The Composite Sentence

Unlike a simple sentence that consists of a single independent clause with no dependent clauses, a composite sentence is built up by two or more predicative lines. It can be defined as a structural and semantic unity of two or more syntactic constructions each having a predicative center of its own, built on the basis of a syntactic connection and used in speech communication as a unit of the same rank as the simple sentence.

The following characteristics should be kept in mind when discussing composite sentences:

the type of syntactic connection (coordination or subordination);

the rank of predicative constructions, that is, the place occupied by the predicative construction in the hierarchy of clauses;

presence or absence of connectors and their character.

A general classification of composite sentences can be based on the first two criteria - the type of syntactic connection and the rank of predicative constructions. Here compound and complex sentences are singled out. In the compound sentence predicative constructions of the high rank are connected by means of coordination while in the complex sentence - by means of subordination.

According to the way in which parts of the composite sentence are joined together, two types can be singled out:

syndetic (by means of connectors);

asyndetic (without any connectors).

The connector can either be a conjunction, a pronoun or an adverb. If it is a conjunction, its function in the sentence is to join the clauses together. If it is a pronoun or an adverb (i. e. a relative pronoun or a relative adverb), then it serves as a part of one of the two clauses which are joined (a subject, object, adverbial modifier, etc.), and also joins the two clauses together.

There can be disputable cases when it is not quite clear a composite sentence is syndetic or asyndetic. It depends on the way we view a particular word.

e.g. The one thing she seems to aim at is Individuality; yet she cares nothing for individuals.

The second clause of the composite sentence opens with the word yet, so we may say that it is an adverb and the connection is asyndetic, or else, that it is a conjunction and the connection is syndetic.

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