Question

What is the difference between simple, compound and complex sentences? Identify each
of the following sentences as simple, compound or complex. 5+10
i He told me that he would be going to Mumbai next week.
ii She is very beautiful.
iii I like rasgullas and my sister likes gulabjamuns.
iv The girl whom you met last week came here looking for you.
v I am going to the market.
vi She will go to the party only if her father will drop her.
vii I think that you are right.
viii Finish your homework and put the notebooks back in your bag.
ix Madhu dreamt that she was flying an aeroplane.
x Either you sit properly or you leave the room.

Answer 1

In order to answer this question correctly, one must have basic knowledge about Simple, Compound, and Complex Sentence. Let's have a look at the differences that make them different:

Simple Sentence

A simple sentence is made up of only one clause. It has just one subject and one predicate.

Example

Flowers are beautiful.

 

A COMPOUND SENTENCE is a sentence that is made up of two or more independent clauses. There are no dependent clauses in it. The independent clauses in a compound sentence are joined by coordinating conjunctions such as ‘or’, ‘and’ or ‘but’. For example, I really wanted to play the match, but I was too sick to stand even.

Example

His bite is bad, but his bark is worse.

A complex sentence has one independent and one or more dependent clauses. The clauses in a complex sentence can be in any order. If the dependent clause is first,  a comma is usually after it.

Example

I hope that I will pass the test.

The type of sentence is written in the bracket after every sentence:

i He told me that he would be going to Mumbai next week. (Complex Sentence) 
ii She is very beautiful. (Simple Sentence)
iii I like rasgullas and my sister likes gulabjamuns. (Compound Sentence)
iv The girl whom you met last week came here looking for you. (Complex Sentence)  
v I am going to the market. (Simple Sentence)
vi She will go to the party only if her father will drop her. (Complex Sentence) 
vii I think that you are right. (Complex Sentence) 
viii Finish your homework and put the notebooks back in your bag. (Compound Sentence)
ix Madhu dreamt that she was flying an aeroplane. (Complex Sentence) 
x Either you sit properly or you leave the room. (Complex Sentence)

Answer 2

Difference between simple, compound and complex sentences are:

A simple sentence is a form of sentence which has one independent clause and has no dependent clauses. It can stand alone for its meaning as a sentence.

The complex sentence refers to the sentence which contains at least one dependent clause and an independent clause. A dependent clause is the clause which cannot stand alone in its meaning on the other hand independent clause refers to the phrase which can stand alone, though both have a subject and a verb.  

A sentence which contains two independent clauses with related ideas is referred to as a compound sentence.

One way to punctuate a compound sentence correctly is to join the two independent clauses with a semicolon and a coordinating conjunction.

Therefore, the above sentences are:

i. He told me that he would be going to Mumbai

next week. (Complex Sentence) 

ii. She is very beautiful. (Simple Sentence)

iii. I like rasgullas and my sister likes gulabjamuns. (Compound Sentence)

iv. The girl whom you met last week came here looking for you. (Complex Sentence)  

v. I am going to the market. (Simple Sentence)

vi. She will go to the party only if her father will drop her. (Complex Sentence) 

vii. I think that you are right. (Complex Sentence) 

viii. Finish your homework and put the notebooks back in your bag. (Compound Sentence)

ix. Madhu dreamt that she was flying an aeroplane. (Complex Sentence) 

x. Either you sit properly or you leave the room. (Complex Sentence)