In
the previous chapter, we learned to construct a compound sentence—a sentence
which is made up of two independent clauses joined by either a coordinate
conjunction or a conjunctive adverb. In this chapter, as well as in the next
two chapters, we are going to learn to construct a complex sentence. A complex
sentence is a sentence which consists of at least two clauses—one independent
(or main) clause and one dependent (or subordinate) clause. The main clause can
somehow stand alone as a separate sentence, while the subordinate clause can
not because it is only a part of the main clause. There are three types of
dependent clauses based on their functions in the main clause: adjective
clause, noun clause, and adverb clause.
