Sentence types (simple, compound and complex)

There are three general types of sentences: simple, compound and complex.

1. Simple sentences have the most basic elements that form a sentence (a subject, a verb, and a completed thought):
1. Joe waited for the train
   'Joe' subject + 'waited' verb + 'for the train' completed thought
2. Mary and Samantha took the bus
   'Mary and Samantha' compound subject + 'took' verb + 'the bus' completed thought
2. Compound sentences refer to a sentence made up of two independent clauses connected with a coordinating conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions are easy to remember if you think of the words "FAN BOYS" (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So):
1. Joe waited for the train, but the train was late
   'Joe waited for the train' independent clause + 'but' coordinating conjunction + 'the train was late' independent clause
2. Mary and Samantha took the bus, so I didn't pick them up
   'Mary and Samantha took the bus' independent clause + 'so' coordinating conjunction + 'I didn't pick them up' independent clause
3. Complex sentences are made up of an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses connected by a subordinating conjunction (the most common subordinating conjunctions are: after, although, as, because, before, even though, if, since, though, unless, until, when, whenever, whereas, wherever, while). A dependent clause is similar to an independent clause but it lacks one of the elements that would make it a complete sentence:
1. While Joe waited at the train station, he realized that the train was late
   'While' subordinating conjunction + 'Joe waited at the train station' dependent clause + 'he realized that the train was late' independent clause
2. Mary and Samantha took the bus even though I offered to pick them up
   'Mary and Samantha took the bus' independent clause + 'even though' subordinating conjunction + 'I offered to pick them up' dependent clause