FAQs about sentence and word structure

What are some neither nor examples?

Some examples of sentences using neither … nor (a correlative conjunction) are:

• The marketing campaign neither attracted new users nor increased sales.
• Neither the actors nor the studios were satisfied with the result of the negotiations.
• My date was neither charming nor intelligent.

Neither … nor is also used in some well-known expressions, such as:

• That’s neither here nor there. Let’s focus on the main issue.
• I’m going to follow my grandma’s advice: “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”
• I can neither confirm nor deny that I saw Talia at the soccer game on her sick day.

The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using “neither … nor” correctly.

Read this FAQ: What are some neither nor examples?

Should I use either or or neither nor?

The choice between the correlative conjunctions either … or and neither … nor depends on your intended meaning.

• Use either … or when you want to present two options (e.g., “We can either go out to eat or order in”).
• Use neither … nor when you want to express that two things are not true or did not happen (e.g., “We neither ate nor slept on the flight”).

When there is already a negative (e.g., “not,” “never “) in your sentence, use “or” to avoid a double negative (e.g., “We did not eat or sleep on the flight”).

The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using correlative conjunctions correctly.

Read this FAQ: Should I use either or or neither nor?

What is a synonym for not only but also?

Since not only … but also is a correlative conjunction, there is no exact synonym. However, instead of using not only … but also, you could rewrite the sentence to use a conjunctive adverb such as “moreover” or “furthermore” instead.

The QuillBot Paraphraser can help you rewrite sentences and find alternative ways to express your meaning.

Read this FAQ: What is a synonym for not only but also?

How do you write a compound-complex sentence?

You can write a compound-complex sentence in many different ways, but it must have the following components:

• At least two independent clauses joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction (or semicolon, colon, or em dash)
• At least one dependent clause

These components can be arranged in essentially any order. For example:

• If the presentation goes poorly, I will call the client to apologize, but I don’t think we need to worry.
• I will call the client to apologize if the presentation goes poorly, but I don’t think we need to worry.
• The presentation went poorly; I called the client, whom I’ve known for years, to apologize.
• I don’t think we need to worry, but if the presentation goes poorly, I will call the client to apologize.

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you use compound-complex sentences correctly.

Read this FAQ: How do you write a compound-complex sentence?

What is an example of a compound-complex sentence?

An example of a compound-complex sentence is “I want to go to London, but Carrie wants to go to New York because it is closer.”

This example has the necessary components of a compound-complex sentence:

• At least two independent clauses (“I want to go to London” and “Carrie wants to go to New York”) joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction (or a semicolon)
• At least one dependent clause (“because it is closer”)

QuillBot’s Paraphraser can help you vary your sentence structure in your writing.

Read this FAQ: What is an example of a compound-complex sentence?

What is the difference between a simple and compound sentence?

Simple and compound sentences differ in their number of independent clauses (i.e., a group of words with a subject and verb that can stand on its own as a sentence).

• Simple sentences have one independent clause. For example: “Jack went shopping.”
• Compound sentences have at least two independent clauses joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction or a semicolon (or, less commonly, by a colon or em dash). For example: “Jack went shopping, and Lucy cooked dinner.”

Note that simple sentences can have compound subjects (e.g., “Jack and Lucy went shopping”) or compound predicates (e.g., “Jack went shopping and cooked dinner”) or both (e.g., “‘Jack and Lucy went shopping and cooked dinner”).

A compound sentence, in contrast, is formed when two full simple sentences are connected.

Use QuillBot’s Grammar Checker to make sure the types of sentences you’re using are structured correctly.

Read this FAQ: What is the difference between a simple and compound sentence?

How do you make a compound sentence?

A compound sentence is made by combining two simple sentences (or independent clauses) with a comma and coordinating conjunction or a semicolon (or, less commonly, with a colon or em dash).

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help ensure your compound sentences are structured correctly.

Read this FAQ: How do you make a compound sentence?

What is a compound sentence example?

An example of a compound sentence is “Rakesh likes baseball, but Simone prefers basketball.”

This sentence, like all compound sentences, has two independent clauses (“Rakesh likes baseball” and “Simone prefers basketball”). The two independent clauses are joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (“but”).

Other coordinating conjunctions (e.g., “and,” “so”) can also be used to form a compound sentence. Alternatively, a semicolon can be used (e.g., “Rakesh likes baseball; Simone prefers basketball”). An em dash or a colon can also be used to form a compound sentence, but this is less common and requires a specific relationship between the two clauses.

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help ensure your compound sentences are free of errors.

Read this FAQ: What is a compound sentence example?

Which word signals a nonrestrictive clause in a complex sentence?

The relative pronouns “which,” “who,” “whom,” and “whose” can all be used to signal a nonrestrictive clause in a complex sentence.

These pronouns often introduce an adjective clause (or relative clause), which is a type of dependent clause. When that dependent clause is connected to an independent clause, it forms a complex sentence.

Adjective clauses can be either restrictive or nonrestrictive. Nonrestrictive clauses are set off with commas.

Note that the relative pronoun “that” is only used in restrictive clauses.

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you ensure your writing is free of errors.

Read this FAQ: Which word signals a nonrestrictive clause in a complex sentence?

What is an example of a complex sentence?

An example of a complex sentence is “Desmond likes to stretch before he runs.” It is made up of one independent clause (“Desmond likes to stretch”) and a dependent clause (“before he runs”).

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using complex sentences correctly.

Read this FAQ: What is an example of a complex sentence?