Identify the compound sentence.

• A. The sun shone.
• B. Because it was raining.
• C. When the bell rang, the class started.
• D. She ran and she stopped.

Answer: (D)

Two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction form a compound sentence. In this example, there are two complete thoughts: “She ran” and “she stopped.” Each could stand alone as its own sentence, and they’re linked by “and,” which shows they’re being joined as equal parts of the sentence. That’s exactly what defines a compound sentence.

The other options don’t fit this pattern: “The sun shone” is only one complete thought, a simple sentence. “Because it was raining” starts with a subordinating conjunction and leaves you with a fragment rather than a full sentence. “When the bell rang, the class started” has a dependent clause (“When the bell rang”) plus an independent clause, which makes it a complex sentence, not compound.