College Composition CLEP Prep Practice Exam

If a sentence contains two independent clauses, it is called a

1. compound sentence

2. complex sentence

3. gerund sentence

4. simple sentence

The correct answer is: compound sentence

A compound sentence is the correct term for a sentence that contains two independent clauses. An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a sentence, expressing a complete thought. Option B, a complex sentence, is incorrect because a complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Option C, a gerund sentence, is incorrect because a gerund is a verb form that functions as a noun, not a sentence structure. Option D, a simple sentence, is incorrect because a simple sentence contains only one independent clause.