What is the fundamental structure of a simple sentence?

A simple sentence is defined by its fundamental structure, which consists of a subject and a predicate. The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about, while the predicate provides information about the subject, often including a verb. This combination creates a complete thought that expresses an idea and can stand alone as a sentence.

For example, in the simple sentence "The dog barks," "the dog" is the subject, and "barks" serves as the predicate. This structure is essential because it forms the basis for clear communication in written and spoken language.

The other choices provided describe more complex sentence structures. Multiple subjects and predicates indicate a compound sentence, while a dependent clause paired with an independent clause refers to complex sentences. Thus, the answer identifying a simple sentence as comprising a subject and a predicate correctly captures its fundamental structure.