Which of the following statements accurately describes a compound sentence?

A compound sentence is defined as a sentence that includes two or more independent clauses, which are usually connected by a coordinating conjunction such as "and," "but," or "or." Each independent clause within a compound sentence can stand alone as a complete sentence since it contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. This structure allows for the combination of related ideas and can enhance the complexity and richness of sentence construction.

For instance, in the compound sentence "I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain," there are two independent clauses: "I wanted to go for a walk" and "it started to rain." Each clause can function independently, but they are linked by the coordinating conjunction "but," illustrating the relationship between the two ideas.

This distinction is crucial in understanding sentence structures and improves writing clarity and coherence. The other options do not accurately define a compound sentence; a single clause implies a simple sentence, while having one independent and one dependent clause describes a complex sentence, and multiple dependent clauses do not form a complete thought, which also diverges from the definition of a compound sentence.