English grammar explained in plain language simple enough to be understood.
A complex sentence is made by joining a simple sentence and a subordinate clause. When you begin a complex sentence with the subordinate clause, you must put a comma after the subordinate clause. While you are making dinner, I will… Read more884. Complex Sentences and no Comma
A compound sentence combines two simple sentences with a coordinating conjunction (one of the FANBOYS). Mom is baking a cake, and Dad is mowing the lawn. Notice that we place a comma just before the conjunction and. A complex sentence… Read more886. Commas in a Compound-Complex Sentence
The words after and before are often used as subordinating conjunctions. You can begin a complex sentence with either of these two words:Before we eat dinner, I have to fire up the grill.After the rain stops, we can go to… Read more887. When it’s not a Complex Sentence
A complex sentence contains a simple sentence and a subordinate clause. The subordinate clause must be attached to a simple sentence or it is a sentence fragment. Look at these examples of a subordinate clause written as a sentence. Each… Read more888. A Subordinate Clause without a Complete Clause is a Fragment
The word but is a coordination conjunction – one of the FANBOYS. Always use a comma before but when starting a second complete thought. Today is sunny, but tomorrow it will rain. I like milk, but my dad prefers soda.Two… Read more889. Comma before But – No Comma before Because
We use stop punctuation at the end of a complete thought. The most common form of stop punctuation is the period (.). Use a period at the end of a complete thought.Today is Monday.Dad mowed the lawn.Our teacher assigned an… Read more891. Using Stop Punctuation
We use stop punctuation to end a sentence, telling the reader that a thought is now complete. When the complete thought is a question – an asking sentence – we use a question mark as stop punctuation. The question mark… Read more892. Stop Punctuation-the Question Mark
We use stop punctuation to end a sentence, showing that we have completed the thought. If the sentence shows excitement, we end the sentence with an exclamation point. The exclamation point is a form of stop punctuation. Look at these… Read more893. Stop Punctuation – Exclamation Point
Use a semicolon (:) at the end of a complete thought. The semicolon comes in the middle of a sentence between the first complete thought and the second complete thought. When the two thoughts are connected by a similar idea,… Read more894. Stop Punctuation – the Semicolon
Use a colon (:) to signal that is list will follow. Just be sure that you write a complete thought before the colon.I bought three things at the store: milk, bread, and peanut butter. Notice that the words before the… Read more896. Using the Colon with a List