COMPOUND SENTENCES

1. Compound Sentences

• A compound sentence is a sentence that contains two complete ideas (called clauses) that are related. 
  

• These two clauses are usually connected in a compound sentence by a conjunction. The coordinating conjunctions are "and", "but", "for", "or", "nor", "yet", or "so".   
  

• A compound sentence has two independent clauses. An independent clause is a part of a sentence that can stand alone because it contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.
  

• Basically, a compound contains two simple sentences. 
  

Example:  
          Batman is a hero. He is successful in catching the criminals in his city. Batman is a hero, and he is successful in catching the criminals in his city. OR... Batman is a hero, for he is successful in catching the criminals in his city.

2. Types of Compound Sentences
          We cannot join control units with a comma alone; We must use either a comma plus a conjuntion or a semicolon. If we join control units with a comma, we have made an error called a 'comma splice'.


a. Comma Plus Conjunction
          Independent control units can be linked by the following conjunctions, preceded by a comma: ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘for’, ‘nor’, ‘since’, ‘so’, ‘yet’. In the following examples, the control units are highlighted in orange.

b. Semicolon
          An alternative way of joining independent control units (simple sentences) is to use a semicolon.

c. Summing Up
          The following sentences are correct: