This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences – Set 2”.
1. The statement from the given options that best defines a complex sentence is ________
a) A sentence with one independent and one dependent clause connected by subordinating conjunction.
b) A sentence with simple, understandable words in it and gives complete meaning.
c) A sentence with two independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction.
d) A sentence that contains only one independent clause in it with a subject and a verb.
View Answer
Explanation: A complex sentence is the sentence that contains one independent clause in it and one or more dependent clauses connected by subordinating conjunctions. It comes as a complete sentence and cannot stand alone without requiring a second clause.
2. Identify the compound sentence among the given sentences.
a) We bought shoes and they bought dresses at the mall.
b) The old man laughed when he saw a smartphone.
c) The girl picked the paper and threw it in the bin.
d) She did not come to the party today as she felt sick.
View Answer
Explanation: The compoundsentence is “We bought shoes and they bought dresses at the mall”. A compound sentence is the sentence containing two independent clauses that are connected by a coordinating conjunction. The compound sentence here thus has two independent clauses “We bought shoes”and “they bought dresses at the mall” which are connected using the conjunction “and”.
3. Pick the simple sentence from the given options.
a) The dogbarked at the man but he did not bother about it.
b) I don’t have any dress for the grand party tonight at the palace.
c) He is confident that his brother will win.
d) I went to the park with my friend after completing my homework.
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Explanation: Here, “I don’t have any dress for the grand party tonight at the palace” is the simple sentence here. A simple sentence has only one clause in it. The other sentences given contains more than one clause with multiple subjects (‘I and my friend’, ‘he and his brother’, ‘the dog and the man’) and more than one verb in it.
4. Which one is the compound sentence among the given?
a) Deepika ran to the store and bought some medicines.
b) Alia is a brave girl and she can manage things on her own.
c) The bus driver shouted and honked at the drunkard on the road.
d) She is going for the music class and the party on the same day.
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Explanation: A compound sentence is a sentence with two or more independent clauses in it. These independent clauses are connected using a conjunction. The two clauses can stand alone by itself and are connected to the conjunction to form a complete compound sentence. Here, “Alia is a brave girl and she can manage things on her own” is the compound sentence with two main clauses, “Alia is a brave girl” and “she can manage things on her own” connected using the conjunction “and”.
5. The complex sentenceamong the given sentences is _____
a) The baby saw the balloons flying in the air with joy.
b) A man with a lot of money is always respected.
c) Hema has lost the purse that she had bought today.
d) Tanisha should leave home by morning to reach office early.
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Explanation: The complex sentence contains one independent and one or more dependent clauses that are connected by a subordinate conjunction. They also have two or more subjects and two or more verbs in them. Here, the sentence “Hema has lost the purse that she had bought today” has one main clause “Hema has lost the purse” and one subordinate clause “that she had bought today” along with the subordinate conjunction “that” and is thus the complex sentence among the given.
6. Pick thesimple sentence from the given sentences.
a) Go home and start studying for your exam.
b) The flower is very beautiful but it is poisonous in nature.
c) Unless you spend time for studies you won’t be able to get good marks in them.
d) In the event of going home you won’t be paid the salary.
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Explanation: Since a simple sentence has only one clause in it, the sentence “In the event of going home you won’t be paid the salary” is the simple sentence among the given. There is only one clause that stand independently without any connecting conjunctions. Thus, it is the simple sentence.
7. Which is the correct compound sentence among the following?
a) My boss fired me as i argued with him
b) I argued with my boss and he fired me
c) I argued, he fired me
d) He fired me since i argued with my boss
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Explanation: Among the given sentences, “I argued with my boss and he fired me” is the correct compound sentence with twoindependent clausesconnected using a coordinate conjunction ‘and’. ‘as’, ‘since’ are subordinate conjunctions that forms a complex sentence.
8. State whether the following sentence is true or false.
‘I went to the market but there were no vegetables’ is a compound sentence.
a) True
b) False
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Explanation: In the sentence given, there are two independent clauses that can stand alone by itself. These clauses are connected using a coordinate conjunction ‘but’ to give a combined meaning of the statement and the reason behind it. Hence, the given sentence is a compound sentence. Complex sentences have one independent and the rest as a dependent clause. Simple sentences are formed using only one single clauses with a complete meaning. Thus, the given sentence is a compound sentence and the statement is true.
9. Choose the correct simple sentence from the following.
a) Kiara cannot win without practicing regularly for the tournament.
b) Shiva cannot go home if he doesn’t complete his work.
c) unless Farhan quits smoking he will not recover from lung infection.
d) Varun should sing properly otherwise he will not be selected.
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Explanation: Since a simple sentence has only one clause in it, the sentence “Kiara cannot win without practicing regularly for the tournament” is the simple sentence among the given. There is only one clause that stand independently without any connecting conjunctions. Thus, it is the simple sentence. The other sentences are compound with two independent clauses connected using coordinate conjunctions like ‘otherwise’ or complex with one main and one subordinate clause with subordinate conjunctions like ‘unless’ and ‘if’.
10. Identify the complex sentencefrom the given set of sentences.
a) He went to china and sohe cannot meet you today
b) Wasim has fever therefore he will not eat ice cream
c) Her leg was badly hurt but she managed to walk slowly
d) Raj went home and played video games with his sister
View Answer
Explanation: The complex sentence is a sentence with one independent clause and a dependent clausein it. These clauses are connected using a subordinate conjunction. The independent clause can stand alone by itself and the dependent clause is connected to the subordinate conjunction to form a complete complex sentence. Here, “Wasim has fever therefore he will not eat ice cream” is the complex sentence with the independent clause, “Wasim has fever” and a dependent clausewith a subordinate conjunction (therefore), “therefore he will not eat ice cream”. ‘so’, ‘and’, ‘and so’ are all compound conjunctions which acts as a mere link word in a compound sentence. The sentences with those conjunctions give a complete meaning while separated from the conjunction into two different sentences in the compound sentence. Thus, “Wasim has fever therefore he will not eat ice cream” is the complex sentence.
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