Compound Sentences

A compound sentence is two or more independent clauses joined together. There

are three ways to join the clauses:

1. With a coordinator

Salt water boils at a higher temperature than freshwater, so food cooks faster

in salt water.

2. With a conjunctive adverb

Salt water boils at a higher temperature than freshwater; therefore, food

cooks faster in salt water.

3. With a semicolon

Salt water boils at a higher temperature than freshwater; food cooks faster in

salt water.

Let's study each type of compound sentence in more detail.

Compound Sentences with Coordinators

A compound sentence can be formed as follows:

Independent clause, + coordinator + independent clause

Salt water boils at a lower temperature than freshwater, so food cooks faster in

salt water.

There are seven coordinators, which are also called coordinating conjunctions. You

can remember them by the phrase FAN BOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So). The

following sentences illustrate the meanings of the seven FAN BOYS coordinators.

(Punctuation note: There is a comma after the first independent clause.)