has one independent clause.

Complex sentences, on the other hand, have an independent clause as well as one or more dependent clauses.

For example, a simple statement looks like this:

“Tom got a headache.”

Further, a complex sentence using the above example could look something like this:

“Tom got a headache because he played video games for six hours straight.”

In the previous statement, “because he played video games for six hours straight,” cannot stand alone.

The reader asks “why?” or “for what purpose?” due to the fact that “because” begins the statement.

The first clause, “Tom got a headache,” can stand alone and present a clear idea to the reader.

Punctuating complex sentences

Many people struggle to write complex sentences because of the punctuation requirements.

Essentially, comma usage and comma splits can initially seem confusing.

Some complex sentences do not require a comma, while others do.

Here is the general rule on whether or not one needs to use a comma:

• If the independent clause comes first, no comma is required.
• If the dependent clause comes first, place the comma directly before the independent clause.

Here is an example of a complex sentence and the proper comma usage:

“ After we successfully subscribed to Hulu, our house could watch The Handmaid’s Tale .”

• This sentence observes the dependent clause placed first.

“Harry left school early because he had a doctor’s appointment.”

• This example observes the independent clause placed first.

Remember, the distinction between independent and dependent clauses is that a dependent one cannot be considered a complete thought.

By remembering the fact about complete sentences, knowing where to place commas is a lot easier.

Examples of complex sentences

Recall that complex sentences require an independent and dependent clause to follow English grammar rules .

That said, here are some complex sentence examples:

• “We cannot leave class until the bell rings.”
• “Because we studied adverb clauses in class today, Ms. Johnson said we will study noun clauses tomorrow.”
• “It doesn’t matter what subject Angela takes as long as she earns enough credits.”
• “Don’t come to the part if you aren’t going to have fun .”

What is a compound sentence?

A compound sentence is a statement connecting two independent clauses.

Often, compound sentences use a coordinating conjunction like “and” or “but.”

These types of sentences are best when combining at least two independent clauses (that are related) into a single clause.

Therefore, the writing is more fast-paced when compound sentences are formed.

Take these two statements, for example; both make sense on their own.

“I am hungry. I want to eat lunch this afternoon.”

Using the word “and,” one can create a statement that meets the definition of a compound sentence.

“I am hungry, and I want to eat lunch this afternoon.”

What is a compound-complex sentence?

A compound-complex sentence is a result of fusing one compound sentence with a complex sentence.

Although these are some of the more sophisticated structures in grammar , they are a great way to provide important information on a specific topic.

These sentences contain three clauses, which are the following:

• 2 independent clauses
• 1 (or more) dependent clauses

Instead of using subordinating conjunctions to join the clauses, a coordinating one is typically used.

These sentences are utilized because they can provide more information than a typical compound or complex sentence is capable of.

That said, here are a few examples of compound-complex sentences:

“There were a lot of people at the concert, so I used my phone to call Abby, and was able to find her quickly.”

• In this statement, “there were a lot of people at the concert” and “I used my phone to call Abby” are two independent statements, connected by the word “so.” The dependent clause, “and was able to find her quickly,” ends the statement.

“The dog played alone in the yard, but nobody was watching him because he was well trained.”

“Since Kayla didn’t have sneakers, she refused to run the mile for gym class, but she still cheered on her peers.”

Compound vs. complex sentences

What is a complex sentence, and how does it differ from a compound one?

A compound statement connects one independent clause with another.

Therefore, there is no dependent clause in these examples.

Complex sentence examples have only one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Although the dependent clause would not make sense on its own, it still contains a verb and a subject.

Therefore, the combination of the dependent and independent clause ensures the complex sentence has meaning.

Complex sentences: Examples

Complex sentences are frequently used in everyday speech. They prevent conversations from sounding terse and robotic. Consider the examples of complex sentences given below.

Complex sentences that start with subordinate conjunctions:

• When Jamie was younger, he believed in Santa Claus.
• If Sarah finds the broken vase, she is going to be very angry.
• After Ramone finishes college this semester, he will be going back to Greece.
• Because the deal was canceled, Noah was asked to come back.
• As soon as Arys reaches here, we can take Johnny back home.

Complex sentences that have subordinate conjunctions in the middle:

• Jamie believed in Santa Claus when he was younger.
• Sarah is going to be very angry if she finds the broken vase.
• Ramone will be going back to Greece after he finishes college this semester.
• Noah was asked to come back because the deal was canceled.
• We can take Johnny back home as soon as Arya reaches here.

Complex sentences that have relative clauses acting as dependent clauses:

• My sister, who completed medical school, is now working at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
• Relative clause – who completed medical school
• Independent clause – My sister is now working at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
• The Casablanca Resort, where we went for our honeymoon, is closing this December due to heavy losses.
• Relative clause – where we went for our honeymoon
• Independent clause – The Casablanca Resort is closing this December due to heavy losses.
• The captain of the college football team, who was also the president of the art club, designed the logo for the literary festival.
• Relative clause – who was also the president of the art club
• Independent clause – The captain of the college football team designed the logo for the literary festival.

How to form complex sentences

Complex sentences are created by combining the main clause with a subordinate or dependent clause. Complex sentences can be formed in one of three ways.

• Using relative pronouns like “who,” “whose,” “which,” and “that.”
• Using subordinate conjunctions.
• Using non-finite verb structures like participle and infinitive verb forms.

Use commas correctly

The two main issues authors face in creating complex sentences are using the appropriate subordinate conjunction and the right placement of commas. The need for a comma in a complex sentence is determined by two simple rules:

• If the first part of a sentence is a dependent clause, a comma should be placed before the main clause.
• If the first part of a sentence is an independent clause, there is no need to use a comma.
• Although Norah was wealthy, she was depressed and miserable.

The first sentence has a subordinate clause in the beginning, so it needs a comma before the main clause. The second sentence does not need a comma since it begins with the main clause.

A sentence with just a single independent clause is called a simple sentence. Complex sentences can have more than one independent clause. Furthermore, complex sentences can be created from simple sentences. A complex sentence can be created from two simple sentences by joining them using subordinate conjunctions.

Simple sentences:

• Noah drank an entire gallon of milk. He is puking his stomach out.

Complex sentence:

• After drinking an entire gallon of milk, Noah is puking his stomach out.

A compound sentence needs at least two main clauses, whereas complex sentences require only one main clause.

Compound sentence:

Sam made the gingerbread cookies, and Sarah decorated them.

• What Is a Coordinating Conjunction? – Grammarly
• What Is a Subordinate Clause? – Grammarly
• What Is a Subordinating Conjunction? – Grammarly
• A Guide to Compound-Complex Sentences – MasterClass
• What Is a Complex Sentence? – Grammarly
• What Is a Compound Sentence? – Grammarly

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Compound-Complex Sentence: Definition and Examples

Ashleigh Ferguson

One way to add variety to your writing is to play with sentence structures . The four primary sentence structures are simple , compound , complex , and compound-complex.

Today, we’re looking at compound-complex sentences . These are the most complicated sentence structures, but when done properly, they can improve the flow of your writing.

Read on to learn more about what compound-complex sentences are and how to write them.

What Is a Compound-Complex Sentence?

How to write a compound-complex sentence, compound-complex sentence examples, conclusion on the compound-complex sentence.

As the name suggests, a compound-complex sentence comprises a compound and a complex sentence.

A sentence is compound when it has two (or more) independent clauses. A sentence is complex when it combines one independent clause with at least one dependent clause.

As a result, a sentence must have two (or more) independent clauses, and at least one dependent clause to become a compound-complex sentence.

Compound-complex sentences are typically the longest of all sentences. Compound-complex sentences allow you to add a layer of complexity to your writing. They improve the flow and keep your readers engaged. They’re also useful if you’re explaining complicated ideas.

Let’s pull apart a compound-complex sentence to see how they work.

• Though Samantha prefers peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, she ordered a pastrami on rye, and she thought it was delicious.

First, we have our dependent clause: “Though Samantha prefers peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.” Then, there are two independent clauses: “she ordered a pastrami on rye,” and “she thought it was delicious.” In this sentence, the coordinating conjunction "and" joins the two independent clauses.

Here are four simple steps for how to write effective compound-complex sentences .

• Choose your independent clauses : You're looking for at least two parts of your sentence that could stand alone as complete sentences. Tip: they should have a verb and a subject. Make sure that the two clauses are related in some way—otherwise they should stay as two separate sentences.
• Choose your dependent clause: Dependent clauses don't express complete thoughts. You couldn't get the full picture of what someone is saying from a dependent clause. Instead, they back up your independent clauses by providing more information.
• Add your conjunctions : These are the glue that hold all of those clauses together. To join your dependent clauses, use subordinating conjunctions like before, as, or although. For joining independent clauses, you'll need a coordinating conjunction, like for, yest, or so.
• Punctuate your sentence properly : If these sentences sound confusing, it's because they are. You'll need perfect punctuation to keep all of the ideas in the right place and to make the sentence easier to understand. The most common error is creating a run-on sentence . This is when you connect your independent clauses with just a comma. Instead, swap your comma for a semi-colon, or add a coordinating conjunction.

Troubleshooting

Comma splices are a common mistake to make when writing compound-complex sentences. Use a grammar checker, such as ProWritingAid, to identify any instances of comma splices, so you can fix them and strengthen your sentences.

Compound-Complex Sentence Structures

The easiest way to understand the structure of a compound-complex sentence is to first understand the structures of compound and complex sentences.

When two or more independent clauses are put together, they create a compound sentence. Independent clauses are complete sentences.

Let’s look at an example of a compound sentence:

• There are some ruins near my house, and I go there sometimes when I need to think.

The sentence above has two independent clauses, “there are some ruins near my house,” and “I go there sometimes when I need to think.”

A coordinating conjunction typically joins the independent clauses in a compound sentence. In the sentence above, the conjunction "and" joins the independent clauses. The other six coordinating conjunctions that can be used are “for,” “or,” “nor,” “but,” “yet,” and “so.”

You can also join compound sentences with a semicolon instead of a coordinating conjunction and a comma. For example, we can write the same sentence above like this:

• There are some ruins near my house; I go there sometimes when I need to think.

To be considered complex, a sentence needs to have an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. For example:

• There are some ruins near my house, which my cousins and I used to play in when we were younger.

In the sentence above there’s an independent clause, “there are some ruins near my house” and a dependent clause, “which my cousins and I used to play in when we were younger.”

In complex sentences, subordinate conjunctions introduce dependent clauses. In the sentence above, we used “which.” Other subordinate conjunctions include “after,” “although,” “if,” “until,” and “while.”

A compound-complex sentence is like a Frankenstein's monster made up of compound sentence structure and complex sentence structure. it has bits of both sentence types. Here is an example of a compound-complex sentence:

• There are some ruins near my house, which my cousins and I used to play in when we were younger, and I go there sometimes when I need to think.

This sentence includes two independent clauses and one dependent clause.

Let’s break down the sentence to highlight all the relevant sections of the sentence:

• Independent clause 1: There are some ruins near my house
• Subordinating conjunction: which
• Dependent clause: my cousins and I used to play in when we were younger
• Coordinating conjunction: and
• Independent clause 2: I go there sometimes when I need to think.

Compound-complex sentences are very useful in analytical and academic writing for explaining complicated topics. Creative writers can also use them to add interest and engage their readers.

Here are a few more examples of compound-complex sentences :

• He finished his report for work, but he still needs to fill out the accompanying presentation even though he should have had it done last quarter.
• While waiting for the bus, Angela played games on her phone, and Lizzy read a book.
• After all this time, I still can't fathom why he had to make such a big deal of it, but I guess he had his reasons.
• Cameron and Jennifer had only known each other for 3 weeks, but they decided to travel the world together before starting work, and they never regretted the decision.
• As I put the kettle on, I looked in the jar for biscuits, but I couldn't see any in there.
• While Jessica likes rom-coms, Sarah likes thrillers, but Ellie only watches documentaries.

Remember, your compound-complex sentence needs to have:

• At least two independent clauses
• At least one dependent clause

Now you’re well on your way to using compound-complex sentences in your own writing. Play around with your sentence structures, so your writing doesn’t become monotonous.

Use a variety of sentence types and use ProWritingAid’s sentence structure report to show you where your sentences could use a little more attention.

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Ashleigh Ferguson is a former copywriter on the ProWritingAid team. With an affinity for learning new things, you can always count on her to know some random fact. She’s a self-proclaimed ‘Fix-it Felix’ and a newly minted ‘candle lady’.

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Complex Sentences: 50 Examples

What is a complex sentence.

A  complex sentence  contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

An  independent clause  contains a subject and verb , and can stand alone as a complete sentence:

• Independent clause: I love going outside.

A  dependent clause also contains a subject and verb , but it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. Instead, it ADDS information to the sentence:

• Dependent clause: when the weather is warm.

One independent clause + one dependent clause = a complex sentence:

• I love going outside when the weather is warm.

Dependent clauses often start with  subordinating conjunctions,  for example:

• provided that

Subordinating conjunctions often show a cause-and-effect relationship or a relationship of time/place:

• Cause and effect relationship: The baseball game was canceled because it was raining.
• Time relationship: When I get home from work, I always take off my shoes.
• Place relationship: Make sure to put on sunscreen wherever your skin is exposed.

Learn more about subordinating conjunctions.

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Difference between a compound sentence and a complex sentence

A  compound sentence   contains two  independent  clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, yet):

• I’m happy, but my kids are always complaining. ( “I’m happy” can be a complete sentence. “My kids are always complaining” can also be a complete sentence. They are joined by the coordinating conjunction “but”)
• The blue jacket cost over $100 , and he wears it every day . (“The blue jacket cost over $100” is a complete sentence. “He wears it every day” is a complete sentence. They are joined by the coordinating conjunction “and”)

A  complex sentence  contains one independent clause and one or more  dependent clauses,  joined by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun (that, who, which):

• I’m happy because we won the game. (“I’m happy” can be a complete sentence. “Because we won the game” cannot be a sentence by itself.)
• The blue jacket, which I gave him for Christmas, cost over $100. (“The blue jacket cost over $100” is a complete sentence. “which I gave him for Christmas” is NOT a complete sentence. They are joined by the relative pronoun “which”)

Difference between a dependent clause and a prepositional phrase

Words like before, after, since, and until can begin either a dependent clause or a prepositional phrase.

The main difference is that a dependent clause has a subject and verb, but a prepositional phrase does not:

• I’ll wait here until you get back. (dependent clause: you = subject, get = verb)
• I’ll wait here until 5:30. (prepositional phrase: no subject/verb after “until”)
• He’s never been the same since he broke up with his girlfriend. (dependent clause: he = subject, broke up = verb)
• He’s never been the same since the car accident. (prepositional phrase: no subject/verb after “since”)

Complex Sentences: Simple Present Tense

The independent clause in bold , and the dependent clause is underlined:

• Although he works long hours, he always finds time to spend with his family.
• She always wears jewelry that matches her outfit.
• While my brother enjoys spicy food, I prefer milder flavors.
• Several crops grow here, even though it rarely rains in this region.
• Though he is talented, he often underestimates his own abilities.
• Although the company faces tough competition, it continues to thrive in the market.
• I think you’d like this book, since you love historical fiction.
• He always studies a lot before he takes a test.
• I sometimes walk to work, as long as the weather is good.
• My mother stays up late, whereas my father goes to bed early.

Complex Sentences: Simple Past Tense

• After she finished her studies, she traveled around Europe for six months.
• Although they were tired, they stayed up late to finish their projec t.
• He immediately called for help when he saw the accident.
• My kids often misbehaved whenever they had a babysitter.
• Since he sold his car, he had to take the bus to work.
• She didn’t ride the roller coasters, even though she was old enough to do so.
• When they arrived at the restaurant, they realized it had already closed.
• I stayed awake until my husband got home from work.
• Before he left his job, he wrote a number of training manuals.
• She performed very well on stage,  though she was quite nervous.

Complex Sentences: Future Tenses in the Independent Clause

• After I finish my degree, I will pursue a career in environmental conservation.
• She will visit her grandparents next weekend, as she hasn’t seen them in months.
• Once the project is complete, the company will launch its new product on the market.
• By the time I graduate, I will have traveled to at least five different countries.
• We’re going to clean the bathrooms after we’re done cleaning the kitchen.
• They will be driving to Florida since flights are too expensive.
• Electric cars will become more popular in a few years, even though they’re not very common now.
• I’m going to start preparing dinner before I leave for work.
• Once the renovations are finished, the house will be even more beautiful.
• I won’t lend you any more money  until you pay me back.

Complex Sentences: Continuous Verb Tenses in the Independent Clause

• While I was studying for my exam, my friends were watching a movie.
• They will be traveling to Europe while we are attending the conference.
• As the sun was setting , the children were playing in the park.
• I was cleaning the house all evening after I saw how dirty it was.
• I’ll be waiting for you at the  café   until you finish your meeting.

Complex Sentence Examples: Mixed Verb Tenses

• When I finish my work, I will join you for dinner.
• I had cleaned the whole house before we left for vacation.
• He couldn’t go to the party because he was feeling sick.
• I’m not buying anything else this month   since I’ve already spent too much.
• As soon as they receive the necessary materials, they will start the project.
• Once she finishes her degree, she plans to travel the world.
• I was exhausted because I had been working all day.
• Now that the rain has stopped, we can go outside.
• He will buy a new car once he saves enough money.
• Since she doesn’t have any prior experience, she decided to take a training course.

Complex Sentence Examples: Conditionals

Some of the most common complex sentences are conditional sentences like the examples below. Again, the independent clause (result) is in  bold,  and the dependent clause (condition) is  underlined.

• If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors and watch movies.
• She won’t pass the exam unless she studies a lot.
• If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.
• He would have gone to the party if he hadn’t been so tired.
• If I had known about the event, I would have attended.
• She will be late if she doesn’t catch the early bus.
• If the children finish their chores , they can go to the park.
• We won’t eat a big dinner if we’re not very hungry.
• If you eat too much junk food, you will gain weight.
• She could earn more money if she had a better job.

Learn more about first conditional and second conditional.

More examples of sentence structures:

• Simple sentences: 50 examples
• Compound sentences: 50 examples
• Simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences

Master the details of English grammar:

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Shayna Oliveira is the founder of Espresso English, where you can improve your English fast - even if you don’t have much time to study. Millions of students are learning English from her clear, friendly, and practical lessons! Shayna is a CELTA-certified teacher with 10+ years of experience helping English learners become more fluent in her English courses.

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Why use complex sentences?

In English, we have three types of sentences: simple, compound and complex. Each is better in particular situations.

Complex sentences join an independent clause with a dependent clause. These sentences are used to show a particular kind of relationship—usually a stronger idea joined to a weaker idea, or a controlling idea joined to a secondary, less important idea. Yet sometimes the independent clause is the weaker or less weighty idea compared to the dependent clause.

Why are complex sentences used?

• Complex sentences show relationships between clauses, such as cause and effect, contrast, and time relationships. For example, I took a walk because I need exercise.  Or, although my brother likes peaches, my sister prefers blueberries.  Or, Daniel headed home as soon as the movie ended.
• Complex sentences can mimic the complicated thinking required to understand certain kinds of ideas, such as logic. Or, they can replicate the patterns of thinking of a deep thinker.  For example, if A is less than B, and if B is less than C, then A is less than C.  Or, the detective figured out that Morgan was the murderer because Morgan had a motive, even though his girlfriend, Emma, provided an alibi.
• Complex sentences can force the reader to focus on one part of a sentence (one idea) rather than another part of a sentence.  For example, the Supreme Court–especially Justice Scalia–disdains creating law by its decisions since enacting laws is the job of Congress.
• Complex sentences can gather small choppy sentences into more graceful, longer sentences.  For example, Dad grilled the chicken.  Mom mixed the salad.  The children set up a croquet game.  Later they would play.  First they would eat.  Joined together these tiny sentences become While Dad grilled the hotdogs and Mom mixed the salad, the children set up a croquet game which they would play after they ate.
• Complex sentences can form the skeleton of informal, cumulative sentences which are patterned on the way people speak. For example, Jack said, “I expect a storm because the clouds are building up, which is a sure sign a thunderstorm is coming on hot, humid Atlanta summer afternoons like this one.”

Complex sentences can begin with the independent clause or the dependent clause; the choice belongs to the writer. Most children start with the independent clause, adding the dependent clause as they think through their ideas. Usually children limit themselves to only a few types of dependent clauses: adverbial clauses beginning with “because,” “after” and “when.” Almost never do they use relative pronouns to create complex sentences.

How can you encourage children to use complex sentences with more variety?

• For younger children, I prepare worksheets with lists of two sentences needing to be combined. I suggest the word that needs to link the sentences, and they must write the new sentence.
• For older children, I write a list of subordinate conjunctions from which they can choose in order to join sentences in a list which I provide. I might stipulate that half the sentences need to begin with the subordinate conjunction to force them to start sentences with the dependent clause.
• When I am working with a group of children, I have a “spelling” bee, asking students to create a complex sentence using a particular subordinate conjunction.

Once children learn to use complex sentences, they need to be warned about overusing them. Too many complex sentences can make writing difficult to follow. So can the number of dependent clauses. Even though the number of dependent clauses which can be attached to an independent clause is unlimited, using more than two usually muddles meaning. Encourage students to limit dependent clauses to one or two per sentence, and to mix up complex, compound and simple sentences for variety.

I have been told that some languages do not contain complex sentences, that in those languages, if ideas are joined, it is by words like “and” and “but.” In those languages it is normal to show equality of ideas but not inequality. Just like having many English verb tenses makes English a richer yet more difficult language, so does having complex sentences.

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Creative Writing: 10 Ways to Write Better Sentences

Creative writing is a craft that takes time and effort to master. Whether you are a novelist, a poet, a screenwriter, or any other type of creative writer, your sentences are the building blocks of your work. They need to be both clear and engaging to hold your reader’s attention.

In this article, we will present you with ten different ways to write better sentences as a creative writer! So let’s begin.

1 Avoid Passive Voice

Passive voice is a common pitfall for many writers, and avoiding it is essential for creating engaging and impactful sentences.

In passive voice, the subject of the sentence is acted upon, rather than performing the action itself. This can create a sense of distance between the reader and the action, making the writing feel flat or uninspired.

For example, consider the difference between these two sentences:

Passive voice: The cake was eaten by Tom.

Active voice: Tom ate the cake.

The active voice sentence places the subject (Tom) at the center of the action, creating a sense of immediacy and urgency. Your writing will feel stronger if you focus on the person doing the action.

Of course, there may be some rare situations when you want to use passive voice purposefully, to create a certain effect. For example, passive voice can be used to emphasize the action or object being acted upon, rather than the person performing the action. This can be useful when the object is more important than the person performing the action.

For instance:

Passive voice: The painting was stolen from the museum.

Active voice: Someone stole the painting from the museum.

In this example, the passive voice emphasizes the painting as the object of the action, rather than the person who stole it.

How to identify passive voice

To identify passive voice, look for the use of “to be” verbs (such as “was,” “is,” or “were”) followed by a past participle verb (such as “eaten,” “stolen,” or “written”). To correct passive voice, simply switch the object and subject of the sentence or rephrase the sentence entirely to use active voice.

Passive voice: The report was written by Jane.

Active voice: Jane wrote the report.

By avoiding passive voice and focusing on active voice, you can create more dynamic, engaging, and memorable sentences that draw readers in and keep them engaged with your writing.

2 Cut Unnecessary Similes in Creative Writing

Similes are a great way to add descriptive language and make your writing more vivid and engaging. However, using too many or unnecessary similes can be distracting for readers. It can even come across as clichéd or overdone.

Here’s an example of unnecessary use:

“The sun rose over the mountains like a giant glowing orb.”

In this sentence, the simile does not add any additional information or create a new perspective on the sunrise. The reader already knows what the sun looks like and doesn’t need the added comparison to a giant glowing orb.

Instead, the writer could simply describe the sunrise in a way that feels fresh and evocative, such as:

“The sun slowly peeked over the jagged peaks, casting a golden glow over the landscape below.”

This description captures the beauty and majesty of the sunrise without relying on a clichéd simile.

While this simile may be effective in some contexts, in others it can seem overused and unoriginal. It’s important to consider the purpose of each simile and whether it truly adds to the meaning and impact of the sentence.

To avoid overusing similes, focus on using them only when they add something important to the writing. Similes can be particularly effective when they create a connection between something abstract and concrete, or when they provide a fresh perspective on something familiar.

For example: “She stood in the rain, feeling like a drowning flower in a sea of water.”

In this simile, the writer creates a vivid image of someone feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable in a way that feels impactful.

By cutting unnecessary similes and focusing on the ones that truly add value to your writing, you can create engaging sentences that capture your reader’s attention and hold it until the very end!

3 Avoid Complex Sentences

In writing, it’s essential to strike a balance between engaging your reader with rich and varied sentences and making sure your writing is easy to understand.

One common mistake is to cram too much information into a single sentence. When a sentence has too many clauses and phrases, it can become difficult to follow. Instead, aim for shorter sentences that communicate one idea at a time. This approach can help keep your writing clear and concise.

However, do not be afraid to vary your sentence length and structure! Mixing up sentence patterns can create a dynamic rhythm and keep readers engaged. Just make sure the meaning of each sentence is clear and easy to follow.

To identify and correct complex sentences, try reading your writing aloud. If you find yourself running out of breath or stumbling over words, it may be a sign that your sentences are too long or complicated. Break them down into shorter sentences that are easier to follow. Remember, your goal is to engage your reader while keeping your writing accessible. Strive for clarity , and use sentence complexity sparingly and intentionally.

In rare situations when a complex sentence is necessary, it’s important to ensure that each clause is clear and serves a distinct purpose. Using punctuation, such as commas or semicolons, can help break up complex sentences into more manageable chunks.

Here’s an example:

Complex Sentence: While I was walking in the park, I saw a group of children playing and laughing, and I couldn’t help but smile, remembering the carefree days of my own childhood.

Simplified Sentence: I saw children playing and laughing in the park and it made me smile, remembering my own carefree days.

In the simplified version, unnecessary details and clauses are removed, making the sentence easier to read and follow.

4 Avoid Body Parts Taking Action

Another common mistake that amateur writers often make is using body parts as the subjects of sentences.

For example, instead of saying “The hand grabbed the book,” it’s better to say “I grabbed the book,” or “He grabbed the book.”

This is important because it helps to create a stronger sense of agency and personal connection between the reader and the characters or narrator in the writing.

When body parts are used to take action, it can create a sense of detachment and objectivity that can be jarring to the reader. By using people as the subjects of your sentences, you can create a more engaging and emotionally resonant narrative that draws readers in and keeps them invested in the story.

So, next time you are writing a sentence, remember to keep the focus on the characters or narrators themselves, rather than on their body parts.

5 Avoid starting actions

Starting sentences with actions is a common habit among many writers. However, it can be an easy trap to fall into. Having a character start or begin actions, reduces the immediacy of the action and rarely enhances understanding.

For example:

“Anna started to smile ” is an example of a sentence that could be simplified and made more engaging by removing unnecessary words. Instead, you could simply say “Anna smiled.” Both will convey the same meaning. But, “Anna smiled” feels much stronger and more immediate.

By removing the unnecessary phrase “started to,” the sentence becomes more direct and impactful, putting the focus on the action itself rather than the build-up to it. This creates a stronger sense of immediacy and engagement, drawing the reader into the moment and making them feel more connected to Anna and the story as a whole.

When every sentence starts with an action, it can create a sense of monotony that can bore readers and make your writing feel flat. Instead, try varying the structure of your sentences to keep your writing interesting and engaging.

You could start with descriptive language , dialogue , or even a question to pique the reader’s interest and draw them into the story. By using a variety of sentence structures, create a more dynamic and compelling narrative – it will keep readers interested and invested.

6 Set the Tone with Word Choices

The words you choose to use in your creative writing can have a profound impact on the tone and mood of your piece. By carefully selecting the right words, you can create a sense of atmosphere and emotion that draws the reader into your story and helps to immerse them in your world. Whether you are aiming for a lighthearted and humorous tone, a dark and brooding atmosphere, or something in between, your word choices can help to set the tone and create the right emotional impact for your readers.

 •  The car crept down the narrow street.

 •  The car raced down the narrow street.

 •  The car meandered down the narrow street.

In the first sentence, the word “crept” creates a sense of caution and slowness, suggesting that the driver is navigating the street with care. In the second sentence, the word “raced” creates a sense of urgency and excitement, suggesting that the driver is in a hurry. In the third sentence, the word “meandered” creates a sense of leisure and relaxation, suggesting that the driver is taking their time and enjoying the scenery.

By choosing different words to describe the same action, you can create a wide range of impressions and moods in your writing, helping to set the tone and create a more engaging and immersive experience for your readers.

7 Remove Filtering

Filtering is a writing technique where the author uses words or phrases to “filter” the reader’s experience of the story, rather than allowing them to experience it directly. This can take the form of phrases like “I saw,” “I heard,” “I felt,” or “I thought,” which can create a sense of distance between the reader and the story, making it harder for them to become fully immersed in the world and the characters.

To create a more engaging and immersive reading experience, it is important to remove filtering from your writing as much as possible. Instead of telling the reader what the character saw or heard, show them the experience directly through sensory details and vivid descriptions.

For example, instead of saying “I heard a loud noise,” you could say “A deafening crash echoed through the room, making me jump in my seat.” By showing, rather than telling, you create a more engaging and immersive reading experience for your audience.

8 Reduce “was -ing” Construction

Using too many “was -ing” constructions in your writing can make sentences feel passive and unengaging, as it often emphasizes the action rather than the character performing the action. This can make your writing feel flat and lifeless, rather than dynamic and engaging.

To avoid this, reduce the use of “was -ing” constructions and instead opt for more active sentence structures. This can involve using stronger, more descriptive verbs, or reworking your sentences to put the emphasis on the character performing the action.

For example, consider these two sentences:

He was walking down the street.

He sauntered down the street.

In the first sentence, the “was -ing” construction makes the action feel passive and uninteresting. In the second sentence, however, the more descriptive verb “sauntered” creates a sense of purpose and intentionality, making the action feel more engaging and dynamic.

Focusing on more active sentence structures, you can create writing that feels more dynamic, engaging, and alive, helping to draw your readers into the story and keep them hooked.

9 Keep the Wording Natural

When writing, use language that feels natural and organic, rather than stiff or stilted. This means avoiding overly formal language or phrases that do not sound like something a real person would say.

One way to keep your wording natural is to read your writing aloud and listen for any phrases or sentences that feel awkward or clunky. You can also ask yourself if a real person would actually say the words you have written, or if they would use different phrasing or word choices.

“It is imperative that we arrive at the designated location by the appointed time.”

“We need to get there on time.”

The first sentence is overly formal and does not sound like something a real person would say in everyday conversation. The second sentence, on the other hand, is more natural and to the point.

10 Use of Vocabulary Level

A vocabulary level can be great for conveying characterization, values, etc. However, it is important to consider how the level of vocabulary impacts reading speed . More advanced vocabulary can slow down the reader, so it is important to use it strategically.

Different target reader groups may have different preferences for the pace of reading. Some readers enjoy savoring each word and reading at a slower pace, while others prefer a faster pace that keeps them engaged and moving through the text quickly. As a writer, you must consider the impact of your word choices on the reading speed and experience of your audience.

While it can be tempting to showcase your extensive vocabulary, try to use it in moderation and only when it adds value to the writing. Ultimately, your goal as a writer is to engage your audience and keep them interested in your story or message. Keeping your readers in mind when selecting your vocabulary can help ensure that your writing is effective and impactful.

Advanced vocabulary: The erudite professor began pontificating about the intricacies of the esoteric subject, inundating his audience with a plethora of abstruse terminology.

Simplified vocabulary: The knowledgeable professor started explaining the complexities of the obscure topic, using lots of difficult terms that were unfamiliar to most people.

Both sentences convey the same message, but the first one uses more advanced vocabulary that may slow down the reader. The second sentence uses simpler vocabulary that is easier to understand and moves the reader through the text more quickly.

Improving your sentence writing skills is a vital component of becoming a better writer. By using active voice, avoiding passive voice, cutting unnecessary similes, simplifying complex sentences, removing filtering, setting the pace with sentence length, and strategically using vocabulary level, you can create more engaging and impactful sentences and capture your readers’ attention.

Remember, the goal is not to impress with fancy words or convoluted phrasing. The goal is to effectively communicate your ideas and stories in a way that resonates with readers. Try following these ten tips. You will be on your way to crafting powerful, memorable sentences that elevate your writing to the next level!

Sentence Structure: A Complete Guide (With Examples & Tasks)

This article is part of the ultimate guide to language for teachers and students. Click the buttons below to view these.

  A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO SENTENCE STRUCTURE

This article aims to inform teachers and students about writing great sentences for all text types and genres. I would also recommend reading our complete guide to writing a great paragraph here. Both articles will find great advice, teaching ideas, and resources.

WHAT IS SENTENCE STRUCTURE?

When we talk about ‘sentence structure’, we are discussing the various elements of a sentence and how these elements are organized on the page to convey the desired effect of the author.

Writing well in terms of sentence structure requires our students to become familiar with various elements of grammar and the various types of sentences that exist in English.

In this article, we will explore these areas and discuss various ideas and activities you can use in the classroom to help your students on the road to mastering these different sentence structures. This will help make their writing more precise and interesting in the process.

TYPES OF SENTENCE STRUCTURE

In English, students need to get their heads around four types of sentences. They are:

Mastering these four types of sentences will enable students to articulate themselves effectively and with personality and style.

Achieving this necessarily takes plenty of practice, but the process begins with ensuring that each student has a firm grasp on how each type of sentence structure works.

But, before we examine these different types of structures, we must ensure our students understand the difference between independent and dependent clauses. Understanding clauses and how they work will make it much easier for students to grasp the following types of sentences.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING SENTENCE STRUCTURE

This complete  SENTENCE STRUCTURE UNIT  is designed to take students from zero to hero over  FIVE STRATEGIC LESSONS  to improve  SENTENCE WRITING SKILLS  through  PROVEN TEACHING STRATEGIES covering:

SENTENCE CLAUSES

Teaching sentence clauses requires a deep understanding of the topic and an ability to explain it in an engaging and easy way for students to understand. In this article, we’ll discuss the basics of sentence clauses and provide some tips for teaching them to students.

What are Sentence Clauses?

A sentence clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. It can be a complete sentence on its own or a part of a larger sentence. There are two types of sentence clauses: independent and dependent.

Independent Clauses

Put simply; clauses are parts of a sentence containing a verb. An independent clause can stand by itself as a complete sentence. It expresses a complete thought or idea and includes a subject and a verb  – more on this shortly!

Here’s an example of an independent clause in a sentence:

“I went to the store.”

In this sentence, “I went to the store” is an independent clause because it can stand alone as a complete sentence and expresses a complete thought. It has a subject (“I”) and a verb (“went”), and it can be punctuated with a period.

Dependent Clauses / Subordinate Clauses

Dependent clauses, on the other hand, are not complete sentences and cannot stand by themselves. They do not express a complete idea. To become complete, they must be attached to an independent clause. Dependent clauses are also known as subordinate clauses .

An excellent way to illustrate the difference between the two is by providing an example that contains both.

For example:

Even though I am tired, I am going to work tonight.

The non-underlined portion of the sentence doesn’t work as a sentence on its own, so it is a dependent clause. The underlined portion of the sentence could operate as a sentence in its own right, and it is, therefore, an independent clause. 

Now we’ve got clauses out of the way, we’re ready to look at each type of sentence in turn.

Teaching sentence clauses to students is essential because it helps them understand sentence structure. Understanding the structure of sentences is essential for effective writing and communication. It also helps students to identify and correct common errors in their writing, such as sentence fragments and run-on sentences.

Simple Sentences

Simple sentences are, unsurprisingly, the easiest type of sentence for students to grasp and construct for themselves. Often these types of sentences will be the first sentences that children write by themselves, following the well-known Subject – Verb – Object or SVO pattern.

The subject of the sentence will be the noun that begins the sentence. This may be a person, place, or thing, but most importantly, it is the doer of the action in the sentence.

The action itself will be encapsulated by the verb, which is the action word that describes what the doer does.

The object of the sentence follows the verb and describes that which receives the action.

This is again best illustrated by an example. Take a look at the simple sentence below:

Tom ate many cookies.

In this easy example, the doer of the action is Tom , the action is ate , and the receiver of the action is the many cookies .

Subject = Tom

Object = many cookies

After some practice, students will become adept at recognizing SVO sentences and forming their own. It’s also important to point out that simple sentences don’t necessarily have to be short.

This research reveals that an active lifestyle can have a great impact for the good on the life expectancy of the average person.

Despite this sentence looking more sophisticated (and longer!), this is still a simple sentence as it follows the SVO structure:

Subject = research

Verb = reveals

Object = that an active lifestyle can have a great impact for the good on the life expectancy of the average person.

Though basic in construction, it is essential to note that a simple sentence is often the perfect structure for dealing with complex ideas. Simple sentences can effectively provide clarity and efficiency of expression, breaking down complex concepts into manageable chunks.

MORE SIMPLE SENTENCE EXAMPLES

• She ran to the store.
• The sun is shining.
• He likes to read books.
• The cat is sleeping.
• I am happy.

Simple Sentence Reinforcement Activity

To ensure your students grasp the simple sentence structure, have them read a photocopied text pitched at a language level suited to their age and ability.

On the first run-through, have students identify and highlight simple sentences in the text. Then, students should use various colors of pens to pick out and underline the subject, the verb, and the object in each sentence.

This activity helps ensure a clear understanding of how this structure works and helps to internalize it. This will reap rich rewards for students when they come to the next stage, and it’s time for them to write their own sentences using this basic pattern.

After students have mastered combining subjects, verbs, and objects into both long and short sentences, they will be ready to move on to the other three types of sentences, the next of which is the compound sentence .

EXAMPLES OF SIMPLE, COMPLEX AND COMPOUND SENTENCES

Compound sentence s.

While simple sentences consist of one clause with a subject and a verb, compound sentences combine at least two independent clauses that are joined together with a coordinating conjunction .

There’s a helpful acronym to help students remember these coordinating conjunctions; FANBOYS .

Some conjunctions will be more frequently used than others, with the most commonly used being and , but , or , and so .

Whichever of the conjunctions the student chooses, it will connect the two halves of the compound sentence – each of which could stand alone as a complete sentence.

Compound sentences are an essential way of bringing variety and rhythm to a piece of writing. The decision to join two sentences together into one longer compound sentence is made because there is a strong relationship between the two. Still, it is important to remind students that they need not necessarily be joined as they can remain as separate sentences.

The decision to join or not is often a stylistic one.

For example, the two simple sentences:

1. She ran to the school.

2. The school was closed.

It can be easily joined together with a coordinating conjunction that reveals an essential relationship between the two:

She ran to the school, but the school was closed.

As a bonus, while working on compound sentences, a convenient opportunity arises to introduce the correct usage of the semicolon. Often, where two clauses are joined with a conjunction, that conjunction can be replaced with a semicolon when the two parts of the sentence are related, for example:

She ran to the school; the school was closed.

While you may not wish to muddy the waters by introducing the semicolon while dealing with compound sentences, more advanced students may benefit from making the link here.

MORE COMPOUND SENTENCE EXAMPLES

• I want to go to the beach this weekend, but I also need to finish my homework.
• She loves to sing and dance, so she decided to audition for the school musical.
• I enjoy reading books, and my brother prefers to watch movies.
• The dog barked at the mailman, and the mailman quickly walked away.
• He ate his breakfast, and then he went for a run in the park.

Reinforcement Activity:

A good way for students to practice forming compound sentences is to provide them with copies of simple books from early on in a reading scheme. Books for emergent readers are often written in simple sentences that form repetitive patterns that help children internalize various language patterns.

Challenge your students to rewrite some of these texts using compound sentences where appropriate. This will provide valuable practice in spotting such opportunities in their writing and experience in selecting the appropriate conjunction.

COMPLEX SENTENCES

There are various ways to construct complex sentences, but essentially any complex sentence will contain at least one independent and one dependent clause. However, these clauses are not joined by coordinating conjunctions. Instead, subordinating conjunctions are used.

Here are some examples of subordinating conjunctions:

●     after

●     although

●     as

●     as long as

●     because

●     before

●     even if

●     if

●     in order to

●     in case

●     once

●     that

●     though

●     until

●     when

●     whenever

●     wherever

●     while

Subordinating conjunctions join dependent and independent clauses together. They provide a transition between the two ideas in the sentence. This transition will involve a time, place, or a cause and effect relationship. The more important idea is contained in the sentence’s main clause, while the less important idea is introduced by the subordinating conjunction.

Although Catherine ran to school , she didn’t get there in time.

We can see that the first part of this complex sentence (in bold ) is a dependent clause that cannot stand alone. This fragment begins with the subordinating conjunction ‘although’ which joins it to, and expresses the relationship with, the independent clause which follows.

When complex sentences are organized this way (with the dependent clause first), you’ll note the comma separates the dependent clause from the independent clause. If the structure is reorganized to place the independent clause first, with the dependent clause following, then there is no need for this comma.

You will not do well if you refuse to study.

Complex sentences can be great tools for students to not only bring variety to their writing but to explore complex ideas, set up comparisons and contrasts, and convey cause and effect.

MORE COMPLEX SENTENCE EXAMPLES

• Despite feeling exhausted from a long day at work, she still managed to summon the energy to cook a delicious dinner for her family.
• In order to fully appreciate the beauty of the artwork, one must take the time to examine it closely and consider the artist’s intentions.
• The new student, who had just moved to the city from a small town, felt overwhelmed by the size and complexity of her new school.
• Although he had studied diligently for weeks, he was still nervous about the upcoming exam, knowing that his entire future depended on his performance.
• As the sun began to set, the birds flew back to their nests, signalling the end of another day and the beginning of a peaceful evening.

Reinforcement Activity

A helpful way to practice writing complex sentences is to provide students with a subordinating conjunction and dependent clause and challenge them to provide a suitable independent clause to finish out the sentence.

After returning home for work,…

Although it was late,…

You may also flip this and provide the independent clause first before challenging them to come up with a suitable dependent clause and subordinating conjunction to finish out the sentence.

Daily Quick Writes For All Text Types

Our FUN DAILY QUICK WRITE TASKS will teach your students the fundamentals of CREATIVE WRITING across all text types. Packed with 52 ENGAGING ACTIVITIES

COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCES

Compound-complex sentences are, not surprisingly, the most difficult for students to write well. If, however, your students have put the work in to gain a firm grasp of the preceding three sentence types, then they should manage these competently with a bit of practice.

Before teaching compound-complex sentences, it’ll be worth asking your students if they can make an educated guess at a definition of this type of sentence based on its title alone.

The more astute among your students may well be able to work out that a compound-complex sentence refers to joining a compound sentence with a complex one. More accurately, a compound-complex sentence combines at least two independent clauses and one dependent clause.

Since the school was closed, Sarah ran home and her mum made her some breakfast.

We can see here the sentence begins with a dependent clause followed by a compound sentence. We can also see a complex sentence nestled there if we look at the bracketed content in the version below.

( Since the school was closed, Sarah ran home ) and her mum made her some breakfast.

This is a fairly straightforward example of complex sentences, but they can come in lots of guises, containing lots more information while still conforming to the compound-complex structure.

Because most visitors to the city regularly miss out on the great bargains available here, local companies endeavor to attract tourists to their businesses and help them understand how to access the best deals the capital has to offer.

A lot is going on in this sentence, but it follows the same structure as the previous one on closer examination. That is, it opens with a dependent clause (that starts with subordinating conjunction) and is then followed by a compound sentence.

With practice, your students will soon be able to quickly identify these more sophisticated types of sentences and produce their own examples.

Compound-complex sentences can bring variety to a piece of writing and help articulate complex things. However, it is essential to encourage students to pay particular attention to the placement of commas in these sentences to ensure readers do not get confused. Encourage students to proofread all their writing, especially when writing longer, more structurally sophisticated sentences such as these.

MORE COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE EXAMPLES

• Despite the fact that he was exhausted from his long day at work, he went to the gym and completed a gruelling hour-long workout, but he still managed to make it home in time for dinner with his family.
• The orchestra played beautifully, filling the concert hall with their harmonious melodies, yet the soloist stole the show with her hauntingly beautiful rendition of the final movement.
• Although the road was treacherous and steep, the hiker persevered through the difficult terrain, and after several hours, she reached the summit and was rewarded with a breathtaking view of the valley below.
• The chef prepared a mouth-watering feast, consisting of a savory roast beef, a colorful array of fresh vegetables, and a decadent chocolate cake for dessert, yet the dinner party was still overshadowed by the heated political debate.
• After a long and tiring day, the student sat down to study for her final exam, but she couldn’t concentrate because her mind was consumed with worries about her future, so she decided to take a break and go for a run to clear her head.

Regenerate response

You could begin reinforcing student understanding of compound-complex sentences by providing them with a handout featuring several examples of this type of sentence.

Working in pairs or small groups, have the students identify and mark the independent clauses (more than 1) and dependent clauses (at least 1) in each sentence. When students can do this confidently, they can then begin to attempt to compose their own sentences.

Another good activity that works well as a summary of sentence structure work is to provide the students with a collection of jumbled sentences of each of the four types.

Challenge the students to sort the sentences into each of the four types. In a plenary, compare each group’s findings and examine those sentences where the groups disagreed on their categorization.

In teaching sentence structure, it is essential to emphasize to our students that though the terminology may seem quite daunting at first, they will quickly come to understand how each structure works and recognize them when they come across them in a text.

Much of this is often done by feel, especially for native English speakers. Just as someone may be a competent cyclist and struggle to explain the process verbally, grammar can sometimes feel like a barrier to doing.

Be sure to make lots of time for students to bridge the gap between the theoretical and the practical by offering opportunities to engage in activities that allow students to get creative in producing their own sentences.

WRITING CHECKLISTS FOR ALL TEXT TYPES

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (92 Reviews)

WHAT IS A SENTENCE FRAGMENT?

A sentence fragment is a collection of words that looks similar to a sentence but actually isn’t a complete sentence. Sentence fragments usually lack a subject or verb or don’t express a complete thought. Whilst a fragmented sentence can be punctuated to appear similar to a complete sentence; it is no substitute for a sentence.

Sentence fragment features:

These are the distinguishing features of a sentence fragment:

• Example: Jumped further than a Kangaroo. (Who jumped?)
• Example: My favorite math teacher.  (What did the teacher do or say?)
• Example: For better or worse.  (What is better or worse? What is it modifying?)
• Example: When my mother married my father.  (What happened when “my mother married my father?”)
• Example: Such as, my brother was practising martial arts.  (It is unclear; did something happen when my brother was practising martial arts?)

The methods for correcting a sentence fragment are varied, but essentially it will boil down to three options. Either attach it to a nearby sentence, revise and add the missing elements or rewrite the entire passage or fragment until they are operating in sync with each other.

Let’s explore some of these methods to fix a fragmented sentence. Firstly, one must identify the subject and verb to ensure that the fragment contains the necessary components of a complete sentence. For instance, in the sentence “Running down the street, I saw a dog,” the subject (“I”) and verb (“saw”) are present, making it a complete sentence.

Furthermore, it is important to check for a complete thought within the sentence fragment. In other words, the fragment should express a complete idea; if it doesn’t, it should be revised accordingly. An example of a sentence fragment with a complete thought is “Running down the street, I saw a dog chasing a cat.”

Lastly, combining sentence fragments with independent clauses can help create complete sentences. For instance, “Running down the street, I saw a dog. It was chasing a cat” can be combined into one sentence: “Running down the street, I saw a dog chasing a cat.” This not only creates a complete sentence but also enhances the overall coherence and readability of the text.

In summary, sentence fragments can hinder effective communication and must be avoided in writing. To fix a sentence fragment, one must identify the subject and verb, ensure a complete thought is expressed, and consider combining it with an independent clause. By doing so, writers can create clear, concise, and meaningful sentences that easily convey their intended message.

TOP TIPS FOR TEACHING SENTENCE STRUCTURE

• Start with the basics: Begin by teaching students about the different parts of a sentence, such as subject, verb, and object. Use examples and visual aids to help them understand the function of each part.
• Use varied sentence structures: Show students examples of different sentence structures, such as simple, compound, and complex sentences. Please encourage them to use varied sentence structures in their writing.
• Practice with sentence combining: Give students several short, simple sentences and ask them to combine them into a longer sentence using conjunctions or other connecting words. This exercise will help them understand how to construct complex sentences.
• Use real-life examples: Incorporate examples from everyday life to help students understand how sentence structure affects meaning. For example, “I saw the man with the telescope” and “I saw the man, with the telescope” have different meanings due to the placement of the comma.
• Provide feedback: Give students feedback on their writing, focusing on the structure of their sentences. Encourage them to revise and improve their writing by experimenting with different sentence structures. Please provide specific examples of how they can improve their sentence structure.

SENTENCE STRUCTURE VIDEO TUTORIALS

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO SENTENCE STRUCTURE

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Perfect Paragraph Writing: The Ultimate Guide

Teaching Proofreading and Editing Skills

How to write a perfect 5 Paragraph Essay

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21 Foundational Activity Ideas For Teaching Complex Sentences 

March 14, 2023 //  by  Christina Swiontek

My goal as a teacher is to make learning so much fun that children don’t realize they’re learning! Believe it or not, this can be accomplished when teaching complex sentences. It is common for students to feel overwhelmed with writing. Engaging activities and scaffolded practice that warm students up to the writing process are key. Setting the foundation for writing is monumental. I encourage you to explore these resources to help the beginning writers in your home or classroom. 

1. Clause Review Video

In order for students to understand complex sentences, they have to be familiar with writing clauses. Complex sentences must contain an independent clause and a dependent clause. Share this video with students to break this down and see examples of each.

Learn More: Khan Academy

2. Unscramble the Sentence

This interactive online activity will help students put a sentence in order. First, all the words are scrambled. Students will click the word that comes next in the sentence. When all the words are in the correct order, students will hear music and see the letters turn blue.

Learn More: Word Wall

3. Complex Sentences Flip Books

These complex sentence flipbooks are so much fun to create. Students can go wild decorating their flipbooks to match their personalities and express creativity. They will include the definition of a complex sentence and actually build one out on the pages. They can flip back whenever they need a reminder!

Learn More: Upper Elementary

4. Three-Minute Race

To play, students will jot down as many complex sentences as they can think of within three minutes. After the timer sounds, students will share their sentences with a partner. The student with the most sentences will receive a prize. 

5. Silly Sentences

Silly sentence writing can help improve grammar skills. It also encourages students to break down the parts of a sentence. You will first provide students with a word bank of adjectives, nouns, verbs, and phrases. Be sure to add independent and dependent clause choices for complex sentences. 

Learn More: Teach Me Im Yours

6. Sentence Building Dominoes

Students can explore a wide range of sentences with this activity. Set up a graphic organizer so that students can use it to create complex sentences. They can insert the dominoes in each required place to build their own unique sentence. 

Learn More: Amazon

7. Writing Practice Worksheet

This worksheet is the perfect addition to a 3rd or 4th-grade grammar lesson. Students will review independent and dependent clauses along with subordinating conjunctions. They will be tasked with writing their own complex sentences and identifying the key parts. 

Learn More: Education

8. Complex Sentence Cards

Students will use these printable cards to analyze complex sentences. They will answer the questions on the cards to identify what happens first and next in the sentences. 

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

9. That’s Not Complex

Students will be given a handout with 10 sentences. They will work in teams to decide if the sentence is complex sentence or not. Be sure to set a timer for one minute for the teams to work together. The team who gets the most correct wins!

Learn More: Study

10. Creating Complex Sentences

This resource is designed for 4th-8th grade learners. This is an engaging activity because students will use pictures to formulate complex sentences. The visuals are important, especially for students that need extra support with writing. 

11. Complex Sentence Video

This video learning channel does an incredible job of explaining complex sentences in an easy-to-understand way. Students will gain an improved knowledge of sentence structures after watching this video. 

Learn More: Miacademy Learning Channel

12. Differentiating Sentence Activity

This activity focuses on teaching students to differentiate between simple sentences, compound sentences, and complex sentences. First, roll the dice and match the number with the row on the chart. Then, write the correct sentence type about the matching topic. Continue until six sentences are complete and read them aloud. 

Learn More: Teach Starter

13. Creative Writing Prompts

Encourage your beginning writers to respond to writing prompts using complex sentences. I would recommend creating an outline for them to use to help them get started. These engaging writing prompts will promote creativity. Have students highlight the complex sentences throughout the story. 

Learn More: Think Written

14. Sentence Bingo

This sentence bingo game requires students to identify different types of sentences. You will start by preparing the bingo cards and sentence strips. Each student will receive a bingo card. Read a bingo letter and sentence aloud for students to identify the type of sentence each turn. 

15. Sentence Structure Sorting

These sorting cards are amazing. Each card has the same topic, but students will be able to see how sentences vary from simple to complex. It’s recommended to print and laminate the cards so that students can easily use them during language arts activity centers. 

Learn More: Etsy

16. Complex Sentence Crossword Puzzle

This crossword puzzle can be completed pretty easily as a complex sentence structure review game. Use it as a quick recap of the content covered in a lesson. 

Learn More: My Crossword Maker

17. Winter Sentence Building

This resource is exceptional for teaching compound and complex sentences. Students will enjoy making up their own creative sentences using winter-themed pictures. A word bank is provided for students who need it. This is a fantastic activity for learning centers or partner work.

Learn More: Mrs. Winter’s Bliss

18. Sentence Trails

This small group activity is ideal for hands-on learning. Students will use the words and phrases to create interesting complex sentences. They’re encouraged to think outside the box and focus on including independent clauses, dependent clauses, coordinating conjunctions, and subordinate conjunctions. 

Learn More: Curly Classroom

19. Types of Sentences Review Game

For this fun game, you will need a deck of cards. You will also need to prepare sentences for students to identify whether they are simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex. Students will pull a card and identify the type of sentence to earn points. 

Learn More: ELA Core Plans

20. Complex Sentence Worksheets

This packet of complex sentence worksheets is designed for 7th-grade students. The compound and complex sentence activity requires students to fill in the blanks with for, and, but, or, and so. It’s important that students are aware of how to properly use coordinating conjunctions when writing. 

Learn More: Worksheeto

21. Color by Number Sentences

Did you know you could use a color-by-number activity for teaching grammar? When I think of numbers, I automatically think of math! I love this activity because students will be uncovering the mystery picture to reveal a hidden message as they learn about types of sentences. 

Complex Sentences: A teacher's guide

June 18, 2021

Complex Sentences: A teacher's guide to introducing sentence comprehension tasks in the classroom, from research into practice.

Main, P (2021, June 18). Complex Sentences: A teacher's guide. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/complex-sentences-a-teachers-guide

What is a Complex Sentence?

Understanding grammar is a significant part of the English curriculum . Children need words to describe words, it's difficult to talk about language unless we know the names for the different writing conventions. In this article, we look at the different definitions you'll be using in the classroom, such as subordinate clauses and conjunctions. We'll also try and help you make teaching complex sentence comprehension more engaging for school-age children. We must first appreciate that writing is a linguistic task. We are effectively joining our thoughts and articulating these through spoken language . Encoding text is a secondary task after verbalisation. Writing and reading swims on a sea of classroom talk . The acquisition of language is a complex activity that involves the mental processing of sentences. As well as being a visual task it's also a neural activity involving a lot of mental bandwidth .

A complex sentence contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause . The independent clause is a complete thought such as 'stay outside'. The dependent clause cannot stand alone and does not make sense by itself for example 'until it rains'. These types of sentences can work either way round, 'stay outside until it rains' or 'until it rains, stay outside.' We can also use subordinating conjunctions to make a complete sentence. For example, 'The dog barks because it was scared' (because being the subordinating conjunction. Again this sentence type can work either way round, for example, 'Because it was scared, the dog barked'. We will look at how these simple grammar rules can be developed with Writer's Block later in the article. We will also look at the range of sentence types including, compound-complex sentences and multi-clause sentences. 

Before we dive deeper, a few clarifications:

• A compound sentence is a sentence that has two independent clauses and a conjunction (FANBOYS).
• A compound sentence is a group of two or more sentences that are combined together by a coordinating conjunction.
• Coordinating conjunctions are used to join two or more independent clauses.

How to Teach Complex Sentences to School-Age Children

Complex Sentences are easy when they are taught in the best way . Whether the main reason is lack of effort, or lack of understanding ; it can be challenging to encourage a child to write a complex sentence (Montag & MacDonald, 2015).

Simple sentences are easy to write, including just a single clause and demonstrating a complete idea, a simple sentence (for example: ‘She has never performed so intelligently'.) doesn’t contain much scope for illustrating ideas on paper or creativity.

Encouraging students to write one independent clause at a minimum – ‘She has never performed so smartly because she didn't receive proper guidance in the past’ – opens up new doors of creativity.

Getting started with complex sentence comprehension

A complex sentence is a sentence with more than a single clause in it. First is a primary clause and the other one is a subordinate clause. These sentences are also called multi-clause sentences. In order to understand compound-complex sentences, it is important to recall complex sentences and compound sentences. A compound sentence contains two simple sentences connected to each other by a conjunction. A complex sentence contains a simple sentence and a subordinate or dependent clause (includes a verb and a subject but does not show a complete thought ).

Therefore, a c ompound-complex sentence consists of more than a single sentence connected to each other by a conjunction, and one of these sentences needs to be complex. One can say, Complex Compound Sentence is a compound sentence that has a subordinate or dependent clause.

Following are some of the examples of Compound Complex Sentences:

• When he woke up, he was late for work, and his boss was very upset.
• He will get to read a book, but first, he has to complete an assignment after he finishes eating.
• They performed very well, but their dresses were wet because it rained the whole time.

Following are some of the most effective ways to teach children how to write Complex Sentences.

Starting with an Independent and Dependent Clauses

It has become so much important to teach Complex Sentences to the students that teachers are now teaching Complex Sentences early in the school year. According to Smith (2017) the perfect way to introduce students to Complex Sentences is to start by introducing independent and dependent clauses. It gives the foundation to learn about parts of a complex sentence. Teachers can use a PowerPoint presentation for reviewing independent and dependent clauses in a lesson. Teachers can use any interesting way to teach Complex Sentences to the students. For example:  After the introduction, the teacher can pass out a single index card to each student on which there would be either written a dependent or an independent clause. Each student will leave the card on his desk and walk around the classroom to look for his partner ( independent will be searching for dependent and vice versa) to make a meaningful complex sentence.

The teacher would inform the learners that their card has just a single correct match so they must read and select carefully. After finding a match for each card, each pair of students would stand and read aloud their complex sentence (both partners will read their part). The students would continue the activity until all of them have a match and have participated in the class activity. After helping the students with a deeper understanding of independent and dependent clauses, they are ready to better understand Complex Sentences.

Simple Sentence Comprehension

The 5 Ws ‘What? Who? Why? Where? and When?’ are great to help students remember how to stretch a sentence (Shea & Roberts, 2016). For instance:

'What' is the menu tonight?

‘Who’ will cook food?

'When' will the guests arrive?

‘Where' are the guests coming from?

'Why' are they visiting us?

The teacher can help children understand complex sentences by engaging them through a memory game. Five students can participate in the game, each representing a single 'W' by holding a small card with any one of the 5 'W's written on it.

The child with the ‘What' would select the action of the sentence. The child with the ‘Who?’ would incorporate the subject to the sentence. In the end, the ‘Why?’ has to recall all the previous parts of the conversation, and add his last part.

This memory game will bring some smiles and a lot of unforgettable ideas for future tasks of language.

Subordinating Conjunction

Teachers can teach students about 'Subordinating Conjunctions' before asking them to write Complex Sentences (Potter, 2017). Subordinating conjunctions like “since,” “while,” or “after" are combined with dependent and independent clauses. When the dependent clause is used first, a comma must be added to separate the clauses. Teachers can use Subordinating Conjunction to help students understand Complex Sentences in several ways. For example: The teacher can ask students to sit into groups and complete the following sentences with subordinating conjunctions.

________ you leave the building, make sure to switch off all the lights.

________ he was late today, he will talk to his neighbours tomorrow.

________ she has said something, she would never change her mind.

The teacher must give students some time to find a suitable subordinating conjunction for each sentence. After this, teacher can ask students to share their answers with other group members. It is interesting how some coordinating conjunctions can entirely change the meaning of a sentence.

• If you leave the building, make sure to switch off all the lights.
• After you leave the building, make sure to switch off all the lights.
• The above example shows that using 'if' or 'after' changed the reason for switching off the lights.

The teacher can show the students how a sentence can be grammatically affected by removing a subordinating conjunction from a sentence. These sentences will be written on the board:

Rather than using the shortcut, the runners ran all the way around the field.

• Since reading about dolphins, Emma has been very happy.
• Even if you don't invite her in the evening, she would come to talk with you.
• Life is important, even if you don't spend it carefully.

Now, the task would be to remove the subordinating conjunctions from the above sentences and to re-write them to remain grammatically correct. Learners must remain as closely as possible to the actual meaning of the sentence.

The connectives in English are words that can be used to link two clauses together. They are often called conjunctions because they join two clauses together. In some cases, they can also be used to join sentences together. A connective is a word or phrase that connects two ideas. A connective helps you understand how the words relate to each other. Children who write well tend to vary their sentence lengths to add interest to their written work, and they use a variety of connectives to do this. For example, you might have something that happened because of something else, this would be classed as a causal connective e.g. 'My head hurt because  I bumped it'.

 Ways of explaining a connective to a child:

- A connective is like a bridge. It connects two things together.

- A connective is like a chain. You can't break them without breaking everything else in their path.

- A connectives makes connections. They help you see how things are related. 

Sandwich Sentences

A complex sentence contains more detail which stops it from having a simple start and an end point (Cohen, 2017). The sentence ‘Food is tasty’ may offer an accurate fact, but to change this sentence into truly engaging it needs a bit of filler. Just like a sandwich, a complex sentence needs a beginning; some extra details in the centre (the filling); and an end point (the bread) – such as ‘Food is tasty because it contains an accurate amount of spices’.

To help students with writing delicious complex sentences (rather than hard crackers), teachers can give pictures of sandwiches, and ask the students to write their sentences around layers of a sandwich. The more details the students can provide, the more delicious the sandwich will become!

'She saw a lion in the zoo and roared at it, because it was sleeping'. Students can get bonus points for adding extra details in a sentence.

Turn a sentence comprehension task into a game

Children always enjoy playing games and taking part in engaging activities (Carr, 2013). Fun games provide a great help in children's learning about Complex Sentences. For example: a teacher can teach Complex Sentences using a 3 Minute Race. After setting a timer for 3 minutes, students will write as many complex sentences as they can. Students will stop to write when the timer starts ringing. Students will share what they wrote with their partner and discuss if the sentences they wrote are complex. In the end, the students with the maximum number of correct sentences will stand in front of the class and gets a prize.

Clarke (2019) states that children enjoy writing about their favourite things. It could be a favourite toy , food, or something else they fancy. Hence, an engaging activity would be to ask the children to write about the things they like, and why. For instance, ‘I like winter, because I like to play in the snow!’. The sentences would be cut in half, and put in a couple of mystery boxes – one box of ‘why’ box and one box of ‘what’. Every student can pick a ‘why’ and ‘what’ from the boxes at random and put two of them together. Each child would read aloud both cards and find who in the class has the other half of the sentence. In the end, children would transcribe the wrong sentence that they picked, and give a new starter or ending to the sentences.

Also, the teacher can give one index card to each student. Every student would write one simple sentence and two complex sentences on their card (in their preferred order). Then, the students would trade index cards with their partner. Each partner would search for the sentence which is not a complex sentence.

Sentence Construction ideas

Writer's block provides children with an engaging way of developing sentence comprehension accuracy. Because children can move the blocks, they are able to explore sentence structure without fear of failure. The game-like quality of block building enables children to develop complex sentence comprehension. Sentence construction activities enable pupils to explore the grammatical structures needed to become a skilled writer. Whatever the key stage, children can start with experimental sentences and quickly transform them into something more complex. This fluidity promotes complex sentence comprehension and memory in children. 

The above discussion shows that complex sentences are an amazing addition to the writing process. Starting with Independent and Dependent Clauses, using the 5 Ws, using Subordinating Conjunction, Sandwich Sentences and fun games are some of the most effective ways to teach Complex Sentences to the students. Using these can bring improvement in children's writing. To see children's writings loaded with different of types sentences, including some remarkable complex sentences, is a great reward for teachers. It is not right to think that just because the sentence is complex, it is too complicated for the children. Combining dependent and independent clauses provides a better description and more detail to a sentence. However, students need to be reminded to remain mindful of their comma usage. They must check if they need a comma while deducting a pause or distinction from their independent clause. They can be even asked to read their work in a loud voice, in order to find out if they need to add a comma in a sentence. It can be a little challenging, but great fun to help children to add dimension to their writing. To learn more about Writer's Block or organise a demo for your school, please visit this page .

Carr, J. (2013). Relevant Learning is Fun. The Learning Curve, Summer.

Clarke, J. (2019). What's your favourite…?. Early Years Educator, 20(12), xv-xvi.

Cohen, S. B., & Shimorina, A. (2017). Split and rephrase. arXiv preprint arXiv:1707.06971.

Montag, J. L., & MacDonald, M. C. (2015). Text exposure predicts spoken production of complex sentences in 8-and 12-year-old children and adults. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 144(2), 447.

Potter, M. (2017). English Sentence Structure Review-TASK.

Shea, M., & Roberts, N. (2016). Fives: an integrated strategy for comprehension and vocabulary learning. Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education, 8(1), 6.

Smith, C. (2017). Complex Sentences: Searching for the purpose of education inside a Massachusetts State Prison. Harvard Educational Review, 87(1), 81-98.

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Complex Sentences Improving Writing KS2

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Game/puzzle/quiz

Last updated

28 October 2023

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Super Sentences is a fun creative writing VCOP activity or SPaG game (spelling, punctuation and grammar), ideal for Key Stage 2 (KS2) and early KS3, Year 5, 6 and 7 (Y5, Y6 and Y7) which promotes ambitious vocabulary and variety in sentence structures. Improve sentences by using it again and again! PDF format.

• 40 printable sentence-formation cards
• Colour and black and white versions
• Great as a regular morning starter, early finisher task or warm up for writing.
• An introductory card models ways to add interest and variety to sentences.
• Encourages building complex and compound sentences, using subordinate clauses etc.
• Let students write as silly a sentence as they want and relish playing with words to banish boring sentences!

  Also available is Sensational Sentences , featuring even more ambitious vocabulary for older or more able students.

SAVE BY GETTING BOTH PACKS IN: Complex Sentences Cards BUNDLE

MORE BUNDLE OPTIONS FOR THIS RESOURCE: Improving Sentences BUNDLE Literacy and Maths Time Fillers Year 5 / 6

  MORE INFO: Designed as a dice game, it can be used in other ways. As individuals, in pairs or in groups, students roll to find out which 3 words they must incorporate into a sentence (Instructions are on the cards). There are 6 groups of words on each card – openers/connectives, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and two groups of nouns. Students place the selected words anywhere in their sentence, as long as it makes sense, recording the sentence on paper or a mini whiteboard. You may wish to allow flexibility (changing verb tense, using the verb as an adjective etc.)

To cater for different situations and abilities, change the number of words they roll for, have students team up with a partner or select any words they want from the card. I encourage dictionary use for unfamiliar words and urge students to keep sentences they are especially proud of for use in longer pieces of writing. The activity might spark a whole story!

Print on card or paper and laminate for repeated use. With a smaller group, choose the ones you print and/or laminate cards back to back. Alternatively, display cards on the screen for whole class use.

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Writing and SPaG Activities Year 5 / 6 BUNDLE

Use these as no prep and low prep Literacy and English activities in Upper Key Stage 2 (KS2). A BUNDLE of activities for warm ups / starters and early finisher challenges, including creative writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG). Use for early KS3 (Year 7) too. Fun and printable and **great for minimal planning and preparation**.   **These are 3 of my most popular resource packs. *PDF format*.**   ***INCLUDES:*** * **[6 Editing / Proof-reading Fun Puzzles Worksheets](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/editing-proofreading-spag-year-5-6-11880677)**: Students reveal a hidden word by finding mistakes, including homophones and other common spelling errors, full stops, capital letters, question marks, commas, colons, speech marks, proper nouns, missing words, repeated words, tenses, subordinate clauses and embedded clauses. Ideal for SATs revision. * **[40 Complex Sentence Structure Writing Game Cards](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/super-sentences-ambitious-sentence-writing-activity-11534472)** for students to create ambitious sentences, using interesting vocabulary. * **[20 Dyslexia-friendly Creative Writing Prompt Cards ](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/imaginative-story-writing-prompts-11648009)**. Story starters with photos, word banks, prompt questions etc for short pieces of writing in varied fiction genres.   ***For more information and previews, please click through to the individual resource pages.*** Thank you for supporting my store.   ***YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...*** **[Improving Sentences Worksheets](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/improving-sentence-structure-11651717)** **[Full Stops and Capital Letters Self-Check Cards](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/full-stops-capital-letters-cards-ks2-11692728)** **[Spelling Word List Year 5/6 Games and Puzzles](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/spelling-word-list-year-5-6-activities-11964507)** **[Roald Dahl Giant Crossword](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/roald-dahl-quiz-crossword-roald-dahl-day-11690631)** **[Giant Books Quiz Crossword](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/books-quiz-crossword-fun-12072032)** **[First and Third Person Lesson](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/first-and-third-person-11642001)**   ***OTHER LITERACY BUNDLE OPTIONS...*** **[Writing and Sentences Activities BUNDLE](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks2-writing-11739814)** **[Literacy and Maths Meaningful Fillers BUNDLE](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/starters-finishers-literacy-maths-year-5-6-11922062)** **[Literacy Activities KS2 BUNDLE](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/back-to-school-literacy-bundle-ks2-11692947)** **[Improving Sentences BUNDLE](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/improving-sentences-activities-12076299)** **[Literacy Activities Year 5 / 6 BUNDLE](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/literacy-year-5-6-11920931)** **[Complex Sentences Activities Cards BUNDLE](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/writing-complex-sentences-cards-bundle-12076305)** **[SPaG Revision Activities BUNDLE](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/spag-year-6-revision-activities-12072153)**   Explore more at **[FullShelf Resources](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/FullShelf)**

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Improving Sentences Creative Writing

Literacy and English sentence structure and ambitious vocabulary activities to help your students improve and extend sentences. These are KS2 / Early KS3 (Year 5, 6 and 7) **creative writing activity cards** and **worksheets** to promote complex sentence structures and ambitious vocabulary in descriptive writing. These activities will get students extending their sentences, varying their openers, adding more powerful verbs and adjectives and using subclauses. Use as starters or warm ups for writing, main lesson tasks or early finisher challenges. **PDF** format. **This BUNDLE includes 2 resources which can be purchased separately if preferred:** **[Super Sentences (Complex Sentence Writing)](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/complex-sentences-writing-11534472)** * 40 printable activity cards * Colour and black and white versions) * Works well as a regular morning starter activity, early finisher task or warm-up for a writing lesson * An introductory card models different ways to add interest and variety to sentences. * Originally designed as a dice game, it can be used as a variety of ways. *Please see the individual resource for more detail.*   **[Uplevelling Sentence Trails](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/improving-sentence-structure-11651717)** * 40 A4 complex sentence construction cards / worksheets to get students extending sentences * Differentiation and worked examples * Support learners to take boring, simple sentences, changing vocabulary and sentence structure step-by-step, building much more ambitious, descriptive and exciting sentences. * Use with a variety of age groups and abilities.   **Thank you so much for supporting my store.**   ***YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...*** **[Creative Writing Prompt Cards](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/imaginative-story-writing-prompts-11648009)** **[40 Full Stops and Capital Letters Cards](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/full-stops-capital-letters-cards-ks2-11692728)** **[Editing / Proofreading Puzzles Worksheets](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/editing-proofreading-spag-year-5-6-11880677)** **[Spelling Word List Year 5/6 Games and Puzzles](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/spelling-word-list-year-5-6-activities-11964507)** **[Roald Dahl Giant Crossword](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/roald-dahl-quiz-crossword-roald-dahl-day-11690631)** **[Giant Books Quiz Crossword](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/books-quiz-crossword-fun-12072032)** **[First and Third Person Lesson](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/first-and-third-person-11642001)**

Creative Writing Complex Sentences

A creative writing VCOP game or SPaG game at two levels, these fun activity cards are designed for Upper KS2 and KS3, Year 5, 6, 7 and 8. This is a **BUNDLE** of **80** printable cards to promote ambitious sentence structures and vocabulary in descriptive / narrative writing. Regular use as a warm up or early finisher challenge will get students improving and stretching their sentences. Students enjoy playing this game in groups but they can be used by individuals too. You could also use them as a fun homework task. ***CONTENTS:*** * 2 PDF files * 84 pages (including **black and white** options) * Includes 2 packs of 40 cards (**2 different levels of challenge**), which can be purchased separately if required:   **[Super Sentences (Complex Sentence Writing)](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/complex-sentences-writing-11534472)**: 40 printable activity cards (colour and black and white versions). An introductory card models different ways to add interest and variety to sentences. Originally designed as a dice game, it can be used in a variety of ways. Please see the individual resource for more detail. [**Sensational Sentences (Complex Sentence Writing)**](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/complex-sentences-writing-ambitious-vocabulary-11534461): Another set of 40 cards - this is the same activity as above but for older / more able learners. It features more challenging vocabulary and **could be used for differentiation in the same class**. Thank you so much if you decide to purchase my resources. You might like to explore some of my other Literacy / English resources: **[Imaginative Story Writing Prompts](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/imaginative-story-writing-prompts-11648009)** **[Improving Sentence Structure Worksheets](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/improving-sentence-structure-11651717)** **[Spelling Games and Puzzles Year 5 / 6](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/spelling-word-list-year-5-6-activities-11964507)** **[Editing / Proofreading Puzzles Worksheets](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/editing-proofreading-spag-year-5-6-11880677)** **[Full Stops and Capital Letters Cards](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/full-stops-and-capital-letters-11692728)** **[First and Third Person Lesson](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/first-and-third-person-11642001)** **[FullShelf Resources](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/FullShelf)**

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How Many Sentences Are in a Paragraph, Really?

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Have you ever found yourself staring at a blank page, wondering if your paragraph is too short, too long, or just right? Well, you're not alone in asking how many sentences are in a paragraph . It can be hard to tell whether you've provided enough information and if, most importantly, it is easy to read and effectively communicates your main point.

There’s no magic number, but there are certain rules that writers can follow to create solid compositions.

Paragraph Structure 101

How many sentences are in a paragraph, can a paragraph be one sentence long, when to write shorter paragraphs, when to write longer paragraphs, nailing the final sentence, when is the right time to start a new paragraph, 5 tips for writing the perfect paragraph.

A paragraph is like a well-balanced meal, complete with a main idea, details to savor and a satisfying conclusion. This distinct section of writing deals with a particular idea or theme and typically consists of several sentences that are related and organized around a central point.

Here are the core components of a paragraph.

• Topic sentence : This is usually the first sentence of the paragraph, boldly introducing the main idea or point. It’s like the person at a party who starts the conversation with an exciting story, grabbing everyone’s attention.
• Supporting sentences : These sentences are the loyal friends who chime in with more details, explanations or examples to back up the main idea. Think of them as the friends who add, "So true, I saw that too!"
• Concluding sentence : This sentence wraps up the idea of the paragraph and may provide a transition to the next paragraph. It’s like the smooth talker at the end who sums up the moral of the story, leaving everyone satisfied and ready for the next tale.

There is no hard-and-fast rule regarding paragraph length. There is a time and a place for short paragraphs and their longer counterparts (we'll get to this later).

Determining the perfect number of sentences in a paragraph is more of an art than a science, but some helpful guidelines exist. Generally, a paragraph contains three to five sentences. This range ensures you have enough space to introduce your main idea, support it with details and wrap it up neatly — all without overwhelming your reader.

Breaking Down an Example

If you're writing about the benefits of exercise, your paragraph might start with a topic sentence like, "Exercise is crucial for maintaining good health."

Follow with a few supporting sentences like, "It improves cardiovascular health and strengthens muscles. In addition to the physical benefits, exercise also boosts mental well-being."

Then, finish with a strong closing sentence, "Incorporating regular exercise into your routine can lead to a happier, healthier life."

So, how many words are in an average paragraph? The typical range is 100 to 200 words. Think of this as a comfortable size for your reader to absorb. In academic writing, a paragraph might be on the longer side to thoroughly explore a concept, while in casual writing, shorter paragraphs keep things snappy and engaging.

Remember, these are guidelines, not rigid rules. The key is to balance clarity, completeness and reader engagement, making your paragraphs just the right length to keep readers or target audience hooked and informed.

It's common to assume that a good paragraph should be at least three or four sentences long, but that is not always the case. A paragraph can be one sentence, especially in certain contexts — like creative writing or journalism — or when emphasizing a particular point.

For example, "And then, silence," is a short, one-sentence paragraph often used for dramatic effect or to highlight a moment in the narrative. A short paragraph like this can be particularly effective when the previous paragraph is on the lengthy side.

In more formal or academic writing, paragraphs typically contain multiple sentences to develop an idea fully, but there are still some rare instances of single-sentence paragraphs. For example, "The experiment failed," is a one-sentence paragraph that can be used to highlight a significant result or conclusion.

Shorter paragraphs can be very effective in various contexts. For instance, they are useful for emphasizing a point, as a short paragraph can draw attention to a key idea or conclusion, making it stand out from the surrounding text. Think of it as the literary equivalent of a mic drop.

A brief paragraph in creative writing or storytelling can heighten suspense or emphasize a sudden change or revelation, such as "And then, the lights went out." It’s like the plot twist nobody saw coming.

Improving readability is another important reason to use shorter paragraphs. In web writing or other forms of media, shorter paragraphs can help keep the reader engaged and make the text easier to digest. Imagine serving your readers bite-sized snacks instead of a five-course meal.

Shorter paragraphs are also helpful for introducing a new idea. Starting a new section or shifting to a new idea with a short paragraph can provide a clear break and signal a transition to the reader. It's like saying, "Hold on, new topic ahead!"

Lastly, shorter paragraphs in blogs or informal writing can create a more conversational and approachable tone, making the content more engaging for the reader. Think of it as chatting with a friend rather than lecturing a class.

Sometimes, it's good to give your readers a break, so don't be afraid to keep it short and sweet!

Longer paragraphs are like a hearty stew: Sometimes, you need that extra depth and richness. They’re great for diving into complex topics where you must provide detailed explanations, multiple examples and robust support for your points. This is especially useful in academic writing, research papers and detailed reports where a brief overview just won't cut it.

In narrative writing, longer paragraphs allow you to set the scene, develop characters and advance the plot without stopping every few sentences.

When presenting a nuanced argument, longer paragraphs help articulate intricacies and counterpoints effectively, keeping the text from becoming a patchwork quilt of ideas. Just make sure they stay focused and clear so your readers don’t get lost in the wordy wilderness.

The secret to a solid final sentence lies in its ability to encapsulate the main idea of the paragraph and leave a lasting impression. It should provide a sense of closure, tying together the key points discussed. Using impactful language or a thought-provoking statement can make the final sentence memorable.

For example, a strong final sentence in a paragraph about climate change could be, "Our actions today will determine the planet's future — so maybe skip that extra-long shower."

In a discussion about healthy eating, you might conclude with, "Remember, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but only if you actually eat it."

Knowing when to break into a new paragraph is key for clarity. Start a new paragraph when introducing a new idea or topic, when you need to break up a long block of text to improve readability or when you want to emphasize a point.

Transitioning between different speakers in dialogue also requires a new paragraph. Whenever your writing takes a new direction, think of it as a cue for a fresh paragraph.

These tips will help you craft clear, cohesive and compelling paragraphs.

• Stick to one core idea. Each paragraph should focus on a single core idea, in the same way that a good joke has one punchline. For example, if you're discussing the benefits of exercise, don't suddenly veer off into your favorite cookie recipes.
• Create connections between sentences. Make sure your sentences flow logically from one to the next. Think of it like a conga line: Each sentence should seamlessly follow the previous one, keeping the party going smoothly.
• Use transition words. Transition words and phrases — such as "however," "therefore" and "for example" — guide your reader through your argument and signaling shifts between ideas.
• Include supporting details. Bolster your main idea with supporting details, examples and evidence. Imagine you're trying to convince someone that pizza is the best food; you'll need to include tasty details like, "With its ooey-gooey mozzarella cheese, herbaceous marinara sauce and crisp pepperoni slices, piping-hot pizza is the perfect meal."
• Conclude with a strong closing sentence. Wrap up your paragraph with a concluding sentence that reinforces the main idea and provides a sense of closure. It's like the final chord in a song, leaving your reader with a satisfying sense of completeness.

Happy writing!

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made3 sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.

Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article:

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30 Creative Picture Writing Prompts

By Med Kharbach, PhD | Last Update: May 27, 2024

Picture prompt writing, as Carp et al. (2010) define it, is a technique that uses visual stimuli to inspire and guide students’ writing. Picture prompts are an excellent tool for overcoming writer’s block. They provide a visual stimulus that can ignite creativity and help students generate ideas and organize their thoughts, making the writing process more approachable and less intimidating.

In today’s post, I share practical tips for effectively using picture prompts in writing. I will start with some tips on how to best utilize picture prompts, discuss their numerous benefits, and provide examples to get you started. Additionally, I encourage you to read the references at the bottom of this page for a deeper understanding of this powerful educational tool.

All the picture prompts in this post are available for free download in PNG format. You can easily access and use these resources to enhance your teaching and engage your students in creative writing activities.

What Are The Benefits of Picture Writing Prompts?

The importance of picture writing prompts is well documented in the research literature. These visual tools have been shown to significantly enhance student engagement and creativity in writing tasks. By providing a concrete image to spark imagination, picture prompts help students of all ages and proficiency levels generate ideas more easily, organize their thoughts coherently, and express themselves more vividly.

Picture writing prompts offer a range of benefits supported by various studies:

• Enhanced Engagement and Motivation : Picture prompts capture students’ interest and motivate them to write, as they provide a stimulating visual context (Mukramah et al., 2023; Gonchar & Schulten, 2017).
• Improved Idea Formulation : Visual prompts help students generate and organize ideas more effectively, leading to richer and more detailed writing (Mukramah et al., 2023; Carp et al., 2020).
• Support for Diverse Learners : They are particularly beneficial for English Language Learners and students of different age groups, helping them overcome language barriers and express their thoughts clearly (Gonchar & Schulten, 2017).
• Encouragement of Creative Thinking : Picture prompts inspire creative storytelling and imaginative responses, allowing students to explore different narrative possibilities (Gonchar & Schulten, 2017).
• Facilitation of Critical Thinking : Analyzing and interpreting images encourages students to think critically about what they see and how they translate those thoughts into writing (Mukramah et al., 2023; Carp et al., 2020).
• Ease of Use Across Subjects : These prompts can be used in various subjects, not just language arts, to inspire writing related to science, social studies, and more (Gonchar & Schulten, 2017).

Tips for Using Picture Prompts in Writing

Using picture prompts in writing activities can be incredibly effective in enhancing students’ creativity and writing skills. However, to maximize their benefits, it’s essential to implement them thoughtfully. Below are some tips to help educators effectively use picture prompts in their writing lessons. These suggestions are designed to engage students, stimulate their imagination, and improve their overall writing abilities, making the writing process both educational and enjoyable.

• Select Diverse Images : Use a variety of pictures, including different subjects and settings, to cater to different interests and stimulate diverse ideas.
• Connect to Writing Goals : Choose images that align with specific writing objectives, such as descriptive, narrative, or persuasive writing.
• Encourage Observation : Ask students to closely observe details in the picture, fostering critical thinking and attention to detail.
• Ask Guiding Questions : Provide prompts like “What is happening in this scene?” or “How do you think the characters feel?”
• Incorporate Group Activities : Use picture prompts for group discussions to generate collaborative story ideas.
• Allow Creative Freedom : Encourage students to interpret the images in unique ways, supporting creativity and individual expression.
• Combine with Other Prompts : Mix picture prompts with text or question prompts to provide more structure and support.
• Use for Various Genres : Adapt picture prompts for different genres, such as poetry, essays, and fiction.
• Reflect and Share : Have students share their stories with peers and reflect on how the images influenced their writing.
• Integrate Technology : Utilize digital platforms to display images and enable students to write and share their responses online.

Using Picture Prompt Writing with Students with Special Needs

Picture prompt writing is also beneficial for students with special needs, particularly those with developmental delays such as autism. The research conducted by Carp et al. (2012) found that picture prompts significantly improved the acquisition of auditory-visual conditional discriminations in children with autism, compared to pointing prompts and trial-and-error learning.

The study showed that picture prompts facilitated faster learning and greater accuracy by enhancing the participants’ ability to discriminate relevant features of the comparison stimuli. This suggests that picture prompts are a valuable tool in teaching complex skills to children with developmental delays, supporting their use in educational programs for individuals with autism.

Additionally, Fisher, Kodak, and Moore (2007) demonstrated that picture prompts facilitated the acquisition of auditory-visual conditional discriminations in children with autism. Their study found that picture prompts were more effective than pointing prompts in promoting correct comparison selections.

Carp et al. also cited additional studies that explored various prompting tactics and their effectiveness in teaching complex skills to individuals with developmental disabilities. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating picture prompts into educational strategies to support the learning and development of students with special needs.

Picture Writing Prompts Examples

In this section, I’ve categorized picture writing prompts into three groups to suit different age levels: kids, middle school, and high school. Each category contains tailored prompts designed to engage students at their respective developmental stages.

For Kids (Elementary School)

In this section, we will explore picture writing prompts designed for elementary school students. These prompts are tailored to engage young minds with topics that are both fun and educational. Whether it’s imagining a day in the life of a lion or describing the wonders of a magical garden, these prompts encourage creativity and help children develop their descriptive writing skills.

1. Animals and Nature

Prompt: “Write a story about a day in the life of a lion in the savannah. What adventures does the lion have? Who are its friends?”

Prompt: “Describe what happens in a magical garden that changes with each season. What do you see, hear, and smell during spring, summer, autumn, and winter?”

2. Fantasy and Adventure

Prompt: “Imagine you found a dragon egg. Describe what happens when it hatches and the adventures you go on with your dragon.”

Prompt: “Write about a group of friends who find a treasure map and go on a pirate adventure to find the hidden treasure.”

3. Daily Life

Prompt: “Describe a fun day at the park with your friends. What games do you play? What do you see around you?”

Prompt: “Write a story about your family cooking dinner together. What do you make, and how do you all help?”

4. Holidays and Celebrations

Prompt: “Write about the most exciting Halloween night you can imagine. What costumes do people wear? What surprises do you find?”

Prompt: “Describe a special family tradition during Christmas. What activities do you do together? How does it make you feel?”

5. Community and Helpers

Prompt: “Imagine you spent a day with a firefighter. Describe the different tasks you help with and how you save the day.”

Prompt: “Write a story about a community event like a parade or fair. What different activities and people do you see?”

For Middle School

Middle school is a time of expanding horizons and growing curiosity. This section focuses on picture writing prompts that challenge students to think critically and creatively. From historical events to futuristic cities, these prompts are designed to foster deeper thinking and help students make connections between their writing and the world around them.

1. Historical Events

Prompt: “Imagine you are a reporter covering the moon landing. Describe the events as you see them unfold and how people react.”

Prompt: “Write a diary entry from the perspective of a child living in ancient Egypt. What is your daily life like?”

2. Science and Technology

Prompt: “Describe a futuristic city where robots help with everyday tasks. How do people live and interact with these robots?”

Prompt: “Write about an environmental project you would start to help reduce pollution in your city.”

3. Mystery and Suspense

Prompt: “A foggy forest path leads to an abandoned house. Write a story about what you find inside and the mystery you uncover.”

Prompt: “Describe the events of a night when you and your friends decided to explore a rumored haunted house.”

4. Emotions and Relationships

Prompt: “Write about a time when you felt incredibly happy. What caused this happiness, and how did it change your day?”

Prompt: “Describe a friendship that started unexpectedly and became very important to you.”

5. Exploration and Travel

Prompt: “Imagine you are exploring the Great Wall of China. Describe your journey and the sights you see.”

Prompt: “Write a story about a scuba diving adventure where you discover a hidden underwater city.”

For High School

High school students are ready to tackle more complex and abstract themes in their writing. In this section, we provide picture writing prompts that encourage them to explore social issues, abstract concepts, and literary inspirations. These prompts are intended to provoke thoughtful responses and help students develop their analytical and expressive abilities.

1. Social Issues

Prompt: “Write an essay on the impact of climate change on your community. What changes have you observed, and what solutions do you propose?”

Prompt: “Describe a protest you attended or would like to attend. What is the cause, and what do you hope to achieve?”

2. Abstract and Symbolic

Prompt: “Look at an abstract painting and describe what it represents to you. How does it make you feel, and what do you think the artist was trying to convey?”

Prompt: “Write a story inspired by a symbolic image, such as a broken chain or a lone tree in a vast field.”

3. Literary Inspiration

Prompt: “Imagine you are a character in a classic novel like ‘Pride and Prejudice’ or ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ Write a new scene that fits into the story.”

Prompt: “Describe a painting from the Renaissance era and create a story based on the characters and setting.”

4. Career and Future

Prompt: “Write a day in the life of your dream job. What tasks do you perform, and what challenges do you face?”

Prompt: “Describe your first day at college. How do you feel, what do you do, and who do you meet?”

5. Cultural Diversity

Prompt: “Describe a cultural festival you attended. What traditions did you observe, and what did you learn?”

Prompt: “Write a story about a family from a different culture moving to your town. How do they adapt, and what do they teach you?”

Related: 9 Great Books on Essay Writing

Final thoughts

In this post, I talked about picture writing prompts and covered their importance, practical tips for using them, their benefits, and examples to get you started. Picture prompts are excellent tools for overcoming writer’s block and enhancing students’ creativity and writing skills. I hope these insights and strategies will inspire you to incorporate picture prompts into your writing activities. For further reading and a deeper understanding, I encourage you to explore the references provided.

• Carp, C. L., Peterson, S. P., Arkel, A. J., Petursdottir, A. I., & Ingvarsson, E. T. (2012). A further evaluation of picture prompts during auditory-visual conditional discrimination training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis , 45 (4), 737–751. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2012.45-737
• Dube, W. V., & McIlvane, W. J. (1999). Reduction of stimulus overselectivity with nonverbal differential observing responses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 32, 25-33. doi:10.1901/jaba.1999.32-25
• Fisher, W. W., Kodak, T., & Moore, J. W. (2007). Embedding an identity-matching task within a prompting hierarchy to facilitate acquisition of conditional discriminations in children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40, 489–499. doi:10.1901/jaba.2007.40-489
• Gonchar, M., & Schulten, K. (2017). A Year of Picture Prompts: Over 160 Images to Inspire Writing. The new York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/learning/lesson-plans/a-year-of-picture-prompts-over-160-images-to-inspire-writing.html
• Mukramah, C., Mustafa, F., & Sari, D. F. (2023). The Effect of Picture and Text Prompts on Idea Formulation and Organization of Descriptive Text. Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 7(2), 325-341

Further Readings on Picture Prompt Writing

If you’re looking to delve deeper into the benefits and applications of picture prompts in writing, here are some valuable resources:

• “5 Reasons to Use Pictures as Writing Prompts” by The Write Practice
• “How to Use Images to Inspire Creative Writing” by Edutopia
• “ 144 Picture Prompts to Inspire Student Writing” by The Learning Network

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Meet Med Kharbach, PhD

Dr. Med Kharbach is an influential voice in the global educational technology landscape, with an extensive background in educational studies and a decade-long experience as a K-12 teacher. Holding a Ph.D. from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Canada, he brings a unique perspective to the educational world by integrating his profound academic knowledge with his hands-on teaching experience. Dr. Kharbach's academic pursuits encompass curriculum studies, discourse analysis, language learning/teaching, language and identity, emerging literacies, educational technology, and research methodologies. His work has been presented at numerous national and international conferences and published in various esteemed academic journals.

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How To Humanize AI-Generated Text?

• Smodin Editorial Team
• Published: May 28, 2024

There’s no doubt that AI has revolutionized academia and streamlined essay and research paper writing. However, it certainly has its limitations. AI-generated content often lacks the emotional understanding that makes writing relatable and human. Plus, the last thing you want is your professor handing back your essay, saying it was “100% written by AI,” and giving you a zero.

But if you’re sitting on a bunch of AI text, it’s nothing to lose sleep over. In this article, we’ll cover 13 ways to humanize AI-generated content. Once you implement some of these ideas in your work, you can enhance the emotional connection while ensuring your writing maintains academic integrity.

From idiomatic expressions to injecting personality to humanize AI-generated text, let’s get started!

1. Use an AI Humanizer

An AI humanizer tool can significantly enhance the reliability of AI-generated text (ironic, isn’t it?).

AI humanizers are tools designed to give artificial intelligence-generated content human-like qualities. This can make it easier for the content to speak to readers. These tools understand and mimic human nuances, which help bridge the gap between mechanical outputs and engaging speech.

If you’re in academia, this could make your research paper more enjoyable to read and effectively deliver your intended thesis statement.

2. Incorporate Personal Anecdotes

Personal anecdotes are a powerful way to make your creative writing sound less robotic. Weave personal stories into your text and see how it creates a direct connection to your reader. This will make the content feel more genuine and relatable.

Besides enriching the narrative, this strategy also enhances its persuasive power. Personal anecdotes bring abstract concepts to life, providing real-life examples that readers can connect with. This helps in improving engagement and maintaining a reader’s interest.

3. Use Idiomatic Expressions

Always try to sprinkle your AI content with idiomatic expressions. They make everything sound a lot more natural and human. Idioms help convey emotions and thoughts in a way that straightforward language usually can’t.

When you use phrases like “break the ice” or “once in a blue moon,” you enrich the language and reflect cultural aspects that human readers can relate to. This strategy can break down the robotic feel of AI text to give it a familiar, conversational tone.

4. Inject Personality

If you want to humanize AI-written content, you have to inject some personality into it. A distinct voice adds color, making the text more relatable and memorable for readers.

Personality can come from humor, a unique perspective, or even a signature style of writing that aligns with an institution.

By reflecting human traits like curiosity, enthusiasm, or skepticism, AI content gains a distinct flavor that separates it from robotic text. This approach is very useful if you’re trying to ensure your research paper is actually interesting to read while still being functional.

5. Vary Sentence Structure

AI’s outputs can be pretty monotonous, to add to it being robotic and tiresome. Varying the length and structure of your sentences adds rhythm and flow, making the reading experience more dynamic.

Short sentences can emphasize key points; longer, more complex sentences can delve into details and ideas. Variation mirrors natural human speech patterns, helping to maintain reader engagement.

Also, varied sentence structures help clarify meaning and enhance storytelling, making the entire text more appealing and relatable. The best part about this strategy? It’s simple yet super effective.

6. Show Empathy and Emotion

To resonate with a reader, incorporating empathy and emotion is a must. Including these elements plays on the reader’s feelings, challenges, and, goals. Statements like “We’ve all been there” or “It can be frustrating when…” create a bond of understanding. While AI has come a long way, it still can’t effectively convey the feelings of a human.

Always look to address your reader’s emotions and empathize with their experiences. That way, your writing will feel more supportive and authentic.

7. Use Direct Address and Questions

Directly addressing readers and asking questions brings AI-written content closer to human writing. Phrases like “Have you ever thought about…” or “You might be wondering…” engage the reader personally. It transforms the content into a conversation rather than a monologue. Do you get where we’re going with this?

Questions prompt readers to reflect on their own experiences, making the text feel less generic.

8. Apply Contractions and Informal Language

Unless you’re writing a technical or formal document, use contractions. Instead of “do not,” use “don’t,” and instead of “it is,” use “it’s.” This is how people talk in real life, so it gives AI-generated content a relaxed, conversational tone.

Contractions and informal language are a great way to break down the rigidity associated with artificial intelligence text. By using simple, everyday words and casual phrasing, the text feels warmer and more approachable.

But remember that you need to find the right balance between informal and clear language to maintain professionalism while making the text more readable.

9. Reflect Natural Speech Patterns

This involves using familiar rhythms, intonations, and pauses used in spoken language. Colloquial expressions and sentence fragments are a great way to add a human feel, showing how people actually talk.

Embrace these patterns and make the text flow more naturally, reducing the mechanical feel of AI-generated articles. But, maintaining clarity is crucial so the writing doesn’t become too casual.

10. Avoid Excessive Jargon or Technical Language

Using too much jargon or technical language can make AI text feel inaccessible, especially when it’s not needed. Yes, some specific terms may be necessary, but it’s important to limit it where possible for clarity.

Instead, opt for simpler words and phrases that any person assessing your work can understand. When complex terms are unavoidable, provide brief explanations to ensure understanding. This will make your AI-generated essays more likely to successfully get your point across. Your reader will grasp your work without feeling overwhelmed.

Note that you won’t have to worry about this for technical writing or formal essays.

11. Edit for Warmth

You can’t just post or hand in AI-generated content, especially if you’re at a high level in academia. Interestingly enough, a study from the Humanities & Social Sciences Communications found that AI usage increases with degree level. So, if you’re at a high level, it’s even more important to give your AI-generated work a human touch.

To do this, rephrase robotic-sounding text for something that will pique the reader’s interest while still remaining formal. In this sense, your word choice will become very important, as academic essays still need to maintain a certain level of professionalism.

12. Fact-Checking

Fact-checking should never be skipped when it comes to humanizing AI-written content. Accuracy and trust build credibility, especially in high-level academia. Although AI content generators tend to use the same data sources as humans, errors can still slip through.

Carefully verify facts, dates, and statistics to keep everything readable. Cross-reference all your sources, especially for sensitive or debatable topics.

13. Rewrite Over-Used AI Phrases

Rewriting over-used AI phrases breathes new life into your text. Some AI tools rely on repetitive phrases, which is why their outputs are more predictable. Identify and rework these cliches so your text is more aligned with that of human writers. This will also help you stand out in a classroom where everyone else could be relying heavily on unedited AI-written text.

Instead of following the same predictable patterns, go for creative expressions and a varied sentence structure. Create content that’s well-aligned with your unique writing style.

Why Humanize AI-Generated Text?

If you don’t even know why you should edit AI-generated content, here are some reasons you should start using the above tips:

• Lack of human understanding : Although AI writing tools typically use natural language processing (NLP), they often lack the complex emotional understanding needed for proper storytelling.
• Search engine preference : Search engines favor quality content that engages users. Humanizing AI-written content can improve rankings, helping your target audience find you. This is also applicable to research papers that are uploaded to websites like ResearchGate.
• Emotional connection : Readers want to be able to relate to your work and the points you’re making. Humanizing AI-generated content fosters an emotional connection that can help more people understand your work better.
• Creative edge : Humanizing AI text brings creativity to content creation. This enables you to deliver original, fresh perspectives that are distinct from generic, robotic writing.

Humanize AI Text With Smodin

Humanizing AI content is important for building emotional connections with readers. Whether it’s a creative writing essay or a research paper, this is important. By using strategies like injecting personality, varying sentence structures, and empathizing, you can transform robotic text into relatable narratives.

With tools like Smodin, you can refine AI content to reflect human creativity and understanding better. Smodin uses advanced technology to humanize AI content while retaining accuracy and clarity. It’s an AI tool that has features like rewriting, summarization, and AI chat.

Smodin harnesses human creativity to transform AI-written text into something that feels engaging and personal. You can also make use of Smodin Writer , which can honestly cut your work in half.

You can effortlessly create, edit, and optimize text that speaks directly to your audience. Does the tool support multiple languages, you ask? Yes! It’s designed to cater to global students, giving everyone a way to make AI text read like human-written content. Just run it through the Rewriter tool, and you’ll be well on your way.

It’s also worth mentioning that Smodin has a Plagiarism Checker , so you’re guaranteed to receive content that’s original, on top of being accurate and human-sounding.

Flexible, model-agnostic method for materials data extraction from text using general purpose language models

First published on 24th May 2024

Accurate and comprehensive material databases extracted from research papers are crucial for materials science and engineering, but their development requires significant human effort. With large language models (LLMs) transforming the way humans interact with text, LLMs provide an opportunity to revolutionize data extraction. In this study, we demonstrate a simple and efficient method for extracting materials data from full-text research papers leveraging the capabilities of LLMs combined with human supervision. This approach is particularly suitable for mid-sized databases and requires minimal to no coding or prior knowledge about the extracted property. It offers high recall and nearly perfect precision in the resulting database. The method is easily adaptable to new and superior language models, ensuring continued utility. We show this by evaluating and comparing its performance on GPT-3 and GPT-3.5/4 (which underlie ChatGPT), as well as free alternatives such as BART and DeBERTaV3. We provide a detailed analysis of the method's performance in extracting sentences containing bulk modulus data, achieving up to 90% precision at 96% recall, depending on the amount of human effort involved. We further demonstrate the method's broader effectiveness by developing a database of critical cooling rates for metallic glasses over twice the size of previous human curated databases.

I. Introduction

The rapid pace of development in NLP and frequent release of improved LLMs suggests they can be best utilized by methods which are easily adapted to new LLMs. In this paper we present such a flexible method for materials data extraction and demonstrate that it can achieve excellent precision and recall.

So far, the majority of materials data extraction approaches focus on fully automatic data extraction. 2–7 Automation is clearly desirable, particularly when extracting very large databases. However, more automation tends to require more complexity in the software, sophistication in training schemes, and knowledge about the extracted property. In addition, if a high level of completeness is required from a database, the recall of these approaches may not be sufficient. In such fully automated approaches a large amount of focus has been placed on the complex task of named entity recognition (NER), 8–12 so that the property, material, values and units can be extracted accurately. However, automatic identification of an improper recognition is still very challenging, which can reduce the precision of such approaches. Tools for automatic materials and chemistry data extraction, like OSCAR4 (ref. 13 ) or ChemDataExtractor, 14,15 have been developed and used to successfully extract large databases. A recent example includes a database of over 22 thousand entries for relatively complex thermoelectric properties, 16 at an average precision of 82.5% and a recall of 39.23%, or over 100 thousand band gap values, 17 with an average precision of 84% and a recall of 64%. More complex information such as synthesis recipes 18–23 have also been extracted with automated NLP-based methods. Although not complete due to the relatively low recall, databases of that size are useful for training machine learning models, 24–30 and would be very time consuming or impossible to extract with virtually any other method than full automation. Other recent examples of databases created in a similar way include photovoltaic properties and device material data for dye-sensitized solar cells, 31 yield strength and grain size, 32 and refractive index. 33,34 Other notable databases gathered with NLP-based approaches include more complex information than just data values, such as synthesis procedures. 19,27 Recently, another method for structured information extraction, making use of the GPT-3 capabilities was presented. 35 In that work, the focus is placed on the complicated NER tasks and relation extraction, at which GPT-3 excels. In that approach, more complex sentences can be successfully parsed into structured information. A “human in the loop” approach was used to fine-tune the model, a technique that seems to be emerging as a method of choice to obtain higher performing models. Impressive performance was achieved in this work for structured information extraction, although at a price of a relatively large set of relatively complex training examples.

In addition, the emergence of highly specialized LLMs underscores the rapid advancement in the field. In ref. 36 an instruction-based process specifically designed for materials science enhanced the accuracy and relevance of data extraction. Such specialized fine-tuning shows significant advantages in dealing with niche materials science tasks.

Recently, fully automated agent-based LLM approaches to analyze scientific text have been proposed as well, which are capable of answering science questions with information from research papers, 37 and generating customizable datasets. 38 Other fully automated LLM-based methods, including those that leverage complex prompt engineering workflows within LLMs have been proposed to curate large materials datasets of a higher quality than conventional automated NLP methods when used with state-of-the-art LLMs. 39

One limiting case, which we will call “small data”, is one where only a small amount of data, up to around 100 points, is available in the literature (for example, properties that are very new, very hard to measure, or studied by only a small community), and where completeness and accuracy are highly valued. For example, as of this writing “small data” might refer to superconductors with T c > 200 K. 40 It is typical to gather data for properties in the very small data limit fully manually, usually by experts in the field. Full manual curation is practical due to the limited number of papers and data and assures that the data is comprehensive and accurate. This fully manual approach is represented in Fig. 1 as the blue line, which is preferred (dashed) for very small amounts of available data. Even though it is technically slower than other methods, even in the very small data range, it is still the method of choice due to the highest possible quality of the results.

The opposite limiting case, which we will call “large data”, is when there is a lot of data in the literature, more than a couple thousand datapoints, the database is expected to be large, and modest precision and recall are acceptable. For example, such a database might be pursued for use for building machine learning regression and classification models on widely studied properties. For this large data case fully automated NLP-based approaches may be the most appropriate solution (see green curve in Fig. 1 for large number of entries). However, such an automated approach can result in an incomplete database that may not be sufficient for certain research or industrial applications, e.g. , where extremes of performance of just a few materials might be the primary interest. In addition, conventional, fully automated NLP approaches often require extensive retraining and building of parsers specific for different properties, as well as a significant amount of coding. These methods thus often require a significant initial investment of human time.

Datasets in the middle between “small” and “large” are considered in this paper as mid-size, i.e. containing between around a hundred and a couple thousand datapoints.

The logic of the best approaches for these extremes is simple. Large data ( e.g. , >10 4 data points) can be most efficiently extracted by spending human time on automating the extraction (leading to large A and small B in eqn (1) ), and reduced precision and recall is often of limited consequence since so much data is available. Small data sets ( e.g. , <10 data points) can be most efficiently extracted by spending human time on directly extracting the data (leading to small A and large B in equation eqn (1) ), and high precision and recall is typically more important for smaller databases. However, the optimal approach for the middle ground between these scales, which represents many databases in materials, is not obvious.

We propose the use of a method that is most suited to creating these mid-size databases. With the recent significant advances in performance and availability of LLMs, there is opportunity for significant improvements by employing them as a part of a language processing workflow for the purpose of materials data extraction. This method uses a combination of LLMs methods, with some degree of human supervision and input, which allows one to relatively quickly extract data of high quality while at the same time requiring minimal coding experience and upfront fixed human time cost. The method leads to modest A and B in eqn (1) , making it better than human extraction or full automation in the medium-data scale range. Two variants of the method are represented in Fig. 1 by the red and orange curves. They provide data of relatively high quality, approaching that of a fully manually created database, and scale well for medium sized databases. The proposed methods allow a database of up to the order of 1000 data points to be gathered in a few hours.

The general idea of breaking up the papers into sentences and classifying those sentences as relevant or not, perhaps with a model fine-tuned with human supervision is a commonly utilized language processing practice, including in materials science. 41 This general idea is also the core of the method presented here. However, we use a LLM to classify each sentence as relevant or not, parse each relevant category sentence with a LLM into a structured set of target data, and then perform human review of the extracted structured data for validation and fixing. The LLM classification is done either fully automatically (in a zero-shot fashion) or with some small human effort to fine-tune the LLM with example sentences. The LLM classification step typically removes about 99% of the irrelevant data and leaves only about 1% to be further analyzed, dramatically reducing human labor. The final human review is very efficient as only highly structured data is presented, and most are already correct or nearly correct. This method results in an almost perfect precision and recall for the resultant database, comparable to a fully human curated database, but at 100 times or less human effort.

There are three major advantages of this method compared to other possible approaches of data extraction with NLP. First, the method is very easy to apply, requiring almost no coding, NLP or LLM expertise and very limited time from the user. For example, the case where the LLM is provided by transformers zero-shot classification pipeline 42 requires just 3 lines of code that are provided on the huggingface website. As another example, in the case where the LLM GPT-3/3.5/4 is used, the API request is also just a few lines and provided to the user explicitly by the developers. Second, the method interfaces with the LLM through a standard classification task available in any modern LLM, making it possible to easily use the method with many present and likely any future LLMs. Thus the method can easily take advantage of the rapid improvements occurring in LLMs. Third, the method requires almost no knowledge about the property for which the data is to be extracted, with just the property name required for the basic application of the method.

In this paper we demonstrate the method by developing databases with multiple LLMs. The simplicity and flexibility of the method is illustrated by repeating the development of a benchmark bulk modulus sentence classification database with multiple OpenAI GPT models, including the recently released GPT-3.5 davinci, GPT-3.5 (turbo) and GPT-4, 43,44 as well as the bart- and DeBERTaV3-based language models 45–48 hosted on huggingface, currently the most downloaded models for text classification. It is important to demonstrate the applicability and efficiency of the method on both simple, free, and accessible LLMs that can be easily used on a personal computer, and on LLMs which require significantly more computation and may be out of reach of some most people's resources for now. Even though there exist fully free and open LLMs, such as OPT, 49 BLOOM 50 or LLaMA, 51 their use is computationally expensive and not convenient, which contradicts the spirit of ease and accessibility of the presented method. Therefore, we opted for The OpenAI's models whose API allows one to efficiently use the LLM on outside servers, although is not free. GPT-3/3.5/4 are also currently the most popular LLMs, so its a choice that will likely be relevant for many users.

We demonstrate and benchmark the method on raw texts of actual research papers, simulating how the method will likely be used by science and engineering communities. We first assess the precision and recall of the method on a small set of papers and the property bulk modulus in order to demonstrate the excellent accuracy of the classification that can be obtained with this method. We then use the method to extract a modest sized but high quality database of critical cooling rates for metallic glasses.

The paper is organized as follows: Section II describes the approach in detail; Section III shows the results of benchmarks and statistical analysis of the obtained classification results for a bulk modulus sentences database; Section IV discusses the developed database of critical cooling rates for metallic glasses, the possible utility of the method for purposes other than simple data extraction, and future possibilities in light of the rapid evolution of NLP methods and new LLMs. Section VI describes in detail the benchmark bulk modulus sentence classification database used for assessment as well as the critical cooling rate of metallic glasses database.

II. Description of the approach

A. step 0: obtaining and postprocessing the raw html/xml paper texts into human-readable format.

Simple text processing: After the papers are downloaded the metadata and html/xml syntax is removed. We keep all the paragraphs and the title and remove the rest of the content. Then, we remove the html/xml markup syntax and tags. At this point all that is left is pure text. This cleaned up text is then split into separate sentences, according to regular rules for how sentences are terminated. At the end of this step we are left with the raw data that may be fed to the LLM and analyzed. There is no need for any human evaluation of the data at this point. Whether an entire paper is unrelated, or some of the paragraphs contents are, it will simply be analyzed by the LLM and deemed irrelevant. This step takes very little human time, and the amount required does not depend on the size of the database or the extracted property. The exact method for removal of html/xml syntax and splitting into sentences can vary. It can be done by text processing through regular expressions (an example can be found in the codes, Data availability), or ready-made specialized python libraries and their functions (such as lxml, nltk.tokenize.sent_tokenize 53,54 ), depending on the user preference.

It is important to note here that further simple text processing of the cleaned up text to keep only plausible sentences, e.g. using regular expressions to keep sentences with easily identified essential information, can, and probably should be performed at this point. Although such an additional processing step does not influence the method or the final outcome and quality of the produced database, such processing can significantly reduce the amount of data to be categorized by the LLMs. This simple processing will certainly reduce the compute time needed for the LLM and can reduce costs if the LLM is not free. How this text processing is performed depends on the task and the amount of knowledge about the data or property to be extracted. For example, if we know the data is numeric we can keep just sentences containing a number. In the case of bulk modulus (see Dataset 1 in Section VI)), keeping only sentences containing a number cuts the amount of data to be processed in half and does not lower recall ( i.e. , keeps all relevant sentences). If some amount of knowledge about the quantity to be extracted is available it can be used to further select the most promising sentences. For example, if we know the expected units of the data we can further process the remaining sentences to keep only those that contain such units. In the case of bulk modulus (see Dataset 1 in Section VI)) keeping only sentences containing units of pressure (pascals and bars with possible metric prefixes, N m −2 ), lowers the amount of possible candidates to less than 20% of the initial set, still without any loss of recall. Such refinements can be continued to further narrow down the search, but each subsequent step relies on a deeper knowledge of the property in question and increases the risk of reducing recall. In the work presented here we assume the most demanding situation for the method, in which no prior knowledge of the property is assumed. Therefore we only narrow down the search to sentences containing numerical values.

B. STEP 1: zero-shot binary classification of sentences to produce unstructured data, i.e. set of sentences containing values for a given property

Depending on the LLM used, the zero-shot may require as little as just the name of the desired property as the label of the class (name of the property), or require a full prompt phrase ( e.g. , GPT-3/3.5/4). Since the most recent and powerful LLMs make use of a prompt ( e.g. , GPT-3/3.5/4), we focus on that case here. The prompt (a single set of words, typically a phrase that makes grammatical sense) given to the model plays an important role. The impact of prompts has already been widely observed in NLP-based text to image generation tools ( e.g. , DALL-E2, 55 MidJourney, 56 Stable Diffusion 57 ) and a similar situation occurs in the present application. Depending on the completeness and phrasing of the prompt, the results for classification may be dramatically different. In our experience, however, prompts that do not contain false and misleading information almost always result high recall, and it is mainly the precision that is affected. In addition, more complex prompts do not necessarily guarantee a better result and may not be necessary. It is worth mentioning that with modern LLMs, other approaches such as one/few-shot (providing a prompt together with one or a few example outputs) or even more complex ways of extracting data, involving multiple subsequent prompts, have been shown to be very effective. 43 In this work, however, not only is the zero-shot efficient enough for the classification task, but it is also the simplest, most straightforward to apply and assess its performance, and ensures higher flexibility and transferability to other properties, so the other more complex methods have not been explored.

Fig. 3 shows the zero-shot result statistics for the different models, including GPT-3.5 (whose technical names are text-davinci-002 and text-davinci-003) and other GPT models including 3.5 (turbo) and 4, which underlie ChatGPT. The Chat models do not output probabilities so full precision recall curves cannot be plotted, only a single point, which for all Chat models has 100% recall. The p1 and p2 stand for two different prompts.

p1: Does the following sentence contain the value of bulk modulus?

p2: A sentence containing bulk modulus data must have its numerical value and the units of pressure. Does the following sentence contain bulk modulus data?

Only the first token of the model's response was evaluated and in all cases it was either a “yes” or a “no” (case-insensitive), as expected, allowing for an unambiguous classification. As an example consider the two following sentences:

(1) After full lithiation, the phase transformed to Li13Sn5, which has the bulk modulus of 33.32 GPa and the Poisson's ratio of 0.205.

(2) The structure of polycrystalline copper is cubic with lattice parameters a = b = c = 3.6128 (1) Å at 0.0 GPa.

We would get a “yes” response for the first, and a “no” response for the second.

Even though p2 contains more seemingly valuable information, it did not necessarily perform better. We experimented with various different prompts, and straightforward prompts similar to p1 performed most consistently and predictably for most models. Therefore a simple prompt: Does the following sentence contain the value of [name of property]? is our strong recommendation. The one exception is GPT-4, where a more detailed prompt resulted in a significantly better result. This is due to an improved accuracy of prompt interpretation and following the prompt instructions in GPT-4.

It is worth noting that some models, such as GPT-3/3.5 davinci and GPT-3.5/4 (chat) at the time of writing this article are not free to use. Therefore, the flexibility to use different LLMs within the method is very valuable, as some free models, while not necessarily capable of accurately performing the more complex tasks such as automated data structurization, and although overall generally less capable than GPT-based models, perform well enough in the simple task of classification to produce satisfying results. However, in the case of OpenAI GPT-3, both model usage and fine-tuning is done on outside servers, so in a situation where computational resources are not available to run locally, it may enable one to use the best models at a low cost.

C. STEP 2 (optional): human assisted verification of the zero-shot classification of sentences

This optional step is just a chance for the human user to provide confirmation or correction to particularly important zero-shot classification data from Step 1 and then use those checks to fine-tune the LLM. Similar steps are often taken in other data extraction approaches, and machine learning in general. 35,41,58 Specifically, as the highest scoring sentences are being manually verified, a new training sets consisting of true positive and true negative examples is built. Since the precision of results of Step 1 is typically around 50% at 90% recall (see Fig. 3(d) ), the created sets are typically close to equal in size. The human labeled sets consist of positive cases, which represent true positives from Step 1, and negative cases, consisting of false positives from Step 1. The latter are the most valuable counter-examples for the negative training set, as these are the sentences the easiest for the model to confuse for positives. If after reaching the desired amount of verified positive sentences the corresponding set of negative sentences is smaller, it may be complemented with random sentences from the analyzed papers (the exceeding majority of which are negative). Fig. 4 shows how the classification model improves when fine-tuned on datasets of increasing size. A detailed analysis of that figure is present in Section III, where a conclusion is made that after around 100 positive sentences for the quicker learning models such as GPT-3 davinci/GPT-3.5 or bart, we start to observe diminishing returns with this human labeled dataset size increase and it may not be worth spending more human time on obtaining more examples. Therefore, we recommend to perform the manual verification of the zero-shot classification until 100 positive sentences (and a corresponding 100 negative – made easy due to the 50% precision) are obtained, a number easy to remember and satisfactory for an efficient fine-tuning dataset.

This steps usually takes no more than 30 minutes for approximately 100 sentences – each sentence has to be classified only in a binary fashion which is a very simple task and takes just a few seconds per sentence. The classification is as simple and straightforward as assigning 1 for positive and 0 to each sentence in a spreadsheet. The fine-tuning itself, for the small locally hosted models (bart and DeBERTaV3), takes around 30 minutes on an older workstation CPU (Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2670), 20 minutes on a modern laptop CPU (Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-9880H), and can be reduced to just a few minutes if GPUs are used. The OpenAI models are fine-tuned on external OpenAI servers in less than 30 minutes and do not require any local resources. After this step is performed and the sentences are once again reclassified using the now fine-tuned model the precision and recall are greatly improved, as can be seen in Fig. 4 .

This Step 2 is optional and is generally done to improve the quality data collected from Step 1. Improving precision of data at this stage will reduce the human time needed in data structurization in Step 3 (see Section II) to review the data. However, for small datasets the human time in Step 3 is very modest, and this Step 2 may not be worth the extra effort. Thus whether it is performed or not typically depends on the size of the dataset. For small datasets, and if a recall of around 90% is satisfactory this step can be entirely omitted. As seen in Fig. 3d ), the precision at 90% recall after Step 1 is over 50% for the best models, which means that for every true positive sentence, there is only one false positive – a reasonable number to be removed by hand during data structurization (Step 3). For small datasets, up to a few hundred values, verifying around 100 positive sentences to perform additional fine-tuning to improve the precision may turn out to be more labor intensive that proceeding straight to data structurization, and improving the precision manually by simply ignoring false positives. It is crucial to understand that the recall obtained at this step (or that has been obtained after Step 1, if this optional step is skipped) will be the recall of the final database, while the precision will be improved to near perfect in the next step (Step 3).

D. STEP 3: data structurization (template filling)

The user will typically perform this step by first ranking the sentences by their probability of being relevant (classification scores in the case of small LMs, bart and DeBERTaV3, or log probabilities in the case of GPT-3), which is the output from Step 1 (or Step 2 if performed), and start reviewing the list at the top, working down until they decide to stop. As the user works through the results in that fashion, they traverse down the precision recall curve (PRC) (see. Fig. 3(a) and 4(a) ). While the recall is impossible to assess without knowing the ground truth, the user is fully aware of the precision of the data they have already analyzed, therefore using the PRC they can estimate the recall and decide to stop when a desired recall is reached (with the assumption that the PRC are similar to those shown in Fig. 3(a) and 4(a) ). For best models, reaching recall of around 90% (close to that of a fully manual data curation) without performing the optional Step 2 happens for a precision close to 60%, while for a fine-tuned model (with Step 2), for a precision over 80%. It is entirely up to the user to decide the quality they require from their database, and the quality of the results will be proportional to the amount of time spent in this step. Recall of 90% seems to be a reasonable value to stop the process, as the precision sharply drops for higher values, which diminishes returns for the human time involved. However, this behavior may vary depending on the case, which will be discussed further in the Section III.

In general, human assisted data structurization, even when only the sentences containing the relevant data are given, may be a tedious and time consuming task. However, at this point it is the only method that can guarantee an almost perfect precision. For an inexperienced user, extracting one datapoint from a given sentence and its surrounding context fully by hand may take as long as 30 seconds, depending on the complexity of the property being analyzed and how it is typically expressed in research papers. Considering this, only relatively modest sized databases are reasonable to create. However, with experience, this time quickly reduces as the user gets used to the process. In addition, more experienced users may employ simple computer codes, e.g. based on regular expressions, which would preselect possible candidates for values and units, reducing the time significantly. In the longer term, it is likely the NLP tools will help automate this data structurization step. Some models, like GPT4, offer structured format output, such as json, which may be used to assist the final data extraction step. However, they do not do this very effectively at present without either human supervision or a major effort to tune them. For example, GPT-3/3.5/4 is capable of parsing unstructured data in a zero-shot fashion, with no need for retraining. In the case of our bulk modulus sentences dataset we found that in over 60% of cases GPT-3/3.5/4 is capable of correctly providing the entire data entry for a given property (name of the material/system, value, unit), and an incomplete datapoint (wrong material/system, but correct value and unit) in over 95% of cases. The only drawback that prohibits a full automation of this step with a LLM is the inability to automatically and unambiguously distinguish between correct and incorrect extracted datapoints. Even though the model does not tend to make up (hallucinate) data, it sometimes provides an incomplete or inaccurate extraction ( e.g. “alloy” instead of “AlCu alloy” for the material, or “100” instead of “greater than / > 100” for the value, etc. ). However, human assistance in determining whether the data has been structurized properly, and in case it was not, fixing it by hand, can easily remedy that problem. Since almost all values and units are extracted correctly, and only less than half of the material names require fixing, using a LLM approach greatly reduces the human time and effort required for data structurization. Using an LLM we found that the average human time required to extract each good datapoint was reduced to under 10 seconds, keeping the same, almost perfect precision. Thus, and NLP-assisted data structurization, while still a tedious process, enables one create databases of up to around 1000 entries (more or less, depending on the users predisposition to and efficiency at repetitive tasks), in one workday. This timing includes the whole process, beginning (Step 0) to end (structurized database after Step 3), although almost all the human time is spent in Step 3.

While the value, units and the optional additional details most often occur within the positive sentence, the name of the material is often missing from that sentence (sentences are often similar to e.g. We determined the bulk modulus to be 123 GPa). In those cases the system is described most often in the preceding sentence, and if not, then in the title of the paper. In a vast majority of cases (96% in our bulk modulus dataset) the full data information is available to be extracted from a sentence, that preceding it, and the title, so we do not search for it in other places. In the rare case when the full datapoint cannot be extracted, we record an incomplete datapoint. We also note that even in NLP models finely tuned for structurized data extractions, the further apart the relevant data are from each other, the more difficult it is for the model to accurately extract the relevant data, so those datapoints would very likely be incomplete with other NLP-based approaches as well.

III. Results

Fig. 3 summarizes the result from Step 1 in Section II for a bulk modulus analysis. The papers, sentences, ground truth category statistics, and other information is provided in Section VI. The ground truth for Step 1 was determined by human labeling. The following precision recall curves (PRCs) and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) are constructed in the usual way, which is by plotting the relevant metrics while varying the cutoff used for the lowest value of probability accepted as a positive classification for sentence relevance. Panel (a) shows a PRC for the models tested in this paper. The two different curves for each of the GPT-3.5 davinci and GPT-3.5/4 (chat) models correspond to two different prompts used in classification (see Section II). All of the tested models perform similarly, with bart struggling slightly more than others in achieving higher recall. The ChatGPT models result in only a single point, as the probability is not output from these models. All Chat models result in 100% recall, with GPT-3.5 (chat) performing similarly to base GPT-3 models, which was expected since they are a part of the same family of models and based on similar architecture. The next generation GPT-4 performs better, in particular with a more informative prompt (p2, see Section II). This is a result of an improved instruction-following capabilities of the GPT-4 and a higher capability to apply knowledge provided in the prompt when producing results, which suggests that further prompt engineering may provide an even more improved performance in zero-shot classification in this, and likely in future, LLMs. However, this better performance of GPT-4, although impressive, ultimately may still be eclipsed by the even better performance of the fine-tuned GPT-3 davinci model (discussed later), and its significantly lower cost. A more quantitative measure of models' performance is presented in panel (b), where the area under the precision recall curve (AUC-PRC) alongside a maximum F1 score are presented. The GPT-3.5 models, in particular using the first prompt (p1) show the highest scores, while bart and DeBERTaV3 rank lowest in PRC-AUC. It is important to notice, however, that the datasets analyzed here are heavily imbalanced, with negative results outnumbering positives by more than 2 orders of magnitude. This places the naive no skill in Fig. 3(a) line, representing an entirely random model, close to zero (as opposed to at 0.5 for a fully balanced set), lowering the entire PRC compared to a balance set. Fig. 3(c) shows the ROC, which is insensitive to dataset imbalance, and shows much higher AUCs (panel (b)) than those of PRCs. The conclusions from ROCs are similar to those from PRCs; GPT-3.5/4 performs best, with bart scoring lowest, while still performing reasonably well. A non-LM approach based on regular expressions was also evaluated for comparison. In the case of bulk modulus sentences, a simple regular expression (regex) capturing sentences containing any number ([0–9]), the case-insensitive phrase “bulk modulus,” and units of pressure ([MG]*Pa| kbar) resulted in an 82% precision and 72% recall (F1 = 0.76). While this result is comparable to the maximum F1 of zero-shot results of smaller LMs, LLMs such as GPT-4, as well as fine-tuned models, perform noticeably better. In addition, regex-based approaches do not directly offer a precision–recall curve, which would allow adjusting the balance to maximize recall without significantly sacrificing precision (see Section II). Even though chat models such as GPT-4 do not offer the precision–recall curve either, in our test they performed at 100% recall, so this fact was irrelevant.

It is informative to consider the implication of the ROCs and PRCs for the efficiency of the human effort in our method. The step that requires most of the human time for a modest size database or larger ( e.g. , a few hundred entries or more) is Step 3, where the user must read and structure output from each sentence categorized as positive in Step 1 (or Step 2 if used). In Section II we suggested that the user limit their review of sentences in Step 3 unless a desired recall (implied by precision through the PRC) is achieved.

In some applications one might wish to target a high recall irrelevant of the human time required in step 3. To give a sense of how that might impact the method, Fig. 3(d) and 4(b) show the precision for 90% recall after Step 1 and after the optional Step 2, respectively. Consistent with our above discussions, the best models can achieve this recall with more than 50% precision using even just the zero-shot approach (Step 1). For less robust models, a 50% precision requires tuning (Step 2). For the worst models and using just zero-shot learning, the precision is about 17%, meaning the user would be extracting useful data from only about 1 in every 6 sentences reviewed. This would likely still be practical, but could become very tedious for a database of even a few hundred final entries. However, the important implication is that if one uses the best models (GPT-3.5/4), even a quite high recall requirement, e.g. , 90%, can be achieved using very efficient sentence review, with almost every (more than 90%) sentence presented to the user containing relevant data.

Fig. 4 demonstrates how the performance of each of the models is improved if the optional fine-tuning in Step 2 is performed, as a function of the size of the training set. Panel (a) shows PRCs before fine-tuning (zero-shot) and compares them to PRCs after fine tuning on 100 and 200 positive sentences. While all models eventually show improvement, fine-tuning is clearly the most beneficial for the GPT-3 davinci (note that currently only the older generation GPT-3 davinci is available for fine-tuning). Similarly, various metrics describing the quality of the model are presented in Fig. 4(b) , where learning curves as a function of the size of the fine-tuning training set are shown. The x -axis represents the number of positive sentences included in the training set (with an assumed equal number of negative sentences). The shape of the learning curves differs for different models, with GPT-3 davinci model performing best ( i.e. achieves higher performance metric values for smaller training sets) and learning the quickest ( i.e. converges closer to best observed performance metric values for smaller training sets), bart following second, and DeBERTaV3 third, across all metrics. One may notice that performance of the fine-tuned models trained with very small training sets perform worse than zero-shot ( Fig. 3 ). When the model is fine tuned on a very specific and not very diverse set of information, the model's weights are updated with information inadequate to constrain it resulting in less accurate performance. For davinci, slope starts to decrease rapidly (curve starts to saturate) for as few as 60–80 positive sentences in the training set, for bart that occurs at around 100 positive sentences, and for DeBERTaV3 closer to 160. Even though not all of the curves are fully saturated for the above mentioned dataset sizes, constructing larger fine-tuning training sets is likely to waste more human time than it is going to gain in Step 3. Our recommendation, if the optional step 2 is performed, is to initially use a training set of around 100 positive sentences and the GPT-3 davinci model or the smaller and free bart. This size of 100 positive sentences is very manageable to obtain with human-assisted verification of classification after Step 1, and typically does not take more than 30 minutes. It is worth noting that although we expect this number to be transferable to other properties it has not been verified thoroughly on other properties. Whether to perform the optional Step 2 (fine-tuning) will ultimately depend on the size of the database. As mentioned before, for larger databases, this improvement will be beneficial and save overall human time needed to curate the database by making Step 3 more efficient, while for small databases, up to a couple hundred datapoints, the time spent on the fine-tuning in Step 2 might be more than is saved during the data structurization in Step 3.

IV. Discussion

To provide an example use-case for the method, we applied it to curate a high quality and highly accurate database of critical cooling rates for metallic glasses (Section VI B). 668 papers responded to the query “bulk metallic glass”+“critical cooling rate”, which is more than what a human researcher would be analyze manually in a reasonable timeframe. The proposed method resulted in 443 datapoints consisting of the value of materials, their critical cooling rate, and the unit in which they were expressed in the paper. These results, include all mentions of critical cooling rates, with different degrees of specificity, e.g. , accurate values for specific compositions (the ideal result), value ranges for specific materials, and value ranges for broad families of materials. The obtained database covers the range of expected values very well, with values ranging from 10 −3 K s −1 for known bulk metallic glass formers, to 10 11 K s −1 for particularly bad glass formers. The well known Pd-based bulk metallic glasses (Pd 43 Cu 2 Ni 10 P 20 and Pd 43.2 Ni 8.8 Cu 28 P 20 ) are identified as those with the lowest values of critical cooling rates, while simpler alloys such as AgCu, PdNi or NiBe and pure metals such as Co are identified as those with the highest critical cooling rates, which further validates the results. The obtained data, cleaned up for direct use in data oriented tasks (such as machine learning) i.e. postprocessed to only include unique values for uniquely specified systems yielded 211 entries. Within these, 129 are unique systems (multiple values are reported for some systems and we kept these to allow the user to manage them as they wish). The database is larger than the size of a recently published manually curated database of critical cooling rates, 59 which is the most state-of-the-art and complete such database of which we are aware, and consists of only 77 unique compound datapoints. To provide comparison to other existing methods, we used ChemDataExtractor2 (CDE2), 15 a state-of-the-art named entity recognition (NER) based data extraction tool. With CDE we obtain a recall of 37% and precision of 52%, which are comparable to those reported for thermoelectric properties (31% and 78%, respectively) obtained in ref. 16 .

Searching for a given property does not typically add any restrictions on the search other than the property itself, i.e. , the search is unrestricted. In the case of the method proposed here, unrestricted search will identify and help extract all datapoints for the target property from the input set of documents. Therefore, if the user desires a database limited to, for example, a given family of systems, the limitation would have to be enforced in some additional way. This constraint could be done by limiting the input set of documents through a more strict search query, but even that does not guarantee that only the desired values will be extracted, as many papers mention a wide range of results, even if technically focused on a particular topic. Limiting the final database can be easily done manually in Step 3 (Section II), but depending on the property and the size of the desired subset, limiting the data at that stage may take a lot of human time and be inefficient. In principle, more restrictions than just the property can be imposed on the NLP level, but such abstract concepts as families of materials are very challenging even for the best LLMs and greatly reduce the quality of the zero-shot results (Section II) and would require significantly more training in (Section II). This problem is highly dependent on the property in question. For example, an unrestricted search for critical cooling rates while limiting the search in Step 0 to papers responding to a query “bulk metallic glasses”+“critical cooling rate” was quite effective for our goals of obtaining all ranges of critical cooling rates for metallic glasses. But if one wanted, say, an overpotential for water splitting, restrictions on many factors, e.g. , temperature or pH, might be essential to obtaining useful result and difficult to screen on in the initial Step 0.

A particular example of where unrestricted searches can be problematic occurs when searching for properties which are relevant in many fields when one is interested in only a particular field, and/or which have many possible associated restrictions which are needed to make the data useful. A specific example of this problem occurred for us when we explored constructing a database for “area specific resistance” (ASR) for anode materials of proton conducting cells. In step zero we searched for “area specific resistance”+“proton conducting fuel cells (and similar terms)” the method proved very successful at identifying sentences containing ASR and structuring the data, as it was asked to do. However, the method captured ASR in a wide variety of contexts, including single phase and composite materials, porous and non-porous materials, electrodes and electrolytes, steels, interconnects, coatings, varying temperatures, and ASR in both fuel cell and electrolysis operation modes. To obtain a simple and immediately useful dataset we were interested in single phase dense anodes operating in fuel cell mode with temperature information. Imposing such limitations was dramatically harder than the basic data extraction. Although one might have different goals than the ones just mentioned, it is very unlikely that one is interested in gathering information for all of the above data in a single database. Restricting the set of input documents was able to help to a certain degree to move the balance of the obtained results in the desired direction, but did not solve the issue entirely. From such a wide variety of contexts, identifying only those we were interested in required a relatively deep knowledge from the person performing the data extraction and required significantly more human time to extract than in case of datasets where the property is more uniquely identified. In fact, we stopped developing this database due to these many challenges, although for someone willing to commit 4–5 days of human time in step 3 the desired database is certainly practical to develop.

On the other hand, the lack of restrictions in the model may have other benefits, as it expands the possibilities of the kinds of information that can be extracted. For example, the method can be used to extract many kinds of information, not just property values. Step 1 with models like GPT-3 davinci/GPT-3.5 or GPT-3.5/4 (chat) broadly describe the type of text we are looking for, and Step 2 fine-tunes to better classify the relevant sentences. While we utilized this classification search to find sentences containing numerical data for a given property within text paragraphs of research papers, data may be present in other places such as tables or figures. The classification approach can be easily used to search for non-textual data such as tables or figures containing the relevant information, by classifying their captions. In case of a positive table classification, it would be followed by manual or algorithmical extraction from the already structurized table. Furthermore, classification can be used for more abstract concepts, such as suitability of a given material for a certain application, personal opinions of authors about promising directions of future research, or any other concept that can be characterized as a group of example texts for the model to train on, and classify in a binary fashion.

It is also important to remember that the method we present here is not restricted to the LLMs explored in this paper, and is in fact designed to be quickly adapted to new and improved LMs.

VI. Datasets

A. bulk modulus sentences.

For the zero-shot case (only step 1 and not step 2) the approach effectively has no training data and can just be assessed on the test data described above. However, when step 2 included the fine-tuning requires additional data (effectively a training data set). For this fine-tuning process an additional 339 positive and 484 negative sentences have been extracted from papers not included in the 100 papers in the test set. These additional sentences are use to investigate how fine-tuning improves the model and plot learning curves (see Fig. 4 ).

B. Critical cooling rates for bulk metallic glasses

Vii. methods, a. definition of statistical quantities.

True negative (TN) – a sentence not containing numerical data for a given property.

False positive (FP) – a sentence not containing the numerical data for a given property but is identified as one that does.

False negative (FN) – a sentence containing numerical data for a given property but is identified as one that does not.

Data availability

Author contributions, conflicts of interest, acknowledgements.

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