What makes a compound sentence?
A simple sentence has one independent idea. A compound sentence has at least two independent ideas joined by a coordinating conjunction. That means a compound sentence needs to have two subjects and two predicates. If the sentence appears to have a coordinating conjunction but only has one subject, that means that the sentence is still a simple sentence.
For example, “The cat was bathing, and the dog was sleeping” is a compound sentence. It joins two ideas with a coordinating conjunction.
However, if you look at the sentence, “the cat was bathing, and splashing water everywhere”, there is one subject: cat. Therefore, the sentence is actually not a compound sentence.
How many independent clauses do compound sentences have?
A compound sentence has two independent clauses joined by one coordinating conjunction. An independent clause can stand on its own. It will still make sense. However, a dependent clause cannot stand on its own and will prompt further questions from the readers.
For example, “I have a fever” is a complete idea, so it is an independent clause.
On the other hand, “because I have a fever” is a dependent idea because it doesn’t make sense on its own.
Does a compound sentence need a comma?
Yes! Compound sentences require a comma. The comma acts as a separator between the two independent clauses that are joined. Don’t forget to place the comma before the coordinating conjunction.