We know that compound means having two or more parts. We talked last week about a compound subject or a compound verb in a simple sentence.
Compound Subject in a simple sentence: Mom and Dad went out for dinner.
In this sentence, only one thing is happening, so it is a simple sentence.
Two people are doing that one action, so it is a compound subject.
Compound Verb in a simple sentence: Mom talked and laughed all evening.
In this sentence, only one person is doing something, so it is a simple sentence.
The one person is doing two actions, so it is a compound verb.
Sometimes we push two simple sentences together to make a compound sentence.
A compound sentence is two simple sentences connected with a comma and one of the FANBOYS.
The FANBOYS are connecting words (also called conjunctions). They connect two simple sentences together.
F – for
A – and
N – nor
B – but
O – or
Y – yet
S – so
Here are two simple sentences pushed together to make a compound sentence:
Mom and Dad went out to dinner, and Mom talked and laughed all evening.
Notice how the comma and the conjunction and work together to join the two simple sentences.
Here are some more compound sentence examples:
I bought a new flashlight, but I forgot to get batteries.
It’s going to rain tomorrow, so our picnic has been postponed.
We can play tennis tomorrow, or we can go swimming.
Every time you connect two simple sentences together, you are making a compound sentence. Just remember to use a comma and one of the FANBOYS between the two simple sentences.