English Grammar Demystified - A Self Teaching Guide

CHAPTER 8 Punctuation Builds Sentences^179

When you looked at the list of transitional words, you probably found several
possibilities for each sentence. Here are some:

Sentence 1

I will make dinner; meanwhile, you need to pick up Amelia after school.

I will make dinner; on the other hand, you need to pick up Amelia after school.

I will make dinner; consequently, you need to pick up Amelia after school.

Sentence 2

Tillie was always late for work; consequently, she received a cut in pay.

Tillie was always late for work; fi nally, she received a cut in pay.

Tillie was always late for work; as a result, she received a cut in pay.

Sentence 3

We started by clearing the attic; next, we emptied the garage.

We started by clearing the attic; fi nally, we emptied the garage.

We started by clearing the attic; in addition, we emptied the garage.

You probably noticed that the revised sentences convey so much more of the writer’s
meaning and attitude.
This brings us to the more specifi c relationships established through the use of

Complex Sentences

Complex Sentences

As you learned earlier, a comma plus a coordinating conjunction, or a semicolon
alone, join compound sentences and equalize the two thoughts. What if you want to
make one idea less important than the other—not equal? In that case, you need to
construct a complex sentence.
A complex sentence joins an independent clause (a complete thought) and a
dependent clause (an incomplete thought). It uses a subordinating conjunction to
join a dependent (subordinate) clause to an independent or main clause and express