Combining Clauses

There is more to a sentence than what meets the eye. Typically when discussing grammar we tend to give and work in single sentence examples that only contain one clause. However, this is not how we speak or write.

Sentences can be simply structured and only contain a single clause making it a simple sentence.

But there is more to it.

Even in the few sentences that I written contain more than a single clause within them. Even the one used to explain what a simple sentence is. Seems odd to have a compound sentence to explain a simple sentence. Alas, that is just how the English language works.

Compound sentences are usually formed with the use of conjunctions between the separate clauses.

Honestly, the best way to remember conjunctions is through the old School House Rock Song "Conjunction Junction" that identifies conjunctions and how to apply to sentences.

When combining clauses into single sentences each conjunction has specific uses in how they bring the clauses together.

The first is and. And has a couple different functions. It's role is to link two things together, such as: 

The refrigerator keeps the milk cold and the eggs fresh.

It can also give an order of events in time:

She left work and picked up dinner.

But and yet are used when the second clause is contradicting the first one:

It was a very popular movie but he did not like it.

She washed her hair, yet it still smelled like smoke.

Or is used to present the clauses as separate options:

You can sing in the talent show or you can do magic.

These simple conjunctions bring the clauses together giving sentences more life but also making them more complex. Yet, if all we did was stick to single clause sentences communication and language would become redundant and repetitive as well as uninteresting.