What Is an Adverb Complex Sentence? Grammar Made Real

Wait... What Even Is a Complex Sentence?

Okay, let’s start with the basics because—honestly—I used to mix up sentence types all the time. So, if you're a little fuzzy on this too, you're in good company. A complex sentence is one that contains an independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The key word here? Dependent. That part can't stand alone. It needs the main clause to feel whole, like peanut butter needs jelly (unless you're weird and eat it straight—no judgment).

For example:
“I stayed home because it was raining.”
The part “because it was raining” can’t stand on its own. That’s your dependent clause.

Now, when that dependent clause acts like an adverb—telling us when, why, how, or under what condition something happens—BOOM. You’ve got an adverb complex sentence.

So What Makes It an "Adverb" Complex Sentence?

It’s All About That Clause, Baby

Here’s the trick: if the dependent clause modifies the verb in the main clause, it's doing an adverb’s job. So basically, ask yourself: Does this clause answer “when,” “why,” “how,” or “under what condition” about the action? If yes, congrats! You’ve got an adverb complex sentence.

Take this:
“I didn’t go out because I was tired.”
→ “Because I was tired” explains why you didn’t go out. That’s an adverbial function.

Honestly, I remember arguing with my high school English teacher, Mr. Blake, because I thought anything with “because” was automatically wrong if used in the middle of a sentence. Yeah... he laughed so hard, I still hear it sometimes. Lesson learned.

A Few Classic Subordinating Conjunctions

If you’re ever trying to spot an adverb clause, look for these little grammar gremlins—uh, I mean, subordinating conjunctions:

• because

• although

• if

• unless

• when

• while

• since

• after

• before

• even though

Each one sets up a dependent clause that cannot stand alone but gives super important info about the main verb.

Real-Life Examples That Actually Make Sense

Example 1: "Because I overslept, I missed the bus."

Yep, been there. This is an adverb complex sentence because “because I overslept” explains why the bus was missed. It's doing the job of an adverb—answering the “why.”

Example 2: "I'll call you when I arrive."

Classic. “When I arrive” = the dependent clause that tells us when the action of calling will happen. Boom. Adverbial.

Example 3: "If it rains, we'll cancel the picnic."

This one’s fun because it adds condition. The picnic depends on the rain, right? So “if it rains” is modifying “we’ll cancel.” Still adverbial. Still complex.

I swear, once you start seeing these, you can't unsee them. It's like once I learned to recognize fonts, now I can't stop pointing them out in public. Super annoying.

Why Should You Even Care?

Because Clarity = Power

Honestly, knowing this stuff helps you write way more clearly. You can layer your meaning, control tone, and avoid robotic-sounding sentences.

Like instead of writing:
“I was hungry. I ate.”
You can write:
“I ate because I was hungry.”

It’s not just more fluid—it’s more human.

And It Helps With That Pesky Comma Thing

Yup. Here's a hot tip:

• If the dependent clause comes first, you usually need a comma.
  → “Because I was late, I skipped breakfast.”

• If it comes second, no comma.
  → “I skipped breakfast because I was late.”

This saved my butt on more than one grammar quiz. Trust me.

Final Thoughts: It’s Not About Perfection

So… what is an adverb complex sentence? It’s just a sentence where one part (the dependent clause) gives extra info about the verb—and acts like an adverb. That’s it. Nothing scary. Nothing academic-only.

Actually, once I stopped obsessing over being “right” and just started playing with these structures in my writing, everything got easier. You start hearing what sounds natural. You feel when the sentence is flowing right.

And if you mess it up? Who cares. That’s how you learn. Even grammar nerds (like me now—how did that happen??) mess it up sometimes.

Go experiment with some adverb complex sentences in your next text, email, or Insta caption. You’ll sound smarter. And smoother. Promise.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.