Examples of Complex Sentences for High School Grammar

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🔑 A complex sentence has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
• 🔗 Dependent clauses start with subordinating conjunctions (e.g., because, although, if, since, while) or relative pronouns (e.g., who, which, that).
• ✍️ The order of clauses can vary; a comma is needed when the dependent clause comes first.
• 💡 Examples: "Because it was raining, we stayed inside." or "We stayed inside because it was raining."
• 🎯 The independent clause can stand alone as a sentence.
• 🧐 The dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence.

📝 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following is a complex sentence?
   1. A. The dog barked loudly.
   2. B. Because it was dark, I turned on the light.
   3. C. The cat sat on the mat.
   4. D. She went to the store and bought milk.
2. Identify the dependent clause in the following sentence: "After the game, we went out for pizza."
   1. A. we went out for pizza
   2. B. After the game
   3. C. the game
   4. D. for pizza
3. Which word is most commonly used to start a dependent clause?
   1. A. And
   2. B. But
   3. C. Because
   4. D. So
4. In the complex sentence, "Although he was tired, he finished his homework," which clause is independent?
   1. A. Although he was tired
   2. B. he finished his homework
   3. C. tired
   4. D. his homework
5. Choose the sentence that correctly uses a comma in a complex sentence.
   1. A. Because it was cold I wore a coat.
   2. B. I wore a coat because it was cold.
   3. C. Because it was cold, I wore a coat.
   4. D. I wore a coat, because it was cold.
6. Which of the following sentences is NOT a complex sentence?
   1. A. If it rains, we will stay home.
   2. B. She likes to read books.
   3. C. After the movie, we went for ice cream.
   4. D. While I was sleeping, the phone rang.
7. Identify the subordinating conjunction in the sentence: "He studied hard so that he could pass the test."
   1. A. He
   2. B. so that
   3. C. the
   4. D. test