A simple sentence is a fundamental tool of language. Don’t believe me? Each sentence I’ve used so far is a simple sentence. But what is a simple sentence? This doesn’t mean a sentence that isn’t complicated. There are many types of simple sentences and the structure has specific qualities which make it simple. Let’s take a look at what a simple sentence is, what it looks like, and how it’s used.
What is a Simple Sentence Structure Definition?
Let's define simple sentence
They might be simple, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a simple sentence formula. Nailing down the components of a simple sentence is the first step in writing one. So – what is a simple sentence structure?
SENTENCE TYPES SIMPLE
What is a simple sentence?
A simple sentence is a type of sentence structure which contains just a single independent clause. An independent clause contains a subject and a verb, and expresses a complete thought.
Still unsure what a simple sentence actually is? Let’s look at some simple sentence examples.
What is a simple sentence structure?
Examples of a simple sentence formula
The simple sentence is probably the most common sentence structure. That was one right there. And that was another one. Even the question, “What is a simple sentence structure?” is one. Here’s a few more simple sentence examples:
- The movie was a bore.
- She felt fine.
- The hunter snuck up on the deer.
- She couldn’t believe the news.
- This is a simple sentence example.
Each of these sentences is simple because it contains one independent clause. Look at each dissected – subject and verb highlighted.
- The movie was a bore.
- She felt fine.
- The hunter snuck up on the deer.
- She couldn’t believe the news.
A sentence can be simple in structure without being as brief as these sentences. Take this sentence, for example:
The loss proved to be a shocking and devastating blow to the much-hyped home team.
This sentence might not seem like a simple sentence example, but it is. Let’s look for the subject and verb.
The loss proved to be a shocking and devastating blow to the much-hyped home team.
There’s an “and” in this sentence, which sometimes indicates a compound sentence structure, but the “and” here is just connecting two adjectives. Believe it or not, this sentence is one, albeit long, independent clause.
What is a simple sentence structure?
Simple sentences vs other sentences
Of course, not all sentences are simple. Let’s look at what differentiates simple sentences from other sentence structures.
Simple vs Compound Sentences
A compound sentence structure is two or more independent clauses joined together, either with a conjunction or semicolon. In other words, a compound sentence is a couple simple sentences combined.
An example: “Susan went to the grocer’s and Dinesh made a stop at the liquor store.”
We could split this compound sentence into two simple sentences: “Susan went to the grocer’s. Dinesh made a stop at the liquor store.”
Simple vs Complex Sentences
A complex sentence also builds off a simple sentence, but instead of adding another simple sentence with a conjunction, it adds a dependent clause.
A dependent clause uses a subordinating conjunction (after, because, when) and includes a subject and verb, but doesn’t express a complete idea.
Take the complex sentence, “Because Su-Ho was out with an ACL tear, her soccer team was soundly defeated in the championship.”
“Her soccer team was soundly defeated in the championship” is a complete simple sentence. But while “because Su-Ho was out with an ACL tear” has a subject and verb, it doesn’t complete its thought.
It wouldn’t work as its own sentence.
Simple vs. Compound-Complex Sentences
Compound-complex sentences combine everything we’ve learned so far, containing two or more independent clauses and a dependent clause.
So once more, we’re building off of a simple sentence. Here’s a compound-complex sentence: “The director yelled cut and production assistants rushed onto set when the actor complained he was thirsty in the middle of the take.”
Let’s break it up. We have two simple sentences: “The director yelled cut” and “Production assistants rushed onto set.”
Then, we have a dependent clause: “When the actor complained he was thirsty in the middle of the take.” It’s a long phrase, but not a complete thought.
Now, let’s look at where simple sentences can be found in the real world.
What is a simple sentence structure?
Pop culture simple sentence examples
As you can imagine, there are countless types of simple sentences all over literature, music, film, and so on.
Here’s just a few examples of a simple sentence:
“Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.” – John Steinbeck, Cannery Row
“Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.” – Taylor Swift, “Love Story”
“You had me at ‘hello.’” – Jerry Maguire
“Mother died today.” – Albert Camus, The Stranger
See? The simple sentence structure in English is everywhere. That was another one right there.
Up Next
What are Sentence Structures?
Now you’ve got a lot of examples of a simple sentence. You’re not done yet; there are more types of sentences than simple ones. That was one right there. Check them all out in our general overview of sentence structures.
