Complex to Simple

Foolish Assumptions

We make some inescapable assumptions about you and your knowledge, including the following:

✦ You have good knowledge about the basics of grammar especially the five clause components, formation and function of noun phrase, adjective phrase, adverbial phrases, participle phrase and prepositional phrase.

✦ You know well about the position and function of noun clause, adjective clause and adverbial clause.

Quick Recap

Before we proceed to learn how to change sentences from complex to simple, let us first recall what simple and complex sentences are:

Simple Sentence

A simple sentence is a group of words that has only one clause. That is, a simple sentence has only one subject and one finite verb. The following sentences are simple:

Jake went in the forbidden island. 

He discovered a hidden cave. 

The cave was dangerous. 

Yet, he entered the cave.

He solved some cunning puzzles.

Then he unearthed a chest brimming with jewels.

There was a victorious grin on his face.

He sailed into the sunset, riches in tow.

Complex Sentence

A complex sentence has one main clause and one or more sub-ordinate clauses joined by a sub-ordinate conjunction. The following sentences are complex:

Jake went in the forbidden island where he discovered a hidden cave. 

Though the cave was dangerous, he entered the cave.

As he solved some cunning puzzles, he unearthed a chest brimming with jewels.

With a victorious grin on his face, he sailed into the sunset, riches in tow.

Now let us see how we can transform sentences from/ into simple, complex & compound:

To convert a complex sentence into simple, we reduce the dependent clause into a word or a phrase. The other clause remains unchanged.

Here's a general guide on how to do this:

Step 1: Identify the two clauses.

Step 2: Reduce the dependent clause into a phrase of same meaning.

Now, let's take some complex sentences and then convert them into simple sentences.

Example 1 

Original Complex Sentence: Though he is rich, he is greedy.

Step 1: Identifying Two Clauses

Independent Clause: he is greedy.

Dependent Clause: Though he is rich

Step 2: Reducing Dependent Clause into a Phrase of Same Meaning.

Simple: In spite of being rich, he is greedy. [The dependent clause is reduced into a prepositional phrase.]

Example 2

Original Complex Sentence: We eat so that we can live.

Step 1: Identifying Two Clauses

Independent Clause: We eat.

Dependent Clause: so that we can live

Step 2: Reducing Dependent Clause into a Phrase of Same Meaning.

Simple: We eat to live. [The dependent clause is reduced into an infinitive phrase.]

Example 3 

Original Complex Sentence: You are poor because you are lazy.

Step 1: Identifying Two Clauses

Independent Clause: You are poor

Dependent Clause: because you are lazy

Step 2: Reducing Dependent Clause into a Phrase of Same Meaning.

Simple: You are poor because of your laziness. [The dependent clause is reduced into a prepositional phrase.] 

Simple to Complex

To convert a simple sentence into complex, we expand a word or a phrase into a dependent clause. The other clause remains unchanged. Finally, we join the two clauses by a sub-ordinate conjunction.

Simple: Ricky is a smart girl. 

Complex: Ricky is a girl who is smart. 

Simple: We read to learn. 

Complex: We read so that we can learn. 

Simple: Everybody loves him for his honesty. 

Complex: Everybody loves him because he is honest.