17. Which of the following is best identified as a simple sentence?
Answer: A
A simple sentence is best identified as “William, Jorge, and Roberto waited for the storm to pass.”
A simple sentence contains a subject and a predicate, expressing a complete thought without any dependent clauses. The sentence "William, Jorge, and Roberto waited for the storm to pass" meets this criterion perfectly.
A) William, Jorge, and Roberto waited for the storm to pass.
This option is a simple sentence because it has a clear subject ("William, Jorge, and Roberto") and a predicate ("waited for the storm to pass"). It expresses a complete thought without any additional clauses, making it the correct choice.
B) The plane was late, so I did not get to see my grandfather.
This option is not a simple sentence; it is a compound sentence consisting of two independent clauses joined by the conjunction "so." Each clause can stand alone, demonstrating that it does not meet the definition of a simple sentence.
C) The dogs went into the backyard, and then they ate their food.
This option is also a compound sentence as it includes two independent clauses connected by the conjunction "and." Each part expresses a complete thought, which disqualifies it from being classified as a simple sentence.
D) Because they could not see the sun, the boys got lost on the hike.
This option features a dependent clause ("Because they could not see the sun") followed by an independent clause ("the boys got lost on the hike"). The presence of the dependent clause means it cannot be classified as a simple sentence.
Conclusion
The correct answer is definitively identified as option A because it is a straightforward sentence with no additional clauses, fulfilling the criteria for simplicity. Other options include compound or complex structures that do not align with the definition of a simple sentence, thereby confirming their incorrectness.