Sebuah kalimat dapat terdiri dari induk kalimat (main) dan anak kalimat (subordinate), yang terhubung dengan kata (atau kata-kata) yang disebut subordinating conjunction, menjadikannya kalimat kompleks namun sangat sering dipergunakan.
Induk kalimat adalah sebuah kalimat yang dapat berdiri sendiri (independent), pesan kalimat memberi pengertian yang cukup.
Sedang anak kalimat, adalah kalimat yang bergantungan (dependent) kepada kalimat induk karena pengertian yang terkandung tidak mencukupi sebagai pesan, sekalipun anak kalimat jauh lebih panjang dari pada induk kalimat.
Contoh kalimat dalam bahasa Indonesia:
Saya tidak mengenali Junita bahwa ia yang bekerja di rumah makan yang kami datangi sekeluarga pada setiap akhir minggu.
Bahwa Junita yang bekerja di rumah makan yang kami datangi sekeluarga pada setiap akhir minggu, saya tidak mengenalinya.
Kalimat dengan highlight merah di atas adalah induk kalimat yang dapat berdiri sendiri dengan pengertian cukup menjadikan pesan. Tetapi kalimat dengan highlight abu-abu adalah anak kalimat tidak dapat berdiri sendiri dengan pengertian tidak cukup sebagai pesan.
Kata penghubung untuk subordinating conjunction yang umum digunakan adalah:
after, although, as, as if, as long as, as soon as, as though, because, before, even, even if, even though, how, if, if only, if when, if then, in as much as, in order that, lest, now, now since, now that, now when, once, provided that, rather than, since, so that, than, supposing, though, til, unless, when, whenever, where, whereas, where if, where ever, which, while, who, whoever, why.
Beberapa contoh kalimat:
Kalimat yang disebut terdahulu (1a, 2a, 3a, dan seterusnya) merupakan anak kalimat.
1a). I have done the full payment.
1b). They delivered the furniture.
1c). After I have done the full payment, they delivered the furniture.
1d). They delivered the furniture after I have done the full payment.
Kalimat 1a tidak dapat berdiri sendiri, tidak ada pengertian cukup yang menjadikannya pesan.
2a). I do not know what to say to him.
2b). I will see him tonight.
2c). Although I do not know what to say to him, I will see him tonight.
2d). I will see him tonight although I do not know what to say to him.
Begitupun dengan kalimat 2a, orang yang diajak berbicara tak mengerti akan perlunya pernyataan itu.
3a). You may heard it.
3b). Indonesia has so many traditional cultures.
3c). As you may heard, Indonesia has so many traditional cultures.
3d). Indonesia has so many traditional cultrures as you may heard.
Kalimat 3a tidak dapat berdiri sendiri: “Anda mungkin telah mendengarnya.”
Apabila kita adalah orang yang diajak berbicara, tentunya kita akan mempertanyakan: “Apa yang anda maksud saya telah mendengarnya?”
4a). He was not the manager.
4b). He gave order to others.
4c). As if he was the manager, he gave order to others.
4d). He gave order to others as if he was the manager.
(As if = seolah-olah).
5a). I arrived there.
5b). I called you.
5c). As soon as I arrived there, I called you.
5d). I called you as soon as I arrived there.
6a). It starts to rain.
6b). You would better go home now.
6c). Before it starts to rain, you would better go home now.
6d). You would better go home now before it starts to rain.
7a). He might make mistake with the decision.
7b). I will accept his excuse.
7c). Even if he might make mistake with the decision, I will accept his excuse.
7d). I will accept his excuse even if he might make mistake with the decision.
8a). I did not have free time.
8b). I would help him.
8c). If I had free time, I would have helped him.
8d). I would have helped him if I had free time.
9a). She goes with her elder brother.
9b). We have nothing to worry about her.
9c). If she goes with her elder brother then we have nothing to worry about her.
9d). Then we have nothing to worry about her if she goes with her elder brother.
10a). He is the owner of the factory.
10b). He is responsible of the accident.
10c). In as much as he is the owner of the factory, he is responsible of the accident.
10d). He is responsible of the accident in as much as he is the owner of the factory.
11a). Everybody would be able to attend.
11b). They held the party on Sunday.
11c). In order that everybody would be able to attend, they held the party on Sunday.
11d). They held the party on Sunday in order that everybody would be able to attend.
12a). The baby falls out of the bed.
12b). She put another pillow next to the baby.
12c). Lest the baby falls out of the bed, she put another pillow next to him.
12d). She put another pillow next to the baby lest he falls out of the bed.
13a). Ali bought a motor cycle.
13b). He will be able to come earlier to office.
13c). Ali will be able to come earlier to office provided that he bought a motor cycle.
13d). Provided that Ali bought a motor cycle, he will be able to come earlier to office.
14a). You are not busy this Sunday.
14b). I ask you to join us on a picnic.
14c). Since you are not busy this Sunday, I ask you to join us on a picnic.
14d). I ask you to join us on a picnic since you are not busy this Sunday.
15a). We do not run out of money on travelling.
15b). I bring my credit card with me.
15c). So that we do not run out of money on travelling, I bring my credit card with me.
15c). I bring my credit card with me so that we do not run out of money on travelling.
16a). I am old now.
16b). I would not take the job.
16c). Supposing I were ten years younger, I would take the job.
16d). I would take the job supposing I were ten years younger.
17a). You are not willing to wait.
17b). You will have to come back tomorrow.
17c). Unless you are willing to wait, you will have to come back tomorrow.
17d). You will have to come back tomorrow unless you are willing to wait.
18a). Badu set the dog free of the cage.
18b). The dog recognized Badu.
18c). The dog recognized Badu who was the one set it free of the cage.
18d). Badu was the one who set the dog free of the cage, it recognized him.
Selamat berlatih pembaca yang budiman.