Level Up Your Sentences: Turning Simple into Complex

1/1/20251 min read

When writing or speaking in English, using only short, simple sentences can make your language seem choppy or unsophisticated.

Combining simple sentences into more complex constructions can make a huge difference in how fluently and articulately you communicate. Here are some easy ways to take basic sentences to the next level:

Embed clauses within a sentence: A clause has its own subject and verb but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. For example:

Simple: Mark went to school. He was feeling tired. Complex: Feeling tired, Mark went to school.

The clause "Feeling tired" adds detail and interest to the original short sentence.

Add descriptive phrases: Single word adjectives make sentences mundane. Expand them with prepositional and participial phrases. For example:

Simple: The cat ran quickly.


Complex: The cat, frightened by a loud noise, ran quickly across the yard.

Use conjunctions to combine sentences: Words like "although", "because", "when", and "while" allow you to fluidly join separate sentences. For example:

Simple: Matt studied all night. He passed the exam.


Complex: Although Matt studied all night, he passed the exam.

Vary sentence structure: Putting different types of clauses and phrases in different places in a sentence adds sophistication. For example:

Simple: The teacher was angry. She yelled at the class.


Complex: Yelling at the class, the angry teacher demanded they quiet down.

Mastering complex sentences prevents monotonous repetition and develops more nuanced, vivid writing and speech. With practice, your ears will become attuned to plain versus complex sentences. Aim to use wordy, dull simple sentences less and crisp, engaging complex constructions more. Soon your language skills will reach a higher level of eloquence and maturity.

laptop computer on glass-top table
laptop computer on glass-top table