COMPLEX SENTENCES.

 

The simple sentence the basis.

 

367.Our investigations have now included all the machinery of the simple sentence, which is the unit of speech.

 

Our further study will be in sentences which are combinations of simple sentences, made merely for convenience and smoothness, to avoid the tiresome repetition of short ones of monotonous similarity.

 

Next to the simple sentence stands the complex sentence. The basis of it is two or more simple sentences, which are so united that one member is the main one,—the backbone,—the other members subordinate to it, or dependent on it; as in this sentence,—

 

"When such a spirit breaks forth into complaint, we are aware how great must be the suffering that extorts the murmur."

 

The relation of the parts is as follows:—

 

 

                         we  are    aware

                         _______    _____

                            |         |

                          __|  when such a spirit breaks

                         |        forth into complaint,

                         |

         how great must be the suffering

                                   |

                     that extorts the murmur.

 

This arrangement shows to the eye the picture that the sentence forms in the mind,—how the first clause is held in suspense by the mind till the second, we are aware, is taken in; then we recognize this as the main statement; and the next one, how great ... suffering, drops into its place as subordinate to we are aware; and the last, that ... murmur, logically depends on suffering.

 

Hence the following definition:—

 

Definition.

 

368.A complex sentence is one containing one main or independent clause (also called the principal proposition or clause), and one or more subordinate or dependent clauses.

 

369.The elements of a complex sentence are the same as those of the simple sentence; that is, each clause has its subject, predicate, object, complements, modifiers, etc.

 

But there is this difference: whereas the simple sentence always has a word or a phrase for subject, object, complement, and modifier, the complex sentence has statements or clauses for these places.