Purpose
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to construct complex sentences using subordinating conjunctions and correctly punctuate them based on clause order.Lesson Explanation
A complex sentence joins one independent clause with at least one dependent clause (introduced in Part 1, Lesson 5’s coverage of subordinating conjunctions), rather than joining two independent clauses as in a compound sentence (previous lesson). Subordinating conjunctions like “because, although, since, if, when, while, unless” begin the dependent clause and make it unable to stand alone: “Although it was raining, I went for a walk.” Here, “Although it was raining” is dependent (cannot stand alone), while “I went for a walk” is independent. A genuinely important, position-dependent comma rule: when the dependent clause comes FIRST, a comma is required after it. When the dependent clause comes SECOND (after the independent clause), no comma is generally needed:Although it was raining, I went for a walk. (dependent first → comma required)
I went for a walk although it was raining. (dependent second → no comma needed) A sentence can also be both compound AND complex simultaneously — called a compound-complex sentence — by combining the structures from this lesson and the previous one: “Although it was raining, I went for a walk, and I got soaked.” This contains one dependent clause plus two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. Practice Questions
1. What does a complex sentence join together?
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One independent clause with at least one dependent clause.2. Can a dependent clause stand alone as a complete sentence?
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No.3. In “Although it was raining, I went for a walk,” which clause is dependent?
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“Although it was raining.”4. When the dependent clause comes first, is a comma required after it?
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Yes.5. When the dependent clause comes second, is a comma generally needed?
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No.6. Write “I went for a walk although it was raining,” and note whether a comma is needed.
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No comma is needed, since the dependent clause comes second.7. What is a compound-complex sentence?
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A sentence combining both compound and complex structures — multiple independent clauses plus at least one dependent clause.8. How many independent clauses does the example “Although it was raining, I went for a walk, and I got soaked” contain?
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Two.9. How many dependent clauses does that same example contain?
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One.10. What earlier lesson introduced the subordinating conjunctions used to build complex sentences?
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Part 1, Lesson 5.11. Name one subordinating conjunction that could begin a dependent clause.
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Because, although, since, if, when, while, or unless.12. Does a complex sentence join two independent clauses, like a compound sentence, or an independent and a dependent clause?