Which type of sentence is this?
I like tulips and roses.
a. simple
b. compound
c. complex
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is a. simple.
A simple sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause, which expresses a complete thought. It typically has a subject and a predicate, and it doesn’t include any subordinate clauses or conjunctions that connect independent clauses.
In the sentence “I like tulips and roses”, there is a single independent clause. The subject of the sentence is “I,” and the predicate is “like tulips and roses.” While there is a conjunction (“and”) joining “tulips” and “roses,” this does not change the structure of the sentence. The conjunction is simply linking two objects of the verb “like” within the same independent clause. This sentence does not contain multiple independent clauses or dependent clauses, making it a simple sentence.
Why it’s not compound:
A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction (such as “and,” “but,” “or”) or a semicolon. For example, “I like tulips, and I like roses.” This would be a compound sentence because it has two independent clauses: “I like tulips” and “I like roses.”
Why it’s not complex:
A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and one or more dependent (subordinate) clauses. Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as complete sentences. They are introduced by subordinating conjunctions like “because,” “although,” or “if.” An example of a complex sentence is “I like tulips because they are colorful.” The dependent clause “because they are colorful” relies on the independent clause to form a complete sentence.
Thus, the sentence “I like tulips and roses” is simple because it consists of only one independent clause with no dependent clauses.