What is a simple sentence?

A simple sentence is defined as a sentence that contains one independent clause. An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. For instance, "She enjoys reading" is a simple sentence that conveys a complete idea with a single subject ("she") and a predicate ("enjoys reading").

In contrast, sentences containing multiple dependent clauses, including subordinating conjunctions, or combinations of two independent clauses are more complex in structure. A dependent clause, for example, cannot stand alone as a complete thought, while a combination of independent clauses typically forms a compound sentence, not a simple one. Therefore, the correct understanding of a simple sentence revolves around its straightforward structure of a single independent clause.