Advanced Sentence Structures - Simple, Compound, Complex

This guide explains three important grammar topics from the TNPSC syllabus: Types of Sentences (Simple, Compound, Complex), Degrees of Comparison, and Direct & Indirect Speech. Understanding these concepts is crucial for scoring high in the General English section.

Learning Patterns & Strategies

• Identify Sentence Type by Clause: Learn to spot independent clauses (a complete thought, ஒரு முழுமையான கருத்தைத் தரும் வாக்கியம்) and dependent clauses (an incomplete thought, முழுமையற்ற கருத்தைத் தரும் வாக்கியம்). This is the key to differentiating between Simple, Compound, and Complex sentences.
• Memorize Conjunctions: Conjunctions are clue words.
  • Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS): For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So. These are used in Compound sentences.
  • Subordinating Conjunctions: because, since, if, unless, though, while. These are used in Complex sentences.
• Use Transformation Tables: Create and memorize tables that show how to convert a sentence from Simple to Compound to Complex. For example, in spite of (Simple) → though (Complex) → but (Compound).
• Follow a Checklist for Speech Conversion: When changing Direct Speech to Indirect Speech, follow a 5-step process:
  1. Change the Reporting Verb (e.g., said to → told).
  2. Add the correct Conjunction (e.g., that, if).
  3. Change the Pronouns (e.g., I → he/she).
  4. Change the Verb Tense (e.g., will → would).
  5. Change Adverbs of time/place (e.g., tomorrow → the next day).

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Key Topics Explained

1. Understanding Sentence Types: Simple, Compound, and Complex

This topic is part of Unit I: Grammar and is essential for sentence transformation questions.

Simple Sentence

A simple sentence contains only one independent clause. It has one subject and one finite verb. It expresses a single, complete thought.

Structure: 1 Subject + 1 Finite Verb (+ Object/Complement/Adverbial) It must give a complete meaning on its own. அதாவது, இது தனியாக ஒரு முழுமையான அர்த்தத்தைக் கொடுக்கும்.

Examples:

• He is too poor to buy a bicycle. (Subject: He, Verb: is)
• In the event of seeing the teacher, the children stood up. (Subject: the children, Finite Verb: stood)

Complex Sentence

A complex sentence contains one independent clause (main clause) and at least one dependent clause (subordinate clause). These clauses are joined by a subordinating conjunction.

Structure: 1 Main Clause + 1 or more Subordinate Clauses The subordinate clause cannot stand alone; it depends on the main clause for its meaning. இந்த துணை வாக்கியம் (subordinate clause) முழுமையான அர்த்தம் தராது.

Subordinating Conjunctions: after, although, as, because, before, if, since, though, unless, until, when, where, while, that.

Examples:

• I have lost the watch **that** you gave me.
  • I have lost the watch - Independent Clause (main clause)
  • that you gave me - Dependent Clause (subordinate clause)
• **Though** he walked fast, he could not catch the bus.

Compound Sentence

A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses. These clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction. Each clause has its own subject and verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence.

Structure: Main Clause 1 + Coordinating Conjunction + Main Clause 2 Both parts of the sentence give a complete meaning. அதாவது, வாக்கியத்தின் இரண்டு பகுதிகளும் தனித்தனியாக முழுமையான அர்த்தத்தைக் கொடுக்கும்.

Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS):

• For (reason)
• And (addition)
• Nor (negative choice)
• But (contrast)
• Or (choice)
• Yet (contrast)
• So (result)

Examples:

• Honesty promotes character, **and** dishonesty destroys it.
  • Honesty promotes character - Independent Clause 1
  • dishonesty destroys it - Independent Clause 2
• He was old, **yet** he walked fast.

Exam Tip

To identify the sentence type quickly, look for the conjunction. If you see a FANBOYS conjunction joining two complete thoughts, it's a Compound sentence. If you see words like though, because, if, when, it's likely a Complex sentence. If there are no such conjunctions and only one main idea, it's a Simple sentence.

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2. Mastering Degrees of Comparison

This is a key topic in Unit I: Grammar. Adjectives have three degrees of comparison.

1. Positive Degree: Describes a quality without comparison. (ஒப்பீடு இல்லாமல் ஒருவரின் அல்லது ஒரு பொருளின் தன்மையை விவரிப்பது).
   • Example: The tiger is a **strong** animal.
2. Comparative Degree: Compares two nouns. It is usually followed by than. (இரண்டு நபர்கள் அல்லது பொருட்களை ஒப்பிடுவது).
   • Example: The deer runs **faster than** the ostrich.
3. Superlative Degree: Compares more than two nouns and shows the highest degree of the quality. It is usually preceded by the. (இரண்டிற்கும் மேற்பட்டவற்றை ஒப்பிட்டு, அதில் சிறந்தது எது என்று கூறுவது).
   • Example: The cheetah is the **fastest** of all.

Transformation Rules

Here are some common patterns for transforming sentences between degrees.

Pattern 1: No other / than any other / the ...-est

Degree	Structure	Example
Positive	No other ... as/so ... as ...	No other profession is as noble as teaching.
Comparative	...-er than any other ...	Teaching is nobler than any other profession.
Superlative	... the ...-est of all ...	Teaching is the noblest of all professions.

Pattern 2: Very few / than many other / one of the ...-est

Degree	Structure	Example
Positive	Very few ... are as ... as ...	Very few cities are as big as Chennai.
Comparative	...-er than many/most other ...	Chennai is bigger than many other cities.
Superlative	... one of the ...-est ...	Chennai is one of the biggest cities.

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3. Converting Direct and Indirect Speech

Also known as Reported Speech, this is a new but important topic in Unit I: Grammar.

• Direct Speech: The exact words spoken by a person, enclosed in quotation marks (" ").
  • Example: Smith said, "I will come tomorrow."
• Indirect Speech (Reported Speech): Reporting what someone said without using their exact words. Quotation marks are removed.
  • Example: Smith said that he would come the next day.

The 5 Key Changes for Conversion

To change a sentence from Direct to Indirect speech, you must make up to five changes.

Change Type	Direct Speech Example (He said to me, "I am going now.")	Indirect Speech Transformation (He told me that he was going then.)	Explanation (விளக்கம்)
1. Reporting Verb	said to	told	said to becomes told (for statements), asked (for questions), requested (for requests).
2. Conjunction	"..."	that	Use that for statements. Use if/whether for Yes/No questions. Use to for imperative sentences.
3. Pronoun	I	he	First person (I, we) changes according to the subject. Second person (you) changes according to the object.
4. Tense	am going (Present Continuous)	was going (Past Continuous)	The tense usually shifts one step into the past. (e.g., Simple Present → Simple Past, Present Perfect → Past Perfect).
5. Adverb	now	then	Adverbs of time and place are changed. (நேரம் மற்றும் இடத்தைக் குறிக்கும் சொற்கள் மாற்றப்படும்).

Common Adverb Changes

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
now	then
today	that day
yesterday	the previous day
tomorrow	the next day / the following day
here	there
this	that
these	those
last week	the previous week
next week	the following week

Final Advice

Mastering these three topics requires practice. Focus on identifying the keywords and patterns in each sentence. Use the tables provided here as a quick reference guide. இதை நன்றாகப் பயிற்சி செய்தால், தேர்வில் எளிதாக மதிப்பெண் பெறலாம். All the best!