Need help on the sentence below. Can't decide if it is complex or compound. I know if it didn't have the "and" it would be complex but the "and" is throwing me off.
"They listened to many American recordings, and then they added new ideas to their music.
Thanks...
Definitions:
~ Simple = 1 independent clause
~ Compound = 2 independent clauses (each could be a sentence on its own), joined by a FANBOYS conjunction or a semicolon
~ Complex = 1 independent clause + at least 1 dependent clause (these have subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns at/near the start of the clause)
~ Compound-complex = 2 independent clauses, joined correctly + at least 1 dependent clause
(A phrase is a group of words that work together, but DO NOT have subject-verb in them.)
Let us know what you decide.
To determine if the sentence is complex or compound, you need to understand the structure and components of each type of sentence.
A complex sentence consists of an independent clause (a complete sentence that can stand alone) and a dependent clause (a sentence fragment that cannot stand alone). The clauses are joined by subordinating conjunctions such as "although," "because," or "while."
A compound sentence, on the other hand, consists of two or more independent clauses connected by coordinating conjunctions such as "and," "but," or "so."
Now let's analyze your sentence, "They listened to many American recordings, and then they added new ideas to their music."
The sentence contains two independent clauses: "They listened to many American recordings" and "They added new ideas to their music." Both clauses can stand alone as separate sentences.
The coordinating conjunction "and" is used to connect the two independent clauses. This conjunction typically indicates a compound sentence structure.
Therefore, the sentence "They listened to many American recordings, and then they added new ideas to their music" is a compound sentence because it consists of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction "and."