What is a complex sentence?

A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and

at least one dependent clause. So, a complex sentence can have two
dependent clauses but not two independent clauses.

Here is a brief summary of number of dependent and independent clauses in

the four types of sentences.
Note: Feel free to use the above and other images in the post, using the link
(url) of this post for reference/attribution.
And here is the same information in graphical form, which will make it
abundantly clear that there is no overlap between the four types of sentences
(none of the dots cross paths).
The difference between these sentences though extends beyond just the
number of dependent and independent clauses. Learn more subtle differences
between compound and complex sentence:

 What’s the difference between compound and complex sentence?

A sentence is essentially a combination of clauses, with the simplest of them
containing an independent clause.

Mary won the sprint. [Independent clause]

If we add a dependent clause to it, we get a complex sentence.

Mary won the sprint, even though she was not quick off the blocks.
[Independent clause + Dependent clause = Complex sentence]

We can add another dependent clause, and the sentence will remain a
complex sentence.

Mary, who has been training hard for the last three months, won the sprint,
even though she was not quick off the blocks. [Independent clause +
Dependent clause + Dependent clause = Complex sentence]

You can add more dependent clauses, but the sentence will remain a complex
sentence. Remember, there is no restriction on the number of dependent
clauses in a complex sentence.

But none of these are complex sentences because they don’t contain one
independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Mary won the sprint. [Independent clause]

Mary won the sprint, but there was little time to celebrate. [Independent clause
+ Independent clause]

Mary won the sprint, but there was little time to celebrate as another event
was awaiting her. [Independent clause + Independent clause + Dependent
clause]

While there is just one type of independent clause, there are three types of
dependent clauses: noun clause, relative clause (also called adjective clause),
and adverb clause. Many think that dependent clauses in a complex sentence
can be an adverb clause only (the clauses starting
with because, although, since, while, etc.), but that’s not true. Any of the three
or a mix of the three can make a sentence complex.

Here is how you can write complex sentences with each of the three
dependent clauses.
1. How to write a complex sentence with noun clause?
A noun clause is a dependent clause that can take the place of a noun in a
sentence. Put simply, it can do whatever a noun (or pronoun) can do in a
sentence: subject, object of verb, indirect object of verb, object of preposition,
and subject complement.

What earlier committee recommended shouldn’t influence the current

committee’s recommendations. [Noun clause as subject]

I know when I should ask questions. [Noun clause as object of verb]

He spoke at length on how he makes money on YouTube. [Noun clause as

object of preposition]

Our problem is whom we trust. [Noun clause as subject complement]

1.1 These are not complex sentences though

These sentences though are not complex because they no longer have a
dependent clause. The underlined parts now don’t have both subject and
verb; hence they’re just phrases. (Compare them with the earlier sentences.)

Earlier committee’s recommendations shouldn’t influence the current

committee’s recommendations.

I know when to ask questions. [Here, to ask is a non-finite (infinitive) form of

verb]

He spoke at length on how to make money on YouTube. [Here, to make is a

non-finite (infinitive) form of verb]

The three sentences contain an independent clause each, implying they’re

simple sentences.

More resources:

 Learn, through several examples, how to differentiate a phrase from a

clause
Write Sentences Like in Newspapers and Books
Step-by-step process. Little grammar. Real-world examples.

Explore eBook & Course

1.2 Punctuation
Because a noun clause simply takes the place of a noun or pronoun, it doesn’t
require any additional punctuation – comma or dash – as is the case with
other two dependent clauses. If a noun or pronoun in its place doesn’t require
a comma, a noun clause too won’t. This sentence, for example, is incorrectly
punctuated because a noun or pronoun in its place won’t require a comma.

What he said in his speech today, is unbelievable. [Incorrect punctuation

as That, is unbelievable would also be incorrect.]

More on joining a noun clause to an independent clause:

 How to join and punctuate a noun clause?

2. How to write a complex sentence with relative clause?

Also known as adjective clause, a relative clause is a dependent clause that
describes a noun or pronoun, just like an adjective does, and is placed
immediately after the word or phrase being described.

The damage that negative media coverage has done to our brand will be
tough to repair.

I care for my old friends, who’ve stood by me in thick and thin.

Isabella, who speaks four languages fluently, prefers to speak in Spanish.

2.1 These are not complex sentences though

These aren’t complex sentences because they no longer contain a dependent

clause. The underlined groups of words are phrases – and not clauses: They
no longer contain both subject and verb. Compare them with the earlier
sentences.

The damage done to our brand by negative media coverage will be tough to
repair.

Isabella, a fluent speaker of four languages, prefers to speak in Spanish.

The two sentences contain just an independent clause, implying they’re

simple sentences.

2.2 Punctuation

When a relative clause is essential to the meaning of the noun being

described, it carries no comma. In the first sentence, without the relative
clause, we wouldn’t know which damage will be tough to repair. Hence, it’s
essential and doesn’t take any commas.
However, when a relative clause is not essential to the meaning of the noun
being described, it is set off by a pair of commas. In the second and third
sentences, even without the relative clause, we would know who my old
friends and Isabella are. Hence, the two relative clauses are non-essential and
would take a pair of commas. The second takes only one comma because the
second comma is merged with the period.

More on joining a relative clause to an independent clause:

 How to join and punctuate a relative clause?

3. How to write a complex sentence with adverb clause?

An adverb clause is a dependent clause that acts as an adverb in a sentence,
implying that it answers important questions to provide necessary background
information in a sentence. In common parlance, adverb clauses express
variety of relationships in sentences: relationship of reason through clause
starting with because and since, relationship of contrast through clause
starting with although and even though, and so on. Most of us, in fact, write
majority of our complex sentences with adverb clause, but it’s not the most
popular dependent clause in complex sentences for professional writers.
Examples:

Although Mary was slow off the blocks, she won the sprint.

After Mary finished the race, she rushed to another event.

I couldn’t participate in the sprint because I picked up an injury at the last

moment.

I climbed down from my position before the friendly argument could heat up.

Unlike the other two dependent clauses, adverb clauses are usually mobile in
a sentence. You can move the adverb clause in the above sentences to the
back or front without affecting meaning or grammatical sanctity.

3.1 These are not complex sentences though

Have a look at these sentences and tell why these aren’t complex.

Although slow off the blocks, Mary won the sprint.

After finishing the race, Mary rushed to another event.

I couldn’t participate in the sprint because of an injury at the last moment.

That’s because none of the underlined parts are dependent clauses. The
underlined parts no longer contain both subject and verb and hence are
phrases. (Compare them with the earlier sentences.) In the third
sentence, because of is in fact a preposition, which is often confused with the
subordinating conjunction because. All three sentences contain an
independent clause each, implying they’re simple sentences.

3.2 Punctuation

1. When an adverb clause begins a sentence, a comma is always used to

separate it from the independent clause.

While he made coffee, I listened to music.

Because I get a chance to meet interesting people, I love to travel.

2. When an independent clause begins a sentence, a comma is rarely used to

separate it from the adverb clause.

I listened to music while he made coffee.

I love to travel because I get a chance to meet interesting people.

I’ve rarely seen students getting the first rule wrong, but errors are common
here. Some use comma even in this position, and some use it inconsistently.

The second rule though has few exceptions where comma is acceptable.

3. When an independent clause begins a sentence, comma is acceptable

where the adverb clause expresses contrast with the independent clause.
Such contrast is often expressed by subordinating
conjunctions although and even though.

I met with an accident, although I was driving at only 40 kph.

Mary won the 100-meter dash in her personal best time, even though she was
not quick off the blocks.

Some publications though follow their own style rules and use a comma even
without contrast. So, don’t scratch your head if you see a sentence like this.

I love to travel, because I get a chance to meet interesting people.

But if you do the same, it might be taken as an error.

More on joining an adverb clause to an independent clause:

  How to join and punctuate an adverb clause?
So far, we looked at one dependent clause per sentence, but in practice
multiple dependent clauses, often of more than one type, appear in
sentences. Here are few examples, with the type of dependent clause
mentioned in the same order next to the sentence.

Complex sentences with multiple dependent clauses

If you live in a glass house, don’t throw stones because others too may throw
stones at you which may shatter your glass house. [Adverb clause/ Adverb
clause/ Relative clause]

If friends meet too often or if they intrude into each other’s lives, friendship
may weaken. [Adverb clause/ Adverb clause]

What you plan to do is completely insane because you’re not prepared for it.
[Noun clause/ Adverb clause]

I don’t like calling up Tom any longer for regular chitchats after he failed to
return the money I lent three months back. [Adverb clause/ Relative clause.
The adverb clause contains the relative clause I lent three months back.]

See more examples of complex sentences:

 Several examples of complex sentences with all three types of

dependent clauses

Exercise
Depending on the relationship between the two independent clauses in each
question, convert one of them into a dependent clause. It could be a noun, a
relative, or an adverb clause.

1. I didn’t do well in the exam. I was down with fever for the last three days.

2. He said something in his speech today. It is unbelievable.

3. Hannah is attending Brown University. It was her first choice.

4. The police arrested the man. The man raised false alarm of a bomb on the
plane.

5. Online commerce boomed during the pandemic. Most industries showed

precipitous decline in sales.

Answers to Exercise
How to identify a complex sentence?
Identifying a complex sentence is all about identifying an independent clause
and at least one dependent clause in the sentence. That’s not straightforward
though. Try identifying the type of these sentences.

He was admired in the business community but was admired most for his
work with children no one cared for.

Farm sector will be hard hit in future because of change in weather patterns, a
direct result of climate change.

The first is a complex sentence as it contains an independent clause and a

dependent clause (no one cared for). The second is a simple sentence,
containing one independent clause. There often are false positives and false
negatives in identifying clauses.

Identifying dependent and independent clauses is a task in itself and can’t be

covered in the limited space here.

Get better at identifying clauses in a sentence:

 Identifying dependent and independent clauses in a sentence isn’t that

hard

What implications do complex sentences hold for your

writing?
Why learn complex sentences?

Complex sentences join multiple subordinate ideas (represented by

dependent clauses) to a main idea (represented by an independent clause),
expressing wide range of relationships between them while adding variety to
your writing.

Most kids graduate from writing one-clause sentences to multi-clause

sentences by combining independent clauses through and and then.
Gradually, they expand their repertoire and start using multiple clauses –
dependent and independent – through coordinating conjunctions beyond and;
adverb clauses starting with subordinating conjunctions such
as because, since, while, after, and although; and few noun clauses that are
common in speaking.

But you can do better.

You may be a fan of compound sentences because of their simplicity, but,
compared to complex sentences, they’re much less used in professional
writing. Complex sentences represent one main idea (because they’ve one
independent clause) and are quite flexible in absorbing multiple dependent
clauses as Lego-like parts.

So, if you can expand your repertoire of complex sentences by including

relative and noun clauses, you’ll lift your writing significantly. (As we saw in
this post, there is more to complex sentences than just adverb clause.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a complex sentence have two independent clauses?

No.

While a complex sentence can have more than one dependent clause, it can
have one and only one independent clause. The moment you add a second
independent clause, the sentence becomes a compound-complex sentence.

Can a complex sentence have two dependent clauses?

Yes.

A complex sentence contains exactly one independent clause and at least one
dependent clause, which means it can have one, two, or more dependent
clauses.

Can a complex sentence have a semicolon?

No. Semicolon, if you recall, is used most commonly to separate two

independent clauses. The very fact that a semicolon comes with two
independent clauses means that a complex sentence can’t have a semicolon.

However, a complex sentence can contain a semicolon if semicolon is used

as a super-comma, its second popular use. For example:

The President, who has been of late under fire for rising crime, stopped at
Paris, France; Copenhagen, Denmark; Oslo, Norway; and Barcelona, Spain
during his recent European tour.

This use of semicolon though isn’t common.

Can a complex sentence have a coordinating conjunction?

Yes, if the coordinating conjunction is used to join words or phrases. No, if the
coordinating conjunction is used to join clauses because it can join only
independent clauses, and, by definition, a complex sentence can’t have more
than one independent clause.

Can a complex sentence be a question?

Yes. Examples:

How can you do whatever you want to? [Noun clause]

How can John, who was penalized for over-speeding just last month, be so
stupid to again get caught for the same offence? [Relative clause]