Complex Sentences - Quelle Surprise!

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We have looked at compound sentences; now to look at the makeup of a complex sentence.

Complex Sentences


A complex sentence is made up of one an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses. Dependent clauses start with connectors: as, since, because, although or perhaps with relative pronouns: who, which, that.

  • After I had eaten dinner, I sat down and watched my favorite TV program.
  • The students are studying because they have a test tomorrow.
  • What you think is true is not what I know is true.

There are of course three different kinds of dependent clauses which make up complex sentences: adverb, adjective, and noun clauses. Which, before I continue, brings me to this point:

Do I need to know all the grammar behind the dependent clauses in order to recognize and use dependent clauses?

Gasp! Many books go into a lot of detail about the three types of clauses, constructing sentences, dissecting sentences, and so on. 

Ultimately, although it is good to know the grammar names and structures of the different dependent clauses, I would have to say that a student does not need to be a grammarian to understand all the terms or to recognize the type of clause in order to use these. It is more important to know how they work in a sentence and the keywords which signal the use of one.

Now that that is out of the way, let's look at each type.

Adverb Clauses

This is a group of words that starts with a subordinate clause connector (i.e. the connecting words in the list below) and also contains a subject and a verb. They are dependent because they need an independent clause to complete the thought! A quick list of some of the adverb clauses:


  • after, before
After you eat dinner, you need to do your homework
You need to do your homework after you do your homework.

Note that the comma is not placed when the clause comes at the end.
  • if, although, even though
If you buy the ingredients, I will make the pie.
I will make the pie if you buy the ingredients
  • everywhere, wherever
We will have a good time wherever we go on vacation.
Wherever we go on vacation, we will have fun.

There are lots more, of course.

Adjective clauses

Adjective clauses act just like adjectives; they describe the noun.

  • She drives a blue car. (typical adjective)
  • The car that she is driving is blue.
"that she is driving" is an adjective clause because it describes the car. The adjective clause follows the noun that is it describing!

  • The woman who my mother knows is visiting us this afternoon.
  • The book that Joe read is on the table over there.
  • The store, where I can buy apples, has the best employees.
Note that the last sentence uses commas while the others do not. This is because it is not needed for the sentence to make sense. Take these two sentences:

  1. The boy, who cannot swim, shouldn't jump into the pool.
  2. People who cannot swim shouldn't jump into the pool.
The second sentence has no commas because the clause who cannot swim is necessary to clarify People. We are referring to non-swimming folk, not all folk!

Noun Clauses

A noun clause is a substitute phrase for a noun. They use the following connectors:

  • where. how, who, when, why, whether, if
  • whenever, wherever, whoever, whatever
  • that
What I had for breakfast gave me a stomach ache.
My boss dispenses wisdom to whoever will listen.
I must decide which book to use in my class.


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