To understand the difference between a complex sentence and a compound-complex sentence, let's break down the examples provided from Josef's story in the novel Refugee by Alan Gratz.
Complex Sentence: The sentence "The captain shook each of their hands, even though none of them was older than thirteen" contains one main clause ("The captain shook each of their hands") and one subordinate clause ("even though none of them was older than thirteen"). The subordinate clause adds additional information to the main clause, but it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. This structure indicates a relationship between the two ideas, suggesting that the captain's action of shaking hands occurred despite the age of the children.
Compound-Complex Sentence: The sentence “After they stepped through a steel fire door that had CREW ONLY painted on it in big letters, Josef and the tour group went down staircase after staircase, and they still weren’t to the engine room yet” is more complex. It contains multiple clauses: a subordinate clause ("After they stepped through a steel fire door that had CREW ONLY painted on it in big letters"), a main clause ("Josef and the tour group went down staircase after staircase"), and an additional independent clause ("and they still weren’t to the engine room yet").
This structure shows two or more independent clauses linked by a coordinating conjunction ("and"), as well as at least one subordinate clause. The subordinate clause provides context for the main actions occurring in the sentence, indicating that the descent down the staircases happens after a specific event.
Summary of Differences:
- A complex sentence features one main clause and at least one subordinate clause, displaying a dependency of ideas.
- A compound-complex sentence includes at least two independent clauses and at least one subordinate clause, demonstrating a more intricate relationship between multiple ideas.
By examining the structures and relationships of the clauses in each sentence, we can see how the complexity of the second sentence adds depth and develops the narrative further.