Compound sentence (linguistics)

In the English language, a compound sentence is composed of at least two independent clauses, but no dependent clauses. The clauses are joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction, a comma and a correlative conjunction, or a semicolon with no conjunction.

Examples

• He finally read the book, or so I thought.

  The two independent clauses are joined by a comma and the coordinating conjunction "or."

• Either he goes, or I go.

  The compound sentence is held together by a comma and the correlative conjunction "either ... or."

• Mary understands math; she has studied it for years.

  Here, the two are joined by a semicolon, with no conjunction.

Contrast

• He finally read the book which I gave him

"which I gave him" is a dependent clause. This is a complex sentence, not a compound sentence.

See also

Clause