A Guide for Complex Sentence in IELTS Writing

If you use complex sentences in your writing and speaking, it will give a good impression to the examiner about your English proficiency.

Complex sentences are important in IELTS Writing because they demonstrate a higher level of English language proficiency.

Your IELTS Writing test is scored based on your ability to use a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences which are formed by combining an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses. Theses sentences show a clear relationship between ideas and provide more detailed and nuanced information.

Using complex sentences, you can also add variety to writing, making it more interesting and engaging for the reader. Additionally, it can help you to show your ability to convey complex ideas in a clear and coherent manner. Thus, it will definitely raise your score in grammar section, which is one of the four marking criteria.

On this page, we are going to discuss in detail how you can construct a complex sentence.

What is Complex Sentence

A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence, while the dependent clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.

The dependent clause is connected to the independent clause using a subordinating conjunction such as "because," "although," "while," etc. or a relative pronoun like "who," "which," "that."

For example: "I will go to the store, even though I am feeling tired."

In the sentence above, the independent clause is "I will go to the store" and the dependent clause is "even though I am feeling tired." The dependent clause is connected to the independent clause using the subordinating conjunction "even though."

Complex sentences can be used to show cause and effect, contrast, or to provide additional information about the independent clause. They can make writing more nuanced, more sophisticated and more interesting.

Check some complex sentence examples below:

"Although he was tired, he decided to go for a run before dinner."
"I will study for the exam, since I want to get a good grade."
"The dog, who was trained to fetch, brought the ball back to its owner."
"I will call you when I finish my work, even if it's late."
"The company will launch the new product, despite the current market conditions."
"The movie, which was well-reviewed, was a box office success."
"He will attend the meeting, provided that he finishes his presentation on time."
"The team won the game, because they played with great teamwork and determination."
"I was able to finish the project, because I had a clear plan and enough resources."
"The teacher gave the student extra help, since he was struggling with the material."

These are some examples of complex sentences, each containing an independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Note that the dependent clauses are connected to the independent clauses with the use of:

subordinating conjunctions,
relative pronouns, and
conditional words.

Complex sentences can help to convey detailed, nuanced and sophisticated ideas.

How to Construct a Complex Sentence

It is very easy to write a complex sentence. All you need to do is just join two or more than two sentences using relative pronouns or conjunctions. Just remember, one of the joined sentences will be independent, and all the other sentences will be dependent.

Conjunctions are: and, but, or, so, yet, either/or, neither/nor, both, as soon as, as much, as long as, in order that, though, even though, till, until, whenever, unless, and whereas etc. and

relative pronouns are: who, whom, what, which, and that etc.

As we've already mentioned above, if you know what are the relative pronouns and what are the conjunctions, it is very easy for you to make a complex sentence.

1. Complex Sentence Using Relative Pronouns

When constructing complex sentences using relative pronouns, it is important to make sure the antecedent of the relative pronoun is clear and that the sentence is grammatically correct and easy to understand.

Look at the example below:

"Her name is Sara."

"She is a well-known recipe specialist."

"She lives in Melbourne."

You can construct a complex sentence by combining these sentences. You can do it in two ways:

"Sara, who lives in Melbourne, is a well-known recipe specialist."

or,

"Sara, who is a well-known recipe specialist, lives in Melbourne."

More Examples:

"The book, which I read last night, was very interesting."

In this sentence, "which" is a relative pronoun that connects the dependent clause "which I read last night" to the independent clause "The book was very interesting."

"The person who helped me with my project turned out to be a great resource."

In this sentence, "who" is a relative pronoun that connects the dependent clause "who helped me with my project" to the independent clause "The person turned out to be a great resource."

"The city where I grew up has changed a lot over the years."

In this sentence, "where" is a relative pronoun that connects the dependent clause "where I grew up" to the independent clause "The city has changed a lot over the years."

"The movie that I watched last night was a thriller."

In this sentence, "that" is a relative pronoun that connects the dependent clause "that I watched last night" to the independent clause "The movie was a thriller."

"The company whose CEO resigned last month is going through a difficult time."

In this sentence, "whose" is a relative pronoun that connects the dependent clause "whose CEO resigned last month" to the independent clause "The company is going through a difficult time."

These are some examples of complex sentences that use relative pronouns to connect the dependent clauses to the independent clauses, showing the relationship between the two parts of the sentence. They make the sentences more sophisticated, nuanced and interesting.

Tips for Making Complex Sentence Using Relative Pronouns

Here are a few tips for constructing complex sentences using relative pronouns:

1. Use relative pronouns to connect clauses that provide additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause. Examples of relative pronouns include "who," "whom," "whose," "that," and "which."

2. Make sure the antecedent of the relative pronoun is clear. The antecedent is the noun or pronoun that the relative pronoun refers to. It should be clear from the sentence what noun or pronoun the relative pronoun is modifying.

3. Use different relative pronouns depending on the noun they are modifying. For example, use "who" for people, "which" for things, and "that" for both people and things.

4. Use commas to set off non-restrictive clauses. Non-restrictive clauses provide additional information, but are not necessary to the meaning of the sentence. They should be set off with commas.

5. Vary the position of the relative pronoun within the clause. For example, "The book, which I read last night, was really interesting" and "The book was really interesting, which I read last night".

6. Practice writing complex sentences using relative pronouns. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with constructing these types of sentences.

Make sure to revise your sentence for clarity and coherence. Complex sentences can be confusing if not structured correctly, make sure your sentence is easy to understand and the thought is clear.

2. Complex Sentence Using Conjunctions

Constructing complex sentences using conjunctions is important for the following reasons:

1. It allows for more varied and nuanced expression. By connecting clauses, conjunctions allow for more detailed and nuanced sentences that can convey more information or express more complex ideas.

2. It adds variety and interest to writing. Complex sentences using conjunctions can add rhythm and interest to writing, making it more engaging for the reader.

3. It improves writing skills. Constructing complex sentences using conjunctions is a key component of good writing, and practicing this skill can help improve overall writing proficiency.

4. It allows expressing more complex ideas. Combining ideas and thoughts through conjunctions allows to create a more complex and sophisticated idea that can be more easily understood and communicated to others.

5. It makes the language more sophisticated. Using conjunctions to construct complex sentences is a sign of a more advanced language level, and can make writing or speech more sophisticated, impressive and convincing.

Some Examples:

"I will go to the park, but I will not stay for long."

In this sentence, "but" is a conjunction that connects the independent clause "I will go to the park" to the independent clause "I will not stay for long."

"She was tired, so she went to bed early."

In this sentence, "so" is a conjunction that connects the independent clause "She was tired" to the independent clause "she went to bed early."

"He had a lot of work to do, and he decided to stay late at the office."

In this sentence, "and" is a conjunction that connects the independent clause "He had a lot of work to do" to the independent clause "he decided to stay late at the office."

"I will call you when I finish my work, or if I need any help."

In this sentence, "or" is a conjunction that connects the independent clause "I will call you when I finish my work" to the independent clause "if I need any help."

"We will go to the beach, because the weather is nice."

In this sentence, "because" is a conjunction that connects the independent clause "We will go to the beach" to the dependent clause "because the weather is nice."

These are some examples of complex sentences that use conjunctions to connect the independent clauses, showing the relationship between the two parts of the sentence. They make the sentences more sophisticated, nuanced and interesting.

Tips for Constructing Complex Sentences Using Conjunctions:

Here are a few tips for constructing complex sentences using conjunctions:

1. Use the appropriate conjunction: Choose the right conjunction to express the relationship between the clauses. Some common conjunctions include "and," "or," "but," "yet," "so," "because," "although," "since," "while," etc.

2. Use a comma to separate the clauses: When constructing a complex sentence, use a comma to separate the independent clauses if they are joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, yet, so).

3. Make the clauses related: The clauses should be related, meaning they should have a logical connection or relationship.

4. Vary the length and structure of clauses: Varying the length and structure of clauses can make your writing more interesting and dynamic.

5. Practice: As with any aspect of language, the more you practice writing complex sentences using conjunctions, the more comfortable and natural it will become.

Here is an example:

"I woke up early this morning, and I went for a walk in the park."

In this sentence, "and" is the conjunction, "I woke up early this morning" is the first independent clause and "I went for a walk in the park" is the second independent clause.

Another example:

"Although the weather was bad, I decided to go for a hike" In this sentence, "Although" is the conjunction, "the weather was bad" is the first independent clause and "I decided to go for a hike" is the second independent clause.

Remember that you can also use different conjunctions to connect different clauses in the same sentence to make it more complex and meaningful.

3. Complex Sentence Using Conditional Words

Complex sentences can be constructed using conditional words. Conditional words, such as "if," "whether," and "unless," are used to express a condition or a set of conditions that must be met in order for a certain statement to be true.

For example, "If it rains, I will stay inside" is a complex sentence that uses the conditional word "if" to express a condition.

Another example is "I will go to the store unless it's closed" which is also a complex sentence using conditional word "unless" to express a condition.

Here is another detailed example of a complex sentence using conditional words:

"If I finish my work on time, I will go to the gym tonight"

In this sentence "If" is the conditional word, "I finish my work on time" is the conditional clause and "I will go to the gym tonight" is the main clause.

More Examples:

"If you study hard, you will pass the exam."
"I will buy a new car, provided that I can afford it."
"Whether it's sunny or rainy, I will still go for a walk."
"I will not go to the party unless you come with me."
"Even if you don't want to, you must attend the meeting."
"You will get a promotion, assuming that you work hard and meet your targets."

In each of these examples, the conditional word is used to introduce a condition that must be met for the statement to be true. The conditional clause ( the clause starting with the conditional word) introduces the condition, and the main clause ( the other clause) describes the outcome or result of the condition being met.

Tips for Constructing Complex Sentences Using Conditional Words:

Here are a few tips for constructing complex sentences using conditional words:

1. Use the appropriate conditional word: Choose the right conditional word to express the condition you want to convey. "If" is used for a possible condition, "whether" for a choice between options, "unless" for a condition that must not be met, "even if" for a condition that is unlikely to happen and "assuming that" for a condition that is expected to happen.

2. Use the correct verb tense: Make sure to use the correct verb tense in the conditional clause and the main clause. For example, if the condition is in the present, use the present tense in the conditional clause and in the main clause.

3. Use a comma to separate the clauses: When constructing a complex sentence, use a comma to separate the conditional clause and the main clause.

4. Make the conditional clause and main clause related: The conditional clause and main clause should be related, meaning the main clause should be the outcome or result of the condition stated in the conditional clause.

5. Practice: As with any aspect of language, the more you practice writing complex sentences using conditional words, the more comfortable and natural it will become.

Check our IELTS Writing Correction Service. Get detailed feedback from an ex IELTS examiner.

Also check the following resources:

Essential rules for punctuation

Practical use of Articles

Practical use of prepositions

Discussion on Coherence and Cohesion