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 consists of a single independent clause. An independent clause has a subject and a predicate, and it expresses a complete thought. In the sentence “I like tulips and roses,” there is only one subject (“I”) and one predicate (“like tulips and roses”). The phrase “tulips and roses” is a compound object of the verb “like,” meaning both tulips and roses are being liked, but the overall structure still remains a single independent clause.
Explanation:
In a simple sentence, the subject and predicate work together to form a clear, complete idea. In the sentence at hand, “I” is the subject, and “like tulips and roses” is the predicate. The two objects in the predicate are connected by the conjunction “and,” which does not change the fact that there is still only one subject performing the action (liking). The conjunction simply joins the two objects of the verb.
For comparison:
- A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (such as “and,” “but,” or “or”) or a semicolon. For example, “I like tulips, and I like roses.” Here, there are two independent clauses: “I like tulips” and “I like roses.”
- A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. For example, “I like tulips because they are colorful.” In this case, “I like tulips” is the independent clause, while “because they are colorful” is the dependent clause, relying on the independent clause to form a complete thought.
Therefore, the given sentence is a simple sentence because it contains a single independent clause with no additional clauses or conjunctions joining multiple independent thoughts.