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Multiple-Choice Questions
Click on the answer you think is correct.
1. I found the house where the teacher lived.
a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

2. Fred and John joined the Army last week.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

3. The reporter found a place there he could watch the parade.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

4. I discovered the reason he is leaving.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

5. My mother cooks and sews at home, and she teaches at the college in Leesburg.
a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE

6. If he changes his mind, we will know beyond a doubt that Fred has learned his lesson; however, time will tell.
a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

7. I dislike driving in a town where there are no traffic signals.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

8. I may consider your plan, or I may disregard it.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

9. The senator, who was accompanied by his wife, left early.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

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b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

10. The teacher came in late: he did not stop to read the telegram.
a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

11. When I arrived at work, I had many disrupting telephone calls, but I still finished everything.
a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

12. I did not seek the position, nor do I want it.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE

13. That was the period when candles were used.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

14. The furniture that she likes most belonged to her grandmother.
a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

15. Jack went to bed early, for he was very tired.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

16. Engines roared overhead and a bomb fell where we had stood.
a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

17. John went to school, but Fred stayed at home because he had a cold.
a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

18. The car stopped when the officer blew his whistle.

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a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

19. Mary and Jane sang and played at the concert.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

20. The president is a man who everyone admires.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

21. Fred said that he felt fine after the fligt, and he praised the many hard-working people who had contributed to its outstanding
success.
a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

22. John joined the Navy: Fred joined the Army.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

23. You and your assistants must leave now and come back later.
a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

24. Here is a man who will qualify for the position.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

25. Michael likes tennis, but he prefers to play golf.

a)

SIMPLE SENTENCE

b)

COMPOUND SENTENCE

c)

COMPLEX SENTENCE

d)

COMPOUND - COMPLEX SENTENCE

1. Pauline and Bruno have a big argument every summer over where they should spend their summer vacation.
A. Simple Sentence

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B. Compound Sentence

C. Complex Sentence

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

You're right! The independent clause is "Pauline and Bruno have a big argument every summer; the dependent clause is "where they should spend their
summer vacation." (The dependent clause is a noun clause, the object of the preposition "over.")
2. Pauline loves to go to the beach and spend her days sunbathing.
A. Simple Sentence

B. Compound Sentence

C. Complex Sentence

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

The correct response is A. There is only one independent clause here, and no dependent clause. The "and" is connecting two infinitive phrases ("to go" and
"[to]
spend").
3.

Bruno, on the other hand, likes the view that he gets from the log cabin up in the mountains, and he enjoys hiking in the forest.
A. Simple Sentence

B. Compound Sentence

C. Complex Sentence

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

The correct response is D. There are two independent clauses here -- "Bruno likes the view" and "he enjoys hiking. . ." -- and one dependent clause -- "that he
gets . . . ."
4. Pauline says there is nothing relaxing about chopping wood, swatting mosquitoes, and cooking over a woodstove.
A. Simple Sentence

B. Compound Sentence

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C. Complex Sentence

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

You're right! The independent clause is "Pauline says"; the rest of the sentence is an elliptical clause, a dependent clause with the "that" left out.
5. Bruno dislikes sitting on the beach; he always gets a nasty sunburn.
A. Simple Sentence

B. Compound Sentence

C. Complex Sentence

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

You're
6.

right! There are two independent clauses in this sentence; they are separated by a semicolon.

Bruno tends to get bored sitting on the beach, watching the waves, getting sand in his swimsuit, and reading detective novels for a week.
A. Simple Sentence

B. Compound Sentence

C. Complex Sentence

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

The correct response is A. There is only one independent clause in this sentence. The participles -- "sitting," "watching," "getting," and "reading" -- are verb
forms, not verbs, and do not constitute a clause.
7. This year, after a lengthy, noisy debate, they decided to take separate vacations.
A. Simple Sentence

B. Compound Sentence

C. Complex Sentence

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

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The correct response is A. This sentence contains one independent clause, one subject-verb relationship ("they decided").
8. Bruno went to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and Pauline went to Cape Cod.
A. Simple Sentence

B. Compound Sentence

C. Complex Sentence

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

You're right!

There are two independent clauses here, connected by the coordinating conjunction "and."

9. Although
they are 250 miles apart, they keep in constant contact on the internet.
A. Simple Sentence

B. Compound Sentence

C. Complex Sentence

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

You're right! This sentence comprises one independent clause -- "they keep in constant contact. . ." -- and one dependent clause -- "Although they are 250
miles apart."
10. Bruno took the desktop computer that he uses at work, and Pauline sits on the beach with her laptop computer, which she connects to the internet with a
cellular phone.
A. Simple Sentence

B. Compound Sentence

C. Complex Sentence

D. Compound-Complex Sentence

You're right! The sentence contains two independent clauses -- "Bruno took the desktop computer" and "Pauline sits . . ." (connected by the coordinating
conjunction "and") -- and two modifying dependent clauses -- "that he uses at work" and "which she connects. . . ."