Here's a breakdown:
* Independent clause: A complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence.
* Dependent clause: A group of words that has a subject and verb but cannot stand alone as a sentence. It relies on the independent clause for its complete meaning.
Here's an example:
* "While the sun was setting, the birds flew south, and the wind howled across the empty field."
* Independent Clauses:
* "The birds flew south."
* "The wind howled across the empty field."
* Dependent Clause:
* "While the sun was setting" (this clause acts as an adverbial clause, modifying the entire sentence)
Key Characteristics of Complex Compound Sentences:
* Multiple independent clauses: They have at least two independent clauses.
* At least one dependent clause: They have at least one dependent clause.
* Conjunctions: They usually use conjunctions (like "and", "but", "or") to connect the independent clauses, and subordinating conjunctions (like "while", "because", "although") to connect the dependent clauses.
* Complex and varied structure: This makes them more interesting and engaging than simple sentences.
More Examples:
* "Although the rain was pouring, the children played outside, and their laughter echoed through the streets."
* "Because the game was close, the fans cheered loudly, and the tension in the stadium was palpable."
In summary: Complex compound sentences add complexity and depth to your writing by combining multiple ideas and relationships within a single sentence. They allow you to express more intricate thoughts and arguments in a concise and sophisticated way.