Complex Sentence Examples & Definition

The definition of a complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Examples of Complex Sentences

Because he was late again, he would be docked a day’s pay.
While I am a passionate basketball fan, I prefer football.
Although she was considered smart, she failed all her exams.
Whenever it rains, I like to wear my blue coat.

Having a party is a bad idea because the neighbors will complain.
I am extremely happy since I retired.
The dog jumped on his lap while he was eating.
Annie was still crying, although she had been happy about the news.

Independent and Dependent Clauses

I like to eat candy before I watch a movie.

I like to eat candy, but I don’t like to eat popcorn.

I like to eat candy (independent clause – makes sense on its own).
Because I like to eat candy (dependent clause – does not make sense on its own without more information).

Common Complex Sentence Examples

As we have seen with the previous examples, the structure for a complex sentence essentially looks like this:

Dependent Clause + Independent Clause (comma splits the clause)
Independent Clause + Dependent Clause (comma usually does not split the clause)

So, using that structure we can easily form examples of complex sentences:

Because she was scoring many baskets, Elesa was considered the best player on the team.
Elesa was considered the best player on the team because she was scoring many baskets.
Since Hannah got here, she’s been nothing but trouble.
Hannah has been nothing but trouble since she got here.

You should also be aware that a complex sentence can contain more than one dependent clause. Here are some examples of those types of complex sentences:

Because I was often late, and since I was always forgetting things, I was regarded as a scatterbrain by my friends.
Although the war ended, and as people tend to have short memories, the city’s people were still divided over its impact.

Complex Sentences from Literature

“Because he was so small, Stuart was often hard to find around the hou” E.B White – Stuart Little
"I've never any pity for conceited people, because I think they carry their comfort about with them." George Eliot – The Mill on the Floss
“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” John Steinbeck — East of Eden

The 4 Types of Sentence Structure

Complex Sentence

Whenever he was lonely, Lance called his mother.

Compound Sentence

I was born in the United States, yet I consider myself Canadian.

A Simple Sentence

David drives carefully to work in the morning.

A Compound-Complex Sentence

Jim doesn’t drink beer because he has a gluten allergy, so he tends to drink wine most weekends.

Subordinating Conjunctions

A word or phrase that introduces a dependent clause.
A word or phrase that links an independent and dependent clause.

Using Subordinate Clauses in Complex Sentences

As we mentioned earlier, a subordinate clause is another way of terming a dependent clause. Both words, subordinate and dependent, offer clues to help us better understand the function of these clauses in writing. Dependent means contingent on or determined by, whereas subordinate means lower in rank or position. That tells us that – grammatically speaking – subordinate/dependent clauses are not equal to the independent clause in a sentence. The independent clause and subordinate clause are not equal because the latter cannot form a sentence on its own. The subordinate clause is, as such, dependent on the independent clause to provide the complete meaning. You cannot create a complex sentence without using a subordinate clause in it. Other types of sentences – compound sentences, simple sentences – can exist without subordinate clauses. When you think about it, the subordinate clause is what makes the sentence ‘complex’. The subordinate clause requires the help of the independent clause for it to make sense. It reaches back or forward across the sentence to contextualize itself, making the sentence more ‘complex’ in the process.