The Complex Sentence System
Cracking the Code on Complex Sentences: How to Improve the Quality of Your Writing at the Sentence Level
Mastering the complex sentence system is the most effective way to improve the quality of your writing at the sentence level.
The complex sentence system is divided into 9 levels. Few people even master writing at Level 3. Most people's writing is full of errors when they attempt constructions at Level 4 and up.
Level 1: Simple and Compound Sentences
Level 2: The Verb System & Passive Constructions
Level 3: Complex Sentences with Subordinate and Relative Clauses
Level 4: Semi-Colon & Colon Sentences
Level 5: Relative Clauses Types II-V
Level 6: Participles and Participial Phrases
Level 7: Noun Clauses, Noun Clauses in Subjunctive Mood, Appositives, Adjective Clusters
Level 8: Nominative Absolutes
Level 9: Cumulative & Suspensive Syntax
Level 1: Simple and Compound Sentences
2.1 Compound sentences
Level 2: The Verb System & Passive Constructions
3.4 Present perfect continuous
3.12 Future perfect continuous
Level 3: Complex Sentences with Subordinate and Relative Clauses
5.1 Conditional subordinate clauses
Level 4: Semi-Colon & Colon Sentences
6.1 Semi-colon sentences
Level 5: Relative Clauses Types II-V
7.1 Relative clause type #1: who, that, which
7.2 Relative clause type #2: possessive (whose)
7.3 Relative clause type #3: preposition + whom/which
7.4 Relative clause type #4: quantity + of which/whom
7.5 Relative clause type #5: preposition + whose
Level 6: Participles and Participial Phrases
9.1 Active voice participial phrases
9.2 Passive voice participial phrases: bare
9.3 Passive voice participial phrases starting with after, before, or despite
9.4 Perfect active voice participial phrases
9.5 Participial phrases starting with “with”
9.6 Past and perfect passive participial phrases
Level 7: Noun Clauses, Noun Clauses in Subjunctive Mood, Appositives, Adjective Clusters
11.1 Noun clauses in subjunctive mood
12.1 Appositives, adjective clusters, adverb clusters
Level 8: Nominative Absolutes
Level 9: Cumulative & Suspensive Syntax
Jan Waginski is the author of "Cracking the Code on Complex Sentences."
This is the companion textbook used in class.
It will be available to the public on Amazon in February 2025.