Compound Sentence

A compound sentence has two independent clauses or sentences. The independent clauses can be joined by acoordinating conjunction (such as "and," "for" and "but") or a semicolon.

Compound Sentences with Coordinating Conjunctions

·         She did not cheat on the test, for it was not the right thing to do.

·         I think I will buy the red car, or I will lease the blue one.

·         I really want to go to work, but I am too sick to drive.

·         I am counting my calories, yet I really want dessert.

·         He ran out of money, so he had to stop playing poker.

·         They got there early, and they got really good seats.

·         There was no ice cream in the freezer, nor did they have money to go to the store.

·         Everyone was busy, so I went to the movie alone.

·         I would have gotten the promotion, but my attendance wasn’t good enough.

·         Should we start class now, or should we wait for everyone to get here?

·         It was getting dark, and we weren’t there yet.

·         Cats are good pets, for they are clean and are not noisy.

·         We have never been to Asia, nor have we visited Africa.

·         He didn’t want to go to the dentist, yet he went anyway.

Compound Sentences with a Semicolon

·         Joe made the sugar cookies; Susan decorated them.

·         The sky is clear; the stars are twinkling.

·         The waves were crashing on the shore; it was a lovely sight.

·         There were white out conditions in the town; subsequently, the roads were impassable.

·         Check back tomorrow; I will see if the book has arrived.

·         He said he was not there yesterday; however, many people saw him there.

·         I am happy to take your donation; any amount will be greatly appreciated.

·         She only paints with bold colors; she does not like pastels.

·         She works two jobs to make ends meet; at least, that was her reason for not having time to join us.

·         Malls are great places to shop; I can find everything I need under one roof.

·         Italy is my favorite country; in fact, I plan to spend two weeks there next year.

·         He turned in the research paper on Friday; otherwise, he would have not passed the class.

Compound Sentences in Quotes

Here are examples of compound sentences used by well-known people:

·         "Always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't go to yours." - Yogi Berra

·         "Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one." - Lyndon B. Johnson

·         "The drought had lasted now for ten million years, and the reign of the terrible lizards had long since ended." - Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey

·         "Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them." - Ronald Reagan    

·         "I have often wanted to drown my troubles, but I can't get my wife to go swimming." - Jimmy Carter