Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences interactive worksheet ... - Free Printable

Explanation:
We need to classify each sentence as Simple, Compound, or Complex. Let’s recall what each means:

- Simple sentence: One independent clause (one subject + one predicate). No conjunctions joining clauses. May have compound subjects/verbs, but still only *one* main idea/clause.

- Compound sentence: Two or more *independent* clauses joined by a FANBOYS conjunction (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So) — or sometimes a semicolon. Each part could stand alone as a sentence.

- Complex sentence: One independent clause + at least one *dependent* (subordinate) clause (starts with words like *when, because, although, if, since, after, before*, etc.). Dependent clauses cannot stand alone.

Also: For compound sentences only, we must identify the FANBOYS conjunction used.

Let’s go one by one:

1. *I was bewildered when I couldn’t find my keys.*
→ “I was bewildered” = independent clause
→ “when I couldn’t find my keys” = dependent clause (starts with *when*)
✔ Complex

2. *My friend went on one of her political tirades, and everyone left the room.*
→ “My friend went…” = independent
→ “everyone left…” = independent
→ Joined by and (FANBOYS)
✔ Compound → FANBOYS: and

3. *It was crucial for her to make a report because the people were way out of control.*
→ “It was crucial…” = independent
→ “because the people were…” = dependent (*because*)
✔ Complex

4. *He couldn’t suppress his tears after the breakup.*
→ Only one clause: subject “He”, verb “couldn’t suppress”
→ “after the breakup” is a prepositional phrase, *not* a clause (no subject/verb)
✔ Simple

5. *His dubious lies fooled me, and it totally blew my mind.*
→ “His dubious lies fooled me” = independent
→ “it totally blew my mind” = independent
→ Joined by and
✔ Compound → FANBOYS: and

6. *The park was deserted and desolate after the police showed up.*
→ Subject: “The park”, verb: “was”
→ “deserted and desolate” = compound predicate (adjectives), not a second clause
→ “after the police showed up” = dependent clause? Wait — *after* introduces a dependent clause: “after [the police showed up]” — that *is* a dependent clause (has subject + verb). But the main clause is still only one: “The park was deserted and desolate”. So we have:
- Independent clause: *The park was deserted and desolate*
- Dependent clause: *after the police showed up*
✔ So this is Complex, not simple. (Many students mistake this as simple — but *after* + subject+verb = subordinate clause.)

7. *The vigilant reporter was always on the lookout for the next story.*
→ One subject (“The vigilant reporter”), one verb (“was”)
→ “on the lookout for the next story” = prepositional phrase
✔ Simple

8. *Even though I studied, I was apprehensive about the test.*
→ “Even though I studied” = dependent clause (*even though* = subordinating conjunction)
→ “I was apprehensive…” = independent
✔ Complex

9. *Her eyes were perpetually rolled, and eventually they just stayed that way forever.*
→ “Her eyes were perpetually rolled” = independent
→ “they just stayed that way forever” = independent (subject “they” = her eyes)
→ Joined by and
✔ Compound → FANBOYS: and

10. *Sometimes people are skeptical of my ideas even though I’m definitely a genius.*
→ “Sometimes people are skeptical…” = independent
→ “even though I’m definitely a genius” = dependent (*even though*)
✔ Complex

Now double-check tricky ones:

- #6: Yes, “after the police showed up” is a dependent adverbial clause. So Complex, not Simple.
- #9: Two independent clauses → Compound. Correct.
- #4 and #7: No subordinate clauses, no FANBOYS joining full clauses → Simple.

Final classifications:

1. Complex
2. Compound — and
3. Complex
4. Simple
5. Compound — and
6. Complex
7. Simple
8. Complex
9. Compound — and
10. Complex

Final Answer:
1. Complex
2. Compound — and
3. Complex
4. Simple
5. Compound — and
6. Complex
7. Simple
8. Complex
9. Compound — and
10. Complex