A. A compound sentence has two or more clauses. (e.g. We stayed behind and finished the job, then we went home)
a. clauses in a compound sentence are joined by conjunctions. (e. John shouted and everybody waved. We looked everywhere but we couldn’t find him. They are coming by car so they should be here soon.)
b. common coordinating conjunctions are: and, but, or, nor, so, then, yet
c. A complex sentence has a main clause and one or more adverbial clauses. Adverbial clauses usually come after the main clause. (e.g. Her father died when she was very young. She had a difficult childhood because her father died when she was very young.)
d. Some subordinate clauses can come in front of the main clause. (e.g. Although a few snakes are dangerous most of them are quite harmless)
e. A sentence can contain both subordinate and coordinate clauses. (e.g. Although she has always lived in France, she speaks fluent English because her mother was American and her father was Nigerian)
Idiom 365
Up a Blind Alley: following a course of action that leads to no good outcome.
Example: The situation just seems to be leading us up/down a blind alley.