What defines a compound-complex sentence?

A compound-complex sentence is characterized by having two or more independent clauses along with one or more dependent clauses. Independent clauses are complete thoughts that can stand alone as sentences, while dependent clauses cannot stand alone and rely on independent clauses for their meaning.

The presence of multiple independent clauses indicates that the sentence can convey more than one complete idea, while the inclusion of dependent clauses adds complexity and additional information, typically providing context or detail associated with the main ideas. This structure allows for richer, more nuanced expression in writing as it combines different thoughts effectively.

This definition distinguishes it from simpler sentence structures, such as those with only one independent clause or those without any clauses at all.