Difficulty: Easy

Average Score: 100%

Which is a complex sentence?

Rationale

After discovering that the football was flat, Andy decided to play tennis.

This sentence is complex because it contains an independent clause ("Andy decided to play tennis") and a dependent clause ("After discovering that the football was flat"), which together express a complete thought while showing a relationship between the two ideas.

A (The hawk swooped down to catch its prey.) YOUR ANSWER

This sentence is a simple sentence consisting of a single independent clause. It contains a subject ("the hawk") and a verb phrase ("swooped down to catch its prey") but lacks any dependent clauses that would render it complex.

B (Everyone agreed that the wedding was beautiful.) YOUR ANSWER

This sentence is a complex sentence, but it is not the correct answer here. It includes a main clause ("Everyone agreed") and a noun clause ("that the wedding was beautiful") acting as the object of the verb. However, it does not demonstrate the same structure as the correct answer, which includes a clearer relationship between clauses.

C (Samantha came to the party but she didn't stay long.) YOUR ANSWER

This sentence is a compound sentence because it consists of two independent clauses joined by a conjunction ("but"). Each clause can stand alone as a complete sentence, which disqualifies it from being classified as a complex sentence.

D (After discovering that the football was flat, Andy decided to play tennis.) CORRECT

This option is a complex sentence as it combines an independent clause with a dependent clause, indicating a cause-and-effect relationship. The dependent clause adds context and depth to the action described in the independent clause.

Conclusion

A complex sentence features at least one independent clause and one dependent clause, allowing for a nuanced expression of ideas. Among the given options, only the sentence about Andy and the flat football exemplifies this structure, making it the correct choice. Understanding the distinction between simple, compound, and complex sentences is essential for grasping the intricacies of sentence construction in English.

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