A simple sentence (sometimes called an independent clause) is a sentence that contains one subject and one verb.^[1] It has only one clause. It must also express a complete thought.^[2] This follows the rules of syntax in English grammar.

Length

A simple sentence is not defined by how short it is.^[3] A simple sentences is often short and uncomplicated. But it is not limited by the number of words used to express the thought.^[3] For example:

• "Bill reads". This is a simple sentence. "Bill" is the subject and "reads" is the action (verb).
• "Being an English teacher with a penchant for syntactical complexity, I love to read simple sentences upon getting up and before going to bed."^[4] This is still a simple sentence even though it uses more words.

Simple or dependent?

A simple sentence or independent clause is one that has a meaning to a reader or listener. If the sentence does not complete the thought, it may be a dependent clause. A dependent clause is one that does not express a complete thought.^[5] By itself it is a sentence fragment. It may look like a simple sentence, but it will not make sense on its own.

• "Bill reads". Again, a simple sentence. Bill (a noun for a subject) reads (the action that completes the thought).
• "Because Bill wants to learn more." What happens because Bill wants to learn more? We do not know, so that is not a sentence. It is a dependent clause.

Related pages

• Sentence
• English grammar
• Compound sentence
• Complex sentence