What type of sentence includes both independent and dependent clauses?

A complex sentence is defined as one that contains at least one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. The independent clause can stand alone as a complete thought, while the dependent clause cannot. Dependent clauses often begin with subordinating conjunctions like "although," "because," "unless," or "if," making them reliant on the independent clause to provide meaning.

In contrast, a simple sentence contains only one independent clause with no dependent clauses. A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses that are joined by a coordinating conjunction, such as "and," "but," or "or." A compound-complex sentence includes at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

Therefore, the characteristic of having both independent and dependent clauses is what classifies a sentence as complex, making that the correct answer.