Here's a breakdown:
* Independent Clause: A complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. It has a subject and a verb.
* Coordinating Conjunction: Words like "and," "but," "or," "nor," "for," "yet," and "so" that connect two independent clauses.
* Semicolon: A punctuation mark (;) that can be used to separate two independent clauses when the relationship between them is clear without a conjunction.
Here are some examples of compound sentences:
* The dog barked loudly, and the cat hissed at him. (Two independent clauses joined by "and")
* I wanted to go to the beach, but it was raining. (Two independent clauses joined by "but")
* He loves pizza; she prefers tacos. (Two independent clauses separated by a semicolon)
Key points to remember:
* Each independent clause in a compound sentence must be a complete thought with a subject and a verb.
* Compound sentences can be used to create more complex and nuanced sentences.
* They help to show the relationship between different ideas in a text.
Here's a helpful tip:
To identify a compound sentence, look for coordinating conjunctions or semicolons that join two independent clauses.