The New Pali Course Part III (1950)
Prof. A. P. Buddhadatta Maha Nayaka Thera

Chapter IV Analysis of Sentences

67. There are three kinds of sentences:-
1. Simple
2. Complex, and
3. Compound

1. Every sentence must contain two parts -- the subject and the predicate. A simple sentence contains only one subject and one predicate:-
(a) Puriso khetta.m kasati.
YP: The man ploughs the field.
(b) "Na pupphagandho pa.tivaatam eti."
YP: No fragrance of the flower goes against the wind."
(c) "Ko na sammoham aapaadi?"
YP: "Who did not meet with delusion?"
YP: aapaadi - 3rd person singular aorist of aapajjati

2. A complex sentence consists of a principal sentence with one or more dependent (or subordinate) sentences:
"Sac'aaha.m geha.m gamissaami, maataapitaro ma.m tajjessanti."
YP: "If I would go home, (my) parents will scold me."

Here the subordinate sentence is: "Sac'aaha.m geha.m gamissaami". The other is the principal one.

* Feel free to try translating the Pali sentences below. *

3. A compound sentence consists of two or more simple or complex sentences joined together by means of a conjunction:-
(a) "Thero Muulasiri.m pakkosaapesi, atha mahaajanakaayo sannipati." Here are two simple sentences connected by atha; neither of these is subordinate to the other; but they have a connection in their sense.
(b) "Sac'assa gehadvaara.m gamissaami, imassa bhariyaa ma.m da.t.thu.m na sakkhissati; yaav'assa bhatta.m aadaaya magga.m pa.tipajjati taava idh'eva bhavissaami."

ref: http://www.tipitaka.net/pali/synthesis/pali3.00.cdv