Sowndharya Jagadeeswaran

When the same vowel sounds are repeated in a line in nearness or in close proximity, then it is called assonance. Assonance is a very common literary device that is used to give a sound effect to the written words. Assonance can be used in poetry and in prose. Here we are going to deal with poetry assonance.

• 1. ‘A host, of golden daffodils’ – The Daffodils
• 2. ‘Beside the lake, beneath the trees,’ – The Daffodils
• 3. ‘Hear the mellow wedding bells, Golden bells!’ – Bells
• 4. ‘What a world of solemn thought their monody compels!’ –Bells
• 5. ‘It is the star to every wandering bark,’ – Sonnet 116
• 6. ‘He will not see me stopping here’ – Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
• 7. ‘To watch his woods fill up with snow.’ Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
• 8. ‘I hold with those who favor fire.’ – Fire and Ice
• 9. ‘Those images that yet, Fresh images beget,’ – Byzantium
• 10. ‘Strips of tinfoil winking like people.’ – The Bee Meeting
• 11. ‘Tyger Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night;’ – The Tyger
• 12. ‘While I nodded, nearly napping; suddenly there came a tapping,  As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door’ – The Raven
• 13. ‘You stand at the blackboard, daddy,’ – Daddy
• 14. ‘Come leave the loathéd stage, And the more loathsome age,’ – Ode To Himself
• 15. ‘You will never neglect or beat Them or silence or buy with a sweet.’ –The Mother
• 16. ‘And from all around the haven the crumbling thunder of seas’ – The Feast of Famine
• 17. ‘Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore’ – The Raven

Poetry Assonance Explanations

Here, we shall look in detail what assonance is used in each line and understand them.

1. ‘A host, of golden daffodils’ – The Daffodils

William Wordsworth has used assonance in this line, by repeating the vowel sound ‘o’ in the nearby words ‘host’, ‘golden’ and ‘daffodils’.

2. ‘Beside the lake, beneath the trees,’ – The Daffodils

William Wordsworth has used assonance in this line, by repeating the vowel sound ‘e’ in the nearby words ‘beside’, ‘beneath’ and ‘trees’.

3. ‘Hear the mellow wedding bells, Golden bells!’ – Bells

Edgar Allan Poe has used assonance in these lines, by repeating the vowel sound ‘e’ in the nearby words ‘mellow’, ‘wedding’ and ‘bells’.

4. ‘What a world of solemn thought their monody compels!’ –Bells

Edgar Allan Poe has used assonance in this line, by repeating the vowel sound ‘o’ in the nearby words ‘solemn’, ‘thought’, ‘monody’ and ‘compels’.

5. ‘It is the star to every wandering bark,’ – Sonnet 116

William Shakespeare has used assonance in this line, by repeating the vowel sound ‘a’ in the close by words ‘star’, ‘wandering’ and ‘bark’.

 6. ‘He will not see me stopping here’ – Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Robert Frost has used assonance in this line, by repeating the vowel sound ‘e’ in the nearby words ‘see’ and ‘me’.

7. ‘To watch his woods fill up with snow.’ Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Robert Frost has used assonance in this line, by repeating the vowel sound ‘i’ in the close by words ‘his’, ‘fill’ and ‘with’.

8. ‘I hold with those who favor fire.’ – Fire and Ice

Robert Frost has used assonance in this line, by repeating the vowel sound ‘o’ in the words in close proximity such as ‘hold’ and ‘those’.

9. ‘Those images that yet, Fresh images beget,’ – Byzantium

William Butler Yeats has used assonance in this line, by repeating the vowel sound ‘e’ in the nearby words ‘images’, ‘yet’, ‘images’ and ‘beget’.

10. ‘Strips of tinfoil winking like people.’ – The Bee Meeting

Sylvia Plath has used assonance in this line, by repeating the vowel sound ‘i’ in the close by words ‘strips’, ‘tinfoil’ and ‘winking’.

11. ‘Tyger Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night;’ – The Tyger

William Blake has used assonance in this line, by repeating the vowel sound ‘i’ in the words in close proximity such as ‘tyger’, ‘tyger’, ‘bright’ and ‘night’.

12. ‘While I nodded, nearly napping; suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door’ – The Raven

Edgar Allan Poe has utilized assonance in these lines by the repetition of the vowel sound ‘a’ in the nearby words ‘napping’, ‘tapping’, ‘as’, ‘rapping’, ‘rapping’, and ‘at’.

13. ‘You stand at the blackboard, daddy,’ – Daddy

Sylvia Plath has used assonance in this line by repeating the vowel sound ‘a’ in the close by words ‘stand’, ‘blackboard’ and ‘daddy’.

14. ‘Come leave the loathéd stage, And the more loathsome age,’ – Ode To Himself

Ben Johnson in these lines has utilized assonance by repeating the vowel sound ‘o’ and ‘a’ in nearby words ‘loathed’, ‘more’, ‘loathsome’ and ‘stage’ and ‘age’ respectively.

15. ‘You will never neglect or beat, Them or silence or buy with a sweet.’ –The Mother

Gwendolyn Brooks has used assonance in the above lines by repeating the vowel sounds ‘e’, ‘i’ and ‘ee’ in words in close proximity such as ‘neglect’, ‘them’; ‘silence’, ‘buy’ and ‘beat’, ‘sweet’ respectively.

16. ‘And from all around the haven the crumbling thunder of seas’ – The Feast of Famine

Robert Louis Stevenson has used assonance in the above lines by repeating the vowel sound ‘u’, in words in close proximity such as ‘crumbling’ and ‘thunder’.

17. ‘Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore’ – The Raven

Edgar Allan Poe has used assonance in the above lines by repeating the vowel sound ‘u’, in nearby words ‘curious’ and ‘volume’.

What is poetry assonance?

Poetry Assonance is a commonly used literary device by poets and authors. When the similar vowel sound is reused in a line in closeness or in proximity, then the literary used is known as assonance.  It is a literary device which is utilized in all forms of poetry and also in prose works.

Example: ‘Lives of great men all remind us, We can make our lives sublime,’ – A Psalm Of Life

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow has made use of the literary device assonance in these lines by repeating the vowel sound of ‘i’ in close proximity words ‘lives’ and ‘sublime’.

Why to use poetry assonance?

Poetry assonance is used as a literary device in poems by various poets by utilizing the same vowel sounds in the nearby words for the purpose of creating a sound effect or a rhythm inside the lines of the poem. Poets are also incorporate the poetry assonance to effectively convey the meaning and the emotion in the lines of the poem through sound.

Example: ‘The Immortal in the mortal is his name,’ – Where The Mind Is Without Fear.

Rabindranath Tagore has beautifully incorporated the literary device assonance in this line by repeating the vowel sound of ‘i’ in close proximity words ‘ immortal’, ‘in’, ‘is’ and ‘his’ to create an audio effect or rhythm inside this particular line.

How to use poetry assonance?

Poetry assonance must be used following three criteria,

1. The words with the same or similar vowel sounds must be chosen.
2. And the chosen words with the similar vowel sounds must be placed close to each other (in close proximity)
3. Assonance cannot be created by the same vowels but by the same vowel sounds.

Example: ‘That solitude which suits abstruser musings’ – Frost At Midnight

Samuel Taylor Coleridge has utilized the literary device assonance in this line by repeating the vowel sound ‘u’. The words with similar vowel sounds that he has chosen are ‘solitude’, ‘suits’, ‘abstruser’ and ‘musings’. After that he has placed all these words nearby creating a vowel harmony or assonance.

Where to use poetry assonance?

A poetry assonance is created or formed only where the close by words have the same vowel sound. That is, it can be called assonance, only if the vowel sounds of the close proximity words are similar. When the vowel sounds of far by words are same, then the assonance cannot be created as there will no rhythm or sound affect created by them.

Example: ‘Stills the winds asleep in the solid drift’ – Iliad

Homer has incorporated the assonance as a literary device in this line by utilizing the vowel sound of ‘i’ in close by words such as ‘stills’, ‘winds’, ‘in’, ‘solid’ and ‘drift’ in the same line to create an audio effect.

It should be noted that assonance can be found in the words which are nearby in the same line or in the line that is preceding or succeeding. For instance, the repetition of the vowel sounds found in the first line and the fourth line cannot be called as assonance.

When to use poetry assonance?

Poetry assonance should be used when the writer or poet feels to have a rhythm inside the lines of the poetry. It can also be used when the poet is trying to communicate to the readers an emotion and a feeling or even trying to set the mood of the poem with the help of a sound effect. In such places, poetry assonance is utilized to bring the audio effect through the vowel sounds in the words nearby.

Example: ‘O might those sighs and tears returns again’ – Holy Sonnet 3

John Donne in this line has repeated the letters ‘igh’ with the vowel sound ‘i’ in the words ‘might’ and ‘sight’ which are in close proximity to create the assonance. This ‘i’ vowel sound in nearby words creates a rhythm to the line and also helps in expressing the emotions in an effective way.

Conclusion

Hence poetry assonance is a literary device utilized in poems to add beauty to the lines of the poetry by adding sound effect and rhythm to the written words. Assonance is thus the repetition of the same vowel sound and not the same vowel in the words that are placed nearby.

In this article, we will learn about compound complex sentences. We will be getting to know how, when and where the compound complex sentences are used. With the list of compound complex sentence examples we will understand their structure as well.

A compound complex sentence is the one that must have at least two main clauses (independent clauses) connected by a coordinating conjunction and at least one subordinate clause (dependent clause) connected by a subordinating conjunction. In all, a compound complex sentence must have at least three clauses.

Go through the following 41+ examples of compound complex sentence to get a better idea.

• 1.Till he completes his college, he will live in India, but later he will go abroad.
• 2. Kate was sitting on the bed, while she was studying in her room, and then she fell asleep.
• 3. I completed my work, but I am very tired to go shopping because the day was very hectic.
• 4. Sanya likes horror movies because they are quite interesting, but she is scared of watching them.
• 5. When I was small, my parents wanted me to learn swimming, but I was not interested.
• 6. Before I reached the station, they arrived, and so we came early.
• 7. Because she learned well, she cleared the entrance exam and was able to get admission in the college.
• 8. When I finished my class, my mother came and we went home together.
• 9. My sister wants to eat ice creams because she loves them, but my mother does not allow her to eat.
• 10. When the bell rang, all the students ran to their places and waited for their teacher.
• 11. She is the girl, who came late, and missed the school bus.
• 12. We went to their house, but we could not meet them because they had gone somewhere out.
• 13. Even though she had a long day, Riya had to complete the project and so she worked over time.
• 14. After we returned from the vacation, school was reopened and I was happy about meeting my friends.
• 15. I went to the University in order to meet my teacher, but he was on leave.
• 16.  My mother takes home tuition every evening to the kids who live in the neighborhood for she has her household chores till the afternoon.
• 17. Although the target was high, we achieved it and so we got our incentives.
• 18. We were in the railway station when the train arrived and we boarded the train.
• 19. If he wants to come to come to the trip, he needs to pay the money or he will not be allowed.
• 20. I got a new bag because my old one was damaged and I could not use it anymore.
• 21. When we won the match, all of us were happy and we got selected to the finals.
• 22. The clock stopped ticking because the battery was dead and so I replaced it.
• 23. Because the time was over, we weren’t able to complete our performance, yet we won the competition.
• 24. My daughter has not seen her uncle who lives in Canada but still she loves him.
• 25. We built our new house atop the mountain because we wanted to wake up to a beautiful view and we wanted to stay away from the urban noises.
• 26. After my classes, I joined my family for dinner and then we went to watch a movie.
• 27. I want to walk home from the office every evening because I need exercise but I don’t have the time.
• 28. If I clear my bank exam, I will start my training and I will move to Coimbatore.
• 29. Young children need to drink adequate amounts of water because their metabolism is high and they can get dehydrated easily.
• 30. Since last week, I am feeling very thirsty and I am consuming a lot of frozen foods.
• 31. The suitcase was heavy because of the bronze statue and I had to take the help of my friend to load it into the car.
• 32. For years now, our department has been winning accolades and the students have been placed in top tier companies because of the hard work of our teachers and researchers.
• 33. My father worked overnight because he had to complete his project and also had to present it the next day.
• 34. My sister worked harder this time since she wanted to be the topper and yes, she achieved what she wanted.
• 35. Tanya learnt to cook because she is going abroad and she loves to eat Indian food.
• 36. Let me end this speech now because it is time to eat and you might all be feeling hungry.
• 37. When the students joined college, they did not know that their teacher was an army veteran and he had saved many lives during his tenure in the army.
• 38. It was a pleasant surprise when I saw him and so, we went to have our dinner together.
• 39. The kid fell down while she was playing and she started crying due to pain.
• 40. Whoever wins the match, he will be given a cash prize of 50,000 USD and he will also be granted lifetime access to the elite club.

Compound Complex Sentences examples with detailed explanations

Now we shall look into each example and analyze them in detail.

1. Till he completes his college, he will live in India, but later he will go abroad.

Main Clause: He will live in India

Main Clause: Later he will go abroad

Subordinate Clause: Till he completes his college

Coordinating Conjunction: But

Subordinating Conjunction: Till

2. Kate was sitting on the bed, while she was studying in her room, and then she fell asleep.

Main Clause: Kate was sitting on the bed

Main Clause: Then she fell asleep

Subordinate Clause: While she was studying in her room

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: While

3. I completed my work, but I am very tired to go shopping because the day was very hectic.

Main Clause: I completed my work

Main Clause: I am very tired to go shopping

Subordinate Clause: Because the day was very hectic

Coordinating Conjunction: But

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

4. Sanya likes horror movies because they are quite interesting, but she is scared of watching them.

Main Clause: Sanya likes horror movies

Main Clause: She is scared of watching them

Subordinate Clause: Because they are quite interesting

Coordinating Conjunction: But

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

5. When I was small, my parents wanted me to learn swimming, but I was not interested.

Main Clause: My parents wanted me to learn swimming

Main Clause: I was not interested

Subordinate Clause: When I was small

Coordinating Conjunction: But

Subordinating Conjunction: When

6. Before I reached the station, they arrived, and so we came early.

Main Clause: They arrived

Main Clause: We came early

Subordinate Clause: Before I reached the station

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Before

7. Because she learned well, she cleared the entrance exam and was able to get admission in the college.

Main Clause: She cleared the entrance exam

Main Clause: Was able to get admission in the college

Subordinate Clause: Because she learned well

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

8. When I finished my class, my mother came and we went home together.

Main Clause: My mother came

Main Clause: We went home together

Subordinate Clause: When I finished my class

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: When

9. My sister wants to eat ice creams because she loves them, but my mother does not allow her to eat.

Main Clause: My sister wants to eat ice creams

Main Clause: My mother does not allow her to eat

Subordinate Clause: Because she loves them

Coordinating Conjunction: But

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

10. When the bell rang, all the students ran to their places and waited for their teacher.

Main Clause: All the students ran to their places

Main Clause: Waited for their teacher

Subordinate Clause: When the bell rang

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: When

11. She is the girl, who came late, and missed the school bus.

Main Clause: She is the girl

Main Clause: Missed the school bus

Subordinate Clause: Who came late

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Who

12. We went to their house, but we could not meet them because they had gone somewhere out.

Main Clause: We went to their house

Main Clause: We could not meet them

Subordinate Clause: Because they had gone somewhere out

Coordinating Conjunction: But

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

13. Even though she had a long day, Riya had to complete the project and so she worked over time.

Main Clause: Riya had to complete the project

Main Clause: She worked over time

Subordinate Clause: Even though she had a long day

Coordinating Conjunction: And so

Subordinating Conjunction: Even though

14. After we returned from the vacation, school was reopened and I was happy about meeting my friends.

Main Clause: School was reopened

Main Clause: I was happy about meeting my friends

Subordinate Clause: After we returned from the vacation

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: After

15. I went to the University in order to meet my teacher, but he was on leave.

Main Clause: I went to the University

Main Clause: He was on leave

Subordinate Clause: In order to meet my teacher

Coordinating Conjunction: But

Subordinating Conjunction: In order

16.  My mother takes home tuition every evening to the kids who live in the neighborhood for she has her household chores till the afternoon.

Main Clause: My mother takes home tuition every evening to the kids

Main Clause: She has her household chores till the afternoon

Subordinate Clause: Who live in the neighborhood

Coordinating Conjunction: For

Subordinating Conjunction: Who

17. Although the target was high, we achieved it and so we got our incentives.

Main Clause: We achieved it

Main Clause: We got our incentives

Subordinate Clause: Although the target was high

Coordinating Conjunction: And so

Subordinating Conjunction: Although

18. We were in the railway station when the train arrived and we boarded the train.

Main Clause: We were in the railway station

Main Clause: We boarded the train

Subordinate Clause: When the train arrived

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: When

19. If he wants to come to come to the trip, he needs to pay the money or he will not be allowed.

Main Clause: He needs to pay the money

Main Clause: He will not be allowed

Subordinate Clause: If he wants to come to come to the trip

Coordinating Conjunction: Or

Subordinating Conjunction: If

20. I got a new bag because my old one was damaged and I could not use it anymore.

Main Clause: I got a new bag

Main Clause: I could not use it anymore

Subordinate Clause: Because my old one was damaged

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

21. When we won the match, all of us were happy and we got selected to the finals.

Main Clause: All of us were happy

Main Clause: We got selected to the finals

Subordinate Clause: When we won the match

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: When

22. The clock stopped ticking because the battery was dead and so I replaced it.

Main Clause: The clock stopped ticking

Main Clause: I replaced it

Subordinate Clause: Because the battery was dead

Coordinating Conjunction: And so

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

23. Because the time was over, we weren’t able to complete our performance, yet we won the competition.

Main Clause: We weren’t able to complete our performance

Main Clause: We won the competition

Subordinate Clause: Because the time was over

Coordinating Conjunction: Yet

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

24. My daughter has not seen her uncle who lives in Canada but still she loves him.

Main Clause: My daughter has not seen her uncle

Main Clause: Still she loves him

Subordinate Clause: Who lives in Canada

Coordinating Conjunction: But

Subordinating Conjunction: Who

25. We built our new house atop the mountain because we wanted to wake up to a beautiful view and we wanted to stay away from the urban noises.

Main Clause: We built our new house atop the mountain

Main Clause: We wanted stay away from the urban noises

Subordinate Clause: Because we wanted to wake up to a beautiful view

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

26. After my classes, I joined my family for dinner and then we went to watch a movie.

Main Clause: I joined my family for dinner

Main Clause: Then we went to watch a movie

Subordinate Clause: After my classes

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: After

27. I want to walk home from the office every evening because I need exercise but I don’t have the time.

Main Clause: I want to walk home from the office every evening

Main Clause: I don’t have the time

Subordinate Clause: Because I need exercise

Coordinating Conjunction: But

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

28. If I clear my bank exam, I will start my training and I will move to Coimbatore.

Main Clause: I will start my training

Main Clause: I will move to Coimbatore

Subordinate Clause: If I clear my bank exam

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: If

29. Young children need to drink adequate amounts of water because their metabolism is high and they can get dehydrated easily.

Main Clause: Young children need to drink adequate amounts of water

Main Clause: They can get dehydrated easily

Subordinate Clause: Because their metabolism is high

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

30. Since last week, I am feeling very thirsty and I am consuming a lot of frozen foods.

Main Clause: I am feeling very thirsty

Main Clause: I am consuming a lot of frozen foods

Subordinate Clause: Since last week

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Since

31. The suitcase was heavy because of the bronze statue and I had to take the help of my friend to load it into the car.

Main Clause: The suitcase was heavy

Main Clause: I had to take the help of my friend to load it into the car

Subordinate Clause: Because of the bronze statue

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

32. For years now, our department has been winning accolades and the students have been placed in top tier companies because of the hard work of our teachers and researchers.

Main Clause: For years now, our department has been winning accolades

Main Clause: The students have been placed in top tier companies

Subordinate Clause: Because of the hard work of our teachers and researchers

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

33. My father worked overnight because he had to complete his project and also had to present it the next day.

Main Clause: My father worked overnight

Main Clause: Also had to present it the next day

Subordinate Clause: Because he had to complete his project

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

34. My sister worked harder this time since she wanted to be the topper and yes, she achieved what she wanted.

Main Clause: My sister worked harder this time

Main Clause: Yes, she achieved what she wanted

Subordinate Clause: Since she wanted to be the topper

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Since

35. Tanya learnt to cook because she is going abroad and she loves to eat Indian food.

Main Clause: Tanya learnt to cook

Main Clause: She loves to eat Indian food

Subordinate Clause: Because she is going abroad

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

36. Let me end this speech now because it is time to eat and you might all be feeling hungry.

Main Clause: Let me end this speech now

Main Clause: You might all be feeling hungry

Subordinate Clause: Because it is time to eat

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Because

37. When the students joined college, they did not know that their teacher was an army veteran and he had saved many lives during his tenure in the army.

Main Clause: They did not know that their teacher was an army veteran

Main Clause: He had saved many lives during his tenure in the army

Subordinate Clause: When the students joined college

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: When

38. It was a pleasant surprise when I saw him and so, we went to have our dinner together.

Main Clause: It was a pleasant surprise

Main Clause: We went to have our dinner together

Subordinate Clause: When I saw him

Coordinating Conjunction: And so

Subordinating Conjunction: When

39. The kid fell down while she was playing and she started crying due to pain.

Main Clause: The kid fell down

Main Clause: She started crying

Subordinate Clause: While she was playing

Subordinate Clause: Due to pain

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: While, Due

40. Whoever wins the match, he will be given a cash prize of 50,000 USD and he will also be granted lifetime access to the elite club.

Main Clause: He will be given a cash prize of 50,000 USD

Main Clause: He will also be granted lifetime access to the elite club

Subordinate Clause: Whoever wins the match

Coordinating Conjunction: And

Subordinating Conjunction: Whoever

Frequently Asked Questions

When to use a compound complex sentence?

Compound Complex sentence is used when long detailed information or thought has to be conveyed.

Example: Even though we went early, we missed the bus and so we took a cab.

This compound complex sentence tells us detailed information about them missing their bus.

Why to use compound complex sentence?

Compound complex sentences are used because they give us answers to why, when, where and how as it contains more information.

Example: I woke up late in the morning because the alarm did not ring and so, I got late for the meeting.

Here, we get to know why the person got up late, where will he/she be late, when did the person wake and all such answers.

How to use compound complex sentence?

Compound complex sentence must have two or more independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction and one or more related dependent clauses joined by subordinating conjunction.

Example: We were are all playing and having fun in the class while we heard that thundering sound.

Here, ‘we were all playing’ and ‘having fun in the class’ are 2 independent clauses linked by ‘and’. ‘While we heard that thundering sound’ is the related dependent clause joined by conjunction ‘while’.

Compound Complex Sentence Structure

Independent Clause + Coordinating Conjunction + Independent Clause + Subordinating Conjunction + Dependant Clause.

This is the basic structure. However the position of the clauses and the number of clauses can vary.

Example: She studies well and also is good at craft work, but is a little naughty because she is pampered a lot.

In this article, we are going to have a look into what compound sentences are. We will also be seeing how, when, where they are used. All such facts about compound sentences can be easily understood by going through the compound sentence examples listed below.

A compound sentence is a sentence that has at least a minimum of two independent clauses. These two or more independent clauses are joined together with the help of a coordinating conjunction to form a single compound sentence.

Now kindly go through the following 41+ compound sentence examples.

• 1. It is getting dark, yet we haven’t reached the hotel.
• 2. I prefer tea, but my sister prefers coffee.
• 3. We went to the market, and bought all the vegetables.
• 4. Get ready fast, or you might be late to school.
• 5. Sheela bought a dog, and named him Tommy.
• 6. It was raining, and so the match was cancelled.
• 7. She loves to eat this, but she is on diet now.
• 8. Can we start playing, or should we wait for him to join?
• 9. Raj was elected as the class leader, for he is an obedient child.
• 10. I would join the party tomorrow, but I would be a little late.
• 11. He did not like the job, yet he continued working.
• 12. Priita prepared the snacks, and Sheetal cleaned the kitchen.
• 13. Harish did not attend the class, nor did he finish his homework.
• 14. She has an exam today, but she did not attend it.
• 15. Sona is a good dancer, and a great singer.
• 16. Rohan is a very bright student, but he is a little mischievous.
• 17. I started writing long back, yet I haven’t finished it.
• 18. You can go by bus, or you can take the car.
• 19. He was all drenched, for he got caught in the rain.
• 20. The team played well, yet it did not win the match.
• 21. The picnic was cancelled, and we had to come back home.
• 22. The flight was delayed, so we had to postpone the meeting.
• 23. Our teacher is very polite, but she cannot tolerate lies.
• 24. I love Coimbatore, for it is my hometown.
• 25. It is already half past seven, and the meeting is still not started.
• 26. You work hard, and you will definitely succeed.
• 27. I will watch a movie, or would go shopping.
• 28. My daughter caught a cold, for she had many ice creams.
• 29. I cannot find the book on the table, nor in the bookshelf.
• 30. She worked so hard for the exam, yet she was unable to clear it.
• 31. We tried calling her yesterday, but she was not reachable.
• 32. I was writing in my notebook, and my sister spilt ink on it.
• 33. We missed almost half the show, for we were late.
• 34. Renu is capable of standing first in the class, but she is lazy.
• 35. There was an emergency, so we could not visit you today.
• 36. We went to the zoo, and saw all the animals.
• 37. Saurav is a kind hearted man, and all of us know it.
• 38. My friend likes horror movies, but she is scared of watching them.
• 39. This is the best painting, so it is finalized for the display.
• 40. This topic is easy to learn, but it takes more time.
• 41. Sheetal is not going to Kerala, nor to Karnataka.

Compound Sentences examples with detailed explanations

Here, we will see each example, understand and analyze them in detail.

1. It is getting dark, yet we haven’t reached the hotel.

‘It is getting dark’ and ‘we haven’t reached the hotel’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘yet’.

2. I prefer tea, but my sister prefers coffee.

‘I prefer tea’ and ‘my sister prefers coffee’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

3. We went to the market, and bought all the vegetables.

‘We went to the market’ and ‘bought all the vegetables’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and’.

4. Get ready fast, or you might be late to school.

‘Get ready fast’ and ‘you might be late to school’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘or’.

5. Sheela bought a dog, and named him Tommy.

‘Sheela bought a dog’ and ‘named him Tommy’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and’.

6. It was raining, and so the match was cancelled.

‘It was raining’ and ‘the match was cancelled’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and so’.

7. She loves to eat this, but she is on diet now.

‘She loves to eat this’ and ‘she is on diet now’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

8. Can we start playing, or should we wait for him to join?

‘Can we start playing’ and should we wait for him to join’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘or’.

9. Raj was elected as the class leader, for he is an obedient child.

‘Raj was elected as the leader’ and ‘he is an obedient child’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘for’.

10. I would join the party tomorrow, but I would be a little late.

‘I would join the party tomorrow’ and ‘I would be a little late’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

11. He did not like the job, yet he continued working.

‘He did not like the job’ and ‘he continued working’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘yet’.

12. Priita prepared the snacks, and Sheetal cleaned the kitchen.

‘Priita prepared the snacks’ and ‘Sheetal cleaned the kitchen’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and’.

13. Harish did not attend the class, nor did he finish his homework.

‘Harish did not attend the class’ and ‘did he finish his homework’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘nor’.

14. She has an exam today, but she did not attend it.

‘She has an exam today’ and ‘she did not attend it’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

15. Sona is a good dancer, and a great singer.

‘Sone is a good teacher’ and ‘a great singer’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and’.

16. Rohan is a very bright student, but he is a little mischievous.

‘Rohan is a bright student’ and ‘he is a little mischievous’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

17. I started writing long back, yet I haven’t finished it.

‘I started writing long back’ and ‘yet I haven’t finished it’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘yet’.

18. You can go by bus, or you can take the car.

‘You can go by bus’ and ‘you can take the car’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘or’.

19. He was all drenched, for he got caught in the rain.

‘He was all drenched’ and ‘he got caught in the rain’ are two independent clauses. They are combined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘for’.

20. The team played well, yet it did not win the match.

‘The team played well’ and ‘it did not win the match’ are two independent clauses. They are combined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘yet’.

21. The picnic was cancelled, and we had to come back home.

‘The picnic was cancelled’ and ‘we had to come back home’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and’.

22. The flight was delayed, so we had to postpone the meeting.

‘The flight was delayed’ and ‘we had to postpone the meeting’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘so’.

23. Our teacher is very polite, but she cannot tolerate lies.

‘Our teacher is very polite’ and ‘she cannot tolerate lies’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

24. I love Coimbatore, for it is my hometown.

‘I love Coimbatore’ and ‘it is my hometown’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘for’.

25. It is already half past seven, and the meeting is still not started.

‘It is already half past seven’ and ‘the meeting is still not started’ are two independent clauses. They are combined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and’.

26. You work hard, and you will definitely succeed.

‘You work hard’ and ‘you will definitely succeed’ are two independent clauses. They are combined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and’.

27. I will watch a movie, or would go shopping.

‘I will watch a movie’ and ‘would go shopping’ are two independent clauses. They are combined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘or’.

28. My daughter caught a cold, for she had many ice creams.

‘My daughter caught a cold’ and ‘she had many ice creams’ are two independent clauses. They are combined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘for’.

29. I cannot find the book on the table, nor in the bookshelf.

‘I cannot find the book on the table’ and ‘in the book shelf’ are two independent clauses. They are combined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘nor’.

30. She worked so hard for the exam, yet she was unable to clear it.

‘She worked so hard for the exam’ and ‘she was unable to clear it’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘yet’.

31. We tried calling her yesterday, but she was not reachable.

‘We tried calling her yesterday’ and ‘she was not reachable’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

32. I was writing in my notebook, and my sister spilt ink on it.

‘I was writing in my notebook’ and ‘my sister spilt ink on it’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and’.

33. We missed almost half the show, for we were late.

‘We missed almost half the show’ and ‘we were late’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘for’.

34. Renu is capable of standing first in the class, but she is lazy.

‘Renu is capable of standing first in the class’ and ‘she is lazy’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

35. There was an emergency, so we could not visit you today.

‘There was an emergency’ and ‘we could not visit you today’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘so’.

36. We went to the zoo, and saw all the animals.

‘We went to the zoo’ and ‘saw all the animals’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and’.

37. Saurav is a kind hearted man, and all of us know it.

‘Saurav is a kind hearted man’ and ‘all of us know it’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘and’.

38. My friend likes horror movies, but she is scared of watching them.

‘My friend like horror movies’ and ‘she is scared of watching them’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

39. This is the best painting, so it is finalized for the display.

‘This is the best painting’ and ‘it is finalized for the display’ are two independent clauses. They are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘so’.

40. This topic is easy to learn, but it takes more time.

‘This topic is easy to learn’ and ‘it takes more time’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

41. Sheetal is not going to Kerala, nor to Karnataka.

‘Sheetal is not going to Kerala’ and ‘nor to Karnataka’ are two independent clauses. They are linked together by the coordinating conjunction ‘nor’.

Frequently Asked Questions

When to use compound sentence?

A compound sentence is used when we have to combine two or more independent clauses that are related to each other into a single sentence.

Example: Sana did not like to dance, for she felt she was not good at it.

Here both the clauses are independent but they are related to each other as the second clause says, why Sana does not like to dance. Hence they are combined into a single compound sentence using the coordinating conjunction ‘for’.

Why to use compound sentence?

Compound sentences are used as the reader can easily understand the relationship between the two independent clauses easily.

Example: Sugar got over, and so I had to buy it.

Here, both the clauses, ‘sugar got over’ and ‘I had to buy it’ are related clauses. The second independent clause states why the person has to buy it.

How to use compound sentence?

A compound sentence should at least have two subjects and two verbs. The independent clauses must also be related to each other so that they can be combines into one compound sentence.

Example: We started early, but we reached late.

Here, the two subjects are ‘we’ and the two verbs are ‘started’ and ‘reached’. The two clauses are independent but they are related to each other.

Where to use compound sentence?

Compound sentences are used when we want to combine two or more independent clauses of equal value.

Example: There were dark clouds in the sky, but it did not rain.

In this sentence, both ‘there were dark clouds in the sky’ and ‘it did not rain’ are independent clauses and are of equal value and importance. Hence they are joined together by the coordinating conjunction ‘but’ to form a compound sentence.

Compound Sentence Structure

Independent clause + (,) coordinating conjunction/ a semicolon + independent clause

Example: She lost the phone, and so she was upset.

How to use nor in a compound sentence?

The coordinating conjunction is used in a compound sentence when the first independent clause is negative. It is used to link the two or more alternative independent clauses.

Example: Shivam does not come late to class, nor does he takes leave often.

Here the first independent clause contains the negative word ‘does not’ while the second clause has no negative words. Hence ‘nor’ is used to join the two alternative independent clause.

How to use for in a compound sentence?

For is used in a compound sentence when the second independent clause states the reason for the first independent clause.

Example: He did not attend the party, for he was ill.

Here the second independent clause ‘he was ill’ tells the reason why he did not attend the party.

How to use yet in a compound sentence?

‘Yet’ is used in a compound sentence to join two or more contradictory independent clauses.

Example: They worked overnight, yet they weren’t able to complete the work.

In the above sentence, yet is used here to combine two opposite independent clauses. It conveys, in spite of them working overnight, they were not able to finish the work.

When to use a semicolon in a compound sentence?

A semicolon is used to combine to independent clauses to form a single compound sentence. Instead of using a coordinating conjunction, a semicolon can be used to join two or more related independent clauses.

Example: Call me tomorrow; I will let you know the details.

Here semicolon is used to combine two independent and related clauses into a single compound sentence. Instead of the coordinating conjunction ‘and’, a semicolon is used to join the two clauses.

When to use a comma in compound sentence?

A comma is used in compound sentences right before the coordinating conjunction that is used to link the two or more independent clauses.

Example: Me and Sheetal have studied together for 10 long years, but we do not know each other very well.

In the above compound sentence, the comma is used right before the coordinating conjunction ‘but’.

Read More: 41+ Dash Examples