Worksheet for identifying simple, compound, and complex sentences with helpful tips.

Let's go through each sentence and determine whether it is simple, compound, or complex. Here's a quick review of the definitions:

- Simple sentence: One independent clause (a complete thought with a subject and verb).
- Compound sentence: Two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
- Complex sentence: One independent clause and at least one dependent clause (starts with a subordinating conjunction like those in AAawwubbis: as, although, after, while, when, unless, because, before, if, since).

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1. Do you want to go to the park?

- This is one question with one independent clause.
- ✔ Simple

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2. While Max was at recess, he fell and hurt his knee.

- "While Max was at recess" → dependent clause (starts with "while")
- "he fell and hurt his knee" → independent clause
- One independent + one dependent clause → complex
- ✔ Complex

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3. Do you have a dog, or do you have a cat?

- Two independent questions joined by "or"
- "Do you have a dog?" and "do you have a cat?" are both complete thoughts
- Joined by a coordinating conjunction ("or") → compound
- ✔ Compound

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4. My mom packed me an apple for lunch.

- One independent clause with subject ("my mom") and verb ("packed")
- No other clauses
- ✔ Simple

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5. My favorite subject is reading because I love good books.

- "My favorite subject is reading" → independent clause
- "because I love good books" → dependent clause (starts with "because")
- ✔ Complex

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6. Maria wanted to go to school, but she was sick.

- Two independent clauses:
- "Maria wanted to go to school"
- "she was sick"
- Joined by "but" (FANBOYS)
- ✔ Compound

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7. I hope I do well on my test!

- "I hope" → independent clause
- "I do well on my test" → dependent clause (it's the object of "hope", not a complete thought on its own)
- The second part is a noun clause acting as the object of "hope", but grammatically, this is still one independent clause with a subordinate clause embedded.
- However, note: even though there are two clauses, only one is independent — the second clause ("I do well...") is a noun clause (object of "hope"), not a separate independent clause.
- So this is a complex sentence because it has one independent clause and one dependent (noun) clause.
- ✔ Complex

> 🔍 Note: Some might argue this is simple, but technically, "I hope I do well..." contains a dependent clause, making it complex.

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8. I feed my dog before I leave.

- "I feed my dog" → independent clause
- "before I leave" → dependent clause (starts with "before")
- ✔ Complex

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9. I woke up early, and I am dressed for school.

- Two independent clauses:
- "I woke up early"
- "I am dressed for school"
- Joined by "and" (FANBOYS)
- ✔ Compound

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Final Answers:

| Sentence | Type |
|--------|-------------|
| 1. | Simple |
| 2. | Complex |
| 3. | Compound |
| 4. | Simple |
| 5. | Complex |
| 6. | Compound |
| 7. | Complex |
| 8. | Complex |
| 9. | Compound |

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Summary Tips:

- Look for FANBOYS → likely compound
- Look for AAAWWUBBIS words → likely complex
- If only one clause → simple

✔ You’ve now classified all sentences correctly!