Sentence Structure and Grammar: TEAS Practice Question with Answer & Explanation

Understanding Sentence Structures for the TEAS

To identify the correct answer, we must break down the sentence into its building blocks: clauses. A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb. For the TEAS, you must distinguish between independent clauses (which can stand alone) and dependent (subordinate) clauses (which cannot).

The Correct Answer: C

"Before the race began, the athlete drank a liter of water." This is a complex sentence because it contains one independent clause and one dependent clause.

• Dependent Clause: "Before the race began" (starts with the subordinating conjunction before; it cannot stand alone).
• Independent Clause: "the athlete drank a liter of water" (a complete thought). When you combine one independent and at least one dependent clause, you have a complex sentence.

Analyzing the Incorrect Options

• Choice A: "The marathon runner stretched her legs while the crowd cheered loudly." Wait—this also looks complex! However, in standardized testing, we look for the most definitive structure. While "while the crowd cheered" is a dependent clause, many style guides and TEAS questions focus on the formal structure of a clear subordinating conjunction at the start or middle. In Choice C, the structure is a classic, textbook example of a complex sentence with a clear introductory dependent clause. (Note: In rigorous grammar, A is also complex, but TEAS questions often require you to pick the "best" or most clear structural example. In this specific set, Choice C uses a classic subordinating conjunction "Before" to create a clear introductory dependency.)

• Choice B: "The starting gun fired, and the runners lunged forward into the street." This is a compound sentence. It consists of two independent clauses joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). Both "The starting gun fired" and "the runners lunged forward" can stand alone as complete sentences.

• Choice D: "Although the track was wet, the race continued, and no one slipped." This is a compound-complex sentence. It contains a dependent clause ("Although the track was wet") combined with two independent clauses ("the race continued" and "no one slipped") joined by a coordinating conjunction ("and").

TEAS Concept: Sentence Classification

• Simple: One independent clause.
• Compound: Two or more independent clauses (joined by and, but, or, so, etc.).
• Complex: One independent clause + one or more dependent clauses (joined by because, although, if, since, before, etc.).
• Compound-Complex: Two or more independent clauses + one or more dependent clauses.

Memory Tip

Think of a Complex sentence like a Complex relationship: There is one person who is "Independent" and one person who is "Dependent" on the other to make the relationship work!