Compound Sentence

Composite Sentence

The composite sentence is formed by two or more predicative lines, i.e. it consists of two or more clauses.

Composite sentences display two principal types of construction: hypotaxis (subordination) and parataxis (coordination).

Within a composite sentence clauses may be joined by means of coordination or subordination, thus forming a compound or a complex sentence respectively.

Coordination is a way of linking grammatical elements to make them equal in rank.

Subordination is a way of linking grammatical elements that makes one of them dependent upon the other (or they are mutually dependent).

The means of combining clauses into a polypredicative sentence are divided into syndetic, i.e. conjunctional, and asyndetic, i. e. non-conjunctional.

The compound sentence is a composite sentence built on the principle of coordination. Coordination can be expressed either syndetically or asyndetically.

A compound sentence consists of two or more clauses of equal rank which form one syntactical whole in meaning and intonation. Clauses that are parts of a compound sentence are called coordinate, as they are joined by coordination.

The main semantic feature of the compound sentence is that it follows the flow of thought; thus the content of each successive clause is related to the previous one.

Hence come two syntactical features of the compound sentence which distinguish it from the complex sentence: 1) the opening clause mostly plays the leading role, and each suc­cessive clause is joined to the previous clause; 2) the clauses are sequentially fixed. Thus a coordinate clause cannot change place with the previous one without changing or distorting the meaning of the whole sentence.

Speaking about communication types it should be mentioned that there are compound sentences consisting of clauses belonging to different communication types. In this case it is impossible to state to what type the compound sentence as a whole belongs.
e.g. These came nearer than most to meaning something to her, but what? (declarative + interrogative)

From the point of view of the relationship between coordinate clauses four kinds of coordinate connection are distinguished: copulative, adversative, disjunctive and causative-consecutive. The type of connec­tion is expressed not only by means of coordinating con­nectives, but also by the general meaning of clauses con­veyed by their lexical and grammatical content.

Copulative coordination implies that the informa­tion conveyed by coordinate clauses is in some way simi­lar. The connectors are: the conjunctions and, nor, neither... nor, not only... but (also), as well as, and the conjunctive ad­verbs then, moreover, besides. E.g. I didn’t recognize the girl, nor did I remember her name.

Adversative coordination joins clauses containing opposi­tion, contradiction or contrast. Adversative connectors are: the conjunctions but, while, whereas, the conjunctive adverbs how­ever, yet, still, nevertfaless, and the conjunctive particle only. Adversative coordination may also be realized asyndetically. E.g. The story was amusing, but nobody laughed.

Disjunctive coordination implies a choice between two mutually exclusive alternatives. The disjunctive con­junctions are or, either... or, the conjunctive adverbs are else (or else), otherwise. E.g. Either listen to me, or I shall stop reading to you.

Causative-consecutive coordination joins clauses connected in such a way that one of them contains a rea­son and the other - a consequence. The second clause may contain either the reason or the result of the event conveyed by the previous clause. The only causative coordinating conjunction is for. E.g. The days became longer, for it was now springtime.

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