Simple sentence

A sentence containing one main clause and no subordinate clause. It need not be short.

A sentence containing one main clause and no subordinate clauses. It need not be short.

A simple sentence contains one main clause and no subordinate clauses. A compound sentence joins main clauses, perhaps using ‘and’, ‘but’ or a semicolon. A complex sentence includes a main clause and at least one subordinate clause.

A sentence containing one main clause and no subordinate clauses. It can still contain descriptive phrases.

Distinguish length from grammar: a simple sentence can be long, and a complex sentence can be short.

A simple sentence can contain considerable detail. A complex sentence can be brief: ‘When it stopped, I ran.’

A sentence containing one main clause. It can contain several details and need not be short.

A simple sentence is not necessarily short: ‘The exhausted crew pulled the heavy boat across the frozen shore’ still contains just one main clause. Equally, ‘When it snapped, I fell’ is short but complex.

A sentence containing one main clause.

A sentence containing one main clause, which may still include descriptive words and phrases.

‘The battered old phone on the kitchen table rang sharply’ is still a simple sentence: it has one main clause.

Definition

How each exam board covers it

AQA GCSE English Language · 8700

Exam tips

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Edexcel GCSE English Language · 1EN0

Edexcel GCSE English Language 2.0 · 1EN2

OCR GCSE English Language · J351

Eduqas GCSE English Language · C700