Kinds of sentences. A simple sentence consists of only one clause. A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses. A complex sentence has at least one independent clause plus at least one dependent clause.[1] A set of words with no independent clause may be an incomplete sentence, also called a sentence fragment. A sentence consisting of at least one dependent clause and at least two independent clauses may be called a complex-compound sentence or compound-complex sentence. Sentence 1 is an example of a simple sentence. Sentence 2 is compound because "so" is considered a coordinating conjunction in English, and sentence 3 is complex. Sentence 4 is compound-complex (also known as complex-compound). Example 5 is a sentence fragment. I like trains. I don't know how to bake, so I buy my bread already made. I enjoyed the apple pie that you bought for me. The dog lived in the garden, but the cat, who was smarter, lived inside the house. What an idiot. The simple sentence in example 1 contains one clause. Example 2 has two clauses (I don't know how to bake and I buy my bread already made), combined into a single sentence with the coordinating conjunction so. For example 3, I enjoyed the apple pie is an independent clause, and that you bought for me is a dependent clause; the sentence is thus complex. In sentence 4, The dog lived in the garden and the cat lived inside the house are both independent clauses; who was smarter is a dependent clause. Example 5 features a noun phrase but no verb. It is not a grammatically complete clause. Simple sentences A simple sentence structure contains one independent clause and no dependent clauses. I run. This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, I, and one verb, run. The girl ran into her bedroom. This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, girl, and one predicate ran into her bedroom. The predicate is a verb phrase that consists of more than one word. In the backyard, the dog barked and howled at the cat. This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, dog, and one predicate barked and howled at the cat. This predicate has two verbs, known as a compound predicate: barked and howled. This compound verb should not be confused with a compound sentence. In the backyard and at the cat are prepositional phrases. Compound sentences Not to be confused with Atomic sentence § Compound sentences. In the English language, a compound sentence is composed of at least two independent clauses. It does not require a dependent clause. The clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction (with or without a comma), a semicolon that functions as a conjunction, a colon instead of a semicolon between two sentences when the second sentence explains or illustrates the first sentence and no coordinating conjunction is being used to connect the sentences, or a conjunctive adverb preceded by a semicolon. A conjunction can be used to make a compound sentence. Conjunctions are words such as for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. Examples: I started on time, but I arrived late. I will accept your offer or decline it; these are the two options. The law was passed: from April 1, all cars would have to be tested. The war was lost; consequently, the whole country was occupied. The use of a comma to separate two independent clauses without the addition of an appropriate conjunction is called a comma splice and is generally considered an error (when used in the English language).[2] Example: The sun was shining, everyone appeared happy. If a sentence contains homogenous members referring to another common member of the sentence, the sentence may be considered either simple[3] or compound.[4] If the homogenous members are removed, then the sentence is called a contract. In some languages, like Russian, a comma is not always required in a sentence with homogenous members.