complex sentence
Clause-containing grammatical unit
A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause—a grammatical unit that cannot stand alone: Although she was tired, she finished the report.
The dependent clause often begins with words like because, although, when, if, or that.
Complex sentences allow writers to show relationships between ideas—cause, condition, time, contrast—that simple sentences cannot express as elegantly.
Clause requiring another clause
- independent clauseSelf-sufficient grammatical unit
- dependent clauseIncomplete grammatical unit needing support
- main clauseSelf-sufficient sentence portion
- conjunctionWord joining clauses together
relative clause · noun clause · coordination · subordination · modifier · phrase · connective · antecedent
Punctuation marking pauses
- semicolonPunctuation joining related clauses
- colonLarge intestine section
- dashQuick burst or pinch
- parenthesisPunctuation enclosing supplementary text
quotation marks · ellipsis · hyphen · brackets · comma splice · serial comma · em dash · en dash
Slight shade of difference
- subtletyFine distinction, easily missed
- layeredHaving multiple levels
- subtextImplicit meaning beneath words
- implicationIndirect suggestion or consequence
connotation · ambiguity · interpretation · inference · shading · intricacy · sophistication · double meaning
Express clearly, or well-spoken
- eloquentFluent and persuasive
- elaborateComplex and detailed
- parallelismMatching structural elements
- antithesisDirect opposite; contrasting juxtaposition
parataxis · prose style · oratory · persuasion · emphasis · flow · cadence
Grammatical structure extraction
- readabilityEase of understanding text
- clarityState of being understandable
- understandingMental comprehension of something
- decodingExtracting meaning from symbols
analysis · interpretation · cognitive load · reading difficulty · coherence · cohesion · dense · challenging
subordinate clause
Clause requiring another clause
- independent clauseSelf-sufficient grammatical unit
- dependent clauseIncomplete grammatical unit needing support
- main clauseSelf-sufficient sentence portion
conjunction · relative clause · noun clause · coordination · subordination · modifier · phrase · connective · antecedent · complement
comma
Punctuation marking pauses
parenthesis · quotation marks · ellipsis · hyphen · brackets · comma splice · serial comma · em dash · en dash · comma placement
nuance
Slight shade of difference
- subtletyFine distinction, easily missed
- layeredHaving multiple levels
- subtextImplicit meaning beneath words
implication · connotation · ambiguity · interpretation · inference · shading · intricacy · sophistication · double meaning · fine point
articulate
Express clearly, or well-spoken
- eloquentFluent and persuasive
- elaborateComplex and detailed
- parallelismMatching structural elements
antithesis · parataxis · prose style · oratory · persuasion · emphasis · flow · cadence
parsing
Grammatical structure extraction
- readabilityEase of understanding text
- clarityState of being understandable
- understandingMental comprehension of something
decoding · analysis · interpretation · cognitive load · reading difficulty · coherence · cohesion · dense · challenging · unwieldy
- grammar termsnoun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun
- sentencesdeclarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory, statement
- syntaxverb, noun, adjective, adverb, subject
- sentence structuredeclarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory, active voice
- grammardeclension, pronouns, adjectives, conjugation, nouns
- statementsstatement, assertion, claim, declaration, announcement
complex sentencesimple sentence
Single-clause complete thought
independent clause · main clause · compound sentence · declarative sentence
sentence, complex, complexity, complicated, complication, complicate, uncomplicated, complications, complexly