A simple sentence is an independent clause. Usually, one subject is doing one action. Yesterday, we talked about how a simple sentence sometimes has two subjects doing one action. That is a compound subject. Today we will talk about one subject doing two actions. We call that a compound verb.
Look at this sentence: The ballet dancer twirled and leaped.
This is a simple sentence with a compound verb. The sentence has only one subject: The ballet dancer.
The dancer is doing two actions: twirling and leaping. Even though there are two actions, this is still a simple sentence because only one person is doing these two actions.
Here are more sentences with a compound verb:
The clowns told jokes and did flips.
Mom cooked and cleaned all day.
Dad raked and weeded the yard.
My brother plays the drums and sings.
In a simple sentence with a compound verb, only one person is doing the two actions.
▶It’s your turn. Find the two actions in this simple sentence with a compound verb: My dog barks and growls at strangers. That wasn’t too difficult, was it?