A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses that have related ideas. The independent clauses can be joined by a coordinating conjunction (there are seven–for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or a semicolon.
Compound Sentences with Coordinating Conjunctions
- She did not cheat on the test, for it was not the right thing to do.
- I think I will buy the red car, or I will lease the blue one.
- I really want to go to work, but I am too sick to drive.
- I am counting my calories, yet I really want dessert.
- He ran out of money, so he had to stop playing poker.
- They got there early, and they got really good seats.
- There was no ice cream in the freezer, nor did they have money to go to the store.
- Everyone was busy, so I went to the movie alone.
- I would have gotten the promotion, but my attendance wasn’t good enough.
- Should we start class now, or should we wait for everyone to get here?
- It was getting dark, and we weren’t there yet.
- Cats are good pets, for they are clean and are not noisy.
- We have never been to Asia, nor have we visited Africa.
- He didn’t want to go to the dentist, yet he went anyway.
Compound Sentences with a Semicolon
- Joe made the sugar cookies; Susan decorated them.
- The sky is clear; the stars are twinkling.
- The waves were crashing on the shore; it was a lovely sight.
- There were white out conditions in the town; the roads were impassable.
- Check back tomorrow; I will see if the book has arrived.
- He said he was not there yesterday; many people saw him there.
- I am happy to take your donation; any amount will be greatly appreciated.
- She only paints with bold colors; she does not like pastels.
- She works two jobs to make ends meet; at least, that was her reason for not having time to join us.
- Malls are great places to shop; I can find everything I need under one roof.
- Italy is my favorite country; I plan to spend two weeks there next year.
- He turned in the research paper on Friday; he would have not passed the class otherwise.
Compound Sentences in Quotes
Here are examples of compound sentences used by well-known people:
- “Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one.” – Lyndon B. Johnson
- “The drought had lasted now for 10 million years, and the reign of the terrible lizards had long since ended.” – Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey
- “Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.” – Ronald Reagan
- “I have often wanted to drown my troubles, but I can’t get my wife to go swimming.” – Jimmy Carter
Now you have seen different examples of compound sentences you can confidently add them into your writing. One advantage of compound sentences is that you can build more detail into your writing. Just be careful not to get carried away and write long rambling sentences.
