“In the backyard, the dog barked and howled at the cat” is an example of—

The correct option is simple sentence.

Step-by-step Explanation:

1. Analyze the sentence structure:
The given sentence is: “In the backyard, the dog barked and howled at the cat.”

2. Identify the core components:
• Prepositional phrase (introductory): "In the backyard"
• Subject: "the dog" (single subject)
• Predicate (compound verb): "barked and howled at the cat" (two actions performed by the same subject)

3. Understand sentence types:
• A simple sentence contains a single independent clause. It has one main subject (which can be compound) and one predicate (which can also have compound verbs), expressing a complete thought without any dependent clauses.
• A compound sentence contains at least two independent clauses joined by a conjunction.
• A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent (subordinate) clause.

4. Conclusion:
Since this sentence consists of only one independent clause with a single subject ("the dog") performing two joined verbs ("barked and howled"), it is a simple sentence.