What does a complex sentence consist of?

A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and one dependent clause. The independent clause contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought, while the dependent clause, which may start with subordinating conjunctions like "because," "although," or "when," cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. This combination creates a more nuanced sentence structure that allows for the expression of more complex ideas and relationships between thoughts.

For instance, in the sentence "Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk," "we decided to go for a walk" is the independent clause, and "Although it was raining" is the dependent clause. The dependent clause provides additional information about the circumstances under which the action in the independent clause took place, demonstrating how complex sentences function effectively in varying the syntax and depth of writing.