What is a Complex Sentence?

A sentence which consists of a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses is called a “complex sentence”. Each of the three sentences given below is a complex sentence having one main clause and one sub-ordinate clause.

Examples of Complex Sentences

Look at the following sentences:

(a) I know that he is a good boy.

(b) I have a box which contains old clothes.

(c.) My father arrived when I was just going out.

Explanation of complex Sentence

Each of the above sentences has two clauses. In (a) there are two clauses (i) I know (ii) that he is a good boy. In (b) (i) I have a box, (ii) which contains old clothes and in (c). (i) My father arrived (ii) when I was just going out. In each of the sentences clause (i) is independent but clause (ii) of each sentence is dependent. “That he is a good boy”. “Which contains old clothes”, and “When just going out” cannot stand independently as they depend on clause-(i) to give e a clear meaning. Therefore they are known as “Subordinate clause”

Thus sentences which consist of a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses are called “complex sentences”. Each of the three sentences given above is a complex sentence having one main clause and one sub-ordinate clause.

                Now, look at the following complex sentences which consist of one main clause and more than one subordinate clause. The subordinate clauses are italicized and s underlined.

                (i) I believe that he is clever and that he can do any hard work.

                (ii) The boy whom I met at the station said that he was going to his village for a week.

                (iii) When the sunset the boys returned to the camp where they would spend the night.

Kind of sub-ordinate clauses:

Sub-ordinate clauses are of three types:

(i) Noun clauses.

(ii) Relative or Adjective clauses.

(iii) Adverb Clauses.

Learn in detail about subordinate clauses in the next steps.

Exercise for complex Sentence

EXERCISE-1

Identify the simple, the compound and the complex sentences and arrange them in separate groups.

1. He stood up and asked me a question.
2. Who told you to go home?
3. If you turn the switch, the motor will start.
4. Wait here until I return.
5. A valuable ring was found yesterday.
6. The boy described what he had seen in the zoo.
7. I came, I saw and I conquered.
8. They had arrived before we were able to tell them that they would be arrested by the police.
9. The people who have been to the moon say that there is no water there.

Exercise-2

Break up each of the following sentences into separate clauses. Mark the main clause  as M.C. and the subordinate clause as SC :

1. It was so dark that you couldn’t see your hand.
2. As he was not there, I spoke to his father.
3. The king said that he would not buy the horse.
4. Whatever you do, do well.
5. There was a philosopher who chose to live in a tub.
6. How long I shall stay here is doubtful.
7. The law will punish whosoever is guilty.
8. All that glitters is not gold.
9. The horse shook his head wildly so that no man could ride him.
10. This is the place where I saw the accident that took place last month.