Identify the precise syntactic structure of this sentence: 'Although the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840, debates regarding its constitutional principles continue today, and jurists still analyze its competing translations.'
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Compound-complex sentence with one subordinate clause and two coordinated independent clauses
- Step 1: Step 1: 'Although the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840' is a dependent (subordinate) adverbial clause. Step 2. Step 2: 'debates... continue today' and 'jurists still analyze...' are two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction 'and'. A sentence with one or more dependent clauses and two or more independent clauses is compound-complex. Answer: Compound-complex sentence with one subordinate clause and two coordinated independent clauses. Why not the others: Simple sentences lack subordinate clauses; compound sentences lack dependent clauses.
Practise more Formal Writing, Language Mechanics, Syntax and Cohesion.
Free questions with an explanation for every one, and full timed National Certificate of Educational Achievement mock tests.
More Formal Writing, Language Mechanics, Syntax and Cohesion questions
- Which of the following is an example of a comma splice error?
- What punctuation mark is used correctly to join two closely related independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction?
- Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?
- What is the grammatical function of an adverbial clause in formal essay writing?
- Which of the following sentences uses the active voice?
- What is 'nominalisation' in academic and formal prose?