How to Write Compound Sentences
如何写并列句

First study the following sentences, and identify which is a complex sentence and which is a compound sentence.

1) He has to work long hours if he wants to earn a company bonus.
2) I like football crazily, but I have no interest in basketball.

The first sentence is a complex sentence (复合句), while the second one is a compound sentence (并列句). There is a little difficulty in distinguishing (区别) complex sentences from compound sentences, because they are both made up of at least two sentences. Our golden rule is that in complex sentences one clause is dependent on the other clause (the main clause), while both clauses in a compound sentence are independent. So we may define a compound sentence as: a compound sentence consists two or more independent clauses usually joined by conjunctive (连接性的) words ( and, or, nor, for, so, but) or conjunctive adverb (however, therefore, moreover, etc).

Look at the conjunctives that combine the clauses together.

1. Our vicar (教区牧师) is always raising money, but he never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
2. He does not agree that life is a play, nor does he agree that life is predestined.
3. He wanted to be a soccer player from his childhood, and his dream was fulfilled at the age of nineteen.
4. He was absent yesterday, for he didn't do the homework the teacher assigned.
5. College life is tiring sometimes, however, it is charming most of the time, especially at weekends.
6. He lost all his money in the investment (投资); moreover, he lost confidence in his competence.

Exercise:

Combine the following sentences into compound sentences by using the conjunctives we have learned.

　　He does not agree that life is a play. He does not agree that life is predestined. Life is something that he can't control totally. He sometimes thinks that opportunity plays a vital role in one's life. The turning point of his life has a lot to do with opportunity.