In this paper, an extended multiple ($G'/G$)-expansion method is proposed to seek exact solutions of nonlinear evolution equations. The validity and advantages of the proposed method is illustrated by its applications to the Sharma–Tasso–Olver equation, the sixth-order Ramani equation, the generalized shallow water wave equation, the Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon–Sawada–Kotera equation, the sixth-order Boussinesq equation and the Hirota–Satsuma equations. As a result, various complexiton solutions consisting of hyperbolic functions, trigonometric functions, rational functions and their mixture with parameters are obtained. When some parameters are taken as special values, the known double solitary-like wave solutions are derived from the double hyperbolic function solution. In addition, this method can also be used to deal with some high-dimensional and variable coefficients’ nonlinear evolution equations.

For the Benjamin Ono equation, the Hirota bilinear method and long wave limit method are applied to obtain the breathers and the rogue wave solutions. Bright and dark rogue waves exist in the Benjamin Ono equation, and their typical dynamics are analysed and illustrated. The semirational solutions possessing rogue waves and solitons are also obtained, and demonstrated by the three-dimensional figures. Furthermore, the hybrid of rogue wave and breather solutions are also found in the Benjamin Ono equation.