Types of Sentences · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.
En anglais

Four Ways to Build a Sentence

English · Grammar & Punctuation · ages 11-14
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Which of these is a complete sentence?

    • The wind blew all night.
    • When the storm finally passed.
    • Because the wind blew all night.

  2. Which sentence type is this: 'When the bell rang, everyone hurried inside.'?

    • Simple
    • Compound
    • Complex

  3. In this sentence, which part is the dependent clause? 'Because the library closed, we studied at Maya's house.'

    • There is no dependent clause
    • Because the library closed
    • we studied at Maya's house

  4. Which sentence type is this: 'The rain stopped; the sun came out.'?

    • Complex
    • Simple
    • Compound

  5. Which version combines these two ideas into a complex sentence that shows cause: 'The game was cancelled. It was raining.'?

    • Because it was raining, the game was cancelled.
    • The game was cancelled, but the rain was still falling.
    • The game was cancelled, and the rain was falling.

  6. Which sentence type is this: 'Although she was tired, she finished the race, and her friends cheered.'?

    • Compound
    • Complex
    • Compound-complex

  7. Which version combines these ideas into a complex sentence that shows contrast: 'Lena was nervous. She stepped onto the stage.'?

    • Lena was nervous, but she stepped onto the stage anyway.
    • Lena was nervous, and she stepped onto the stage all the same.
    • Although Lena was nervous, she stepped onto the stage.

  8. Which sentence type is this: 'The dog barked when the postman arrived, and the baby woke up.'?

    • Compound-complex
    • Compound
    • Complex

  9. A student wrote: 'The storm cut the power, we lit candles.' Which revision makes this a correct compound sentence?

    • Because the storm cut the power, we lit candles.
    • The storm cut the power, we lit candles.
    • The storm cut the power; we lit candles.

  10. This passage uses three complex sentences: 'Though rain fell, we played. Because fans cheered, we felt brave. When time ran out, we left.' Which revision keeps the contrast, cause and timing but adds short simple sentences?

    • Though rain fell, we played, and because fans cheered, we felt brave, and when time ran out, we left.
    • Though rain fell, we played. Because fans cheered, we felt brave. When time ran out, we left.
    • Rain fell, but we played. Fans cheered, so we felt brave. Time ran out. We left then.
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Four Ways to Build a Sentence W1-mt_T9IXrlxfx2-s1

  1. The wind blew all night. · The other two start with 'because' and 'when', which leave the thought hanging. Only 'The wind blew all night.' can stand alone.
  2. Complex · 'When the bell rang' cannot stand alone, so it leans on 'everyone hurried inside'. One dependent clause plus one independent clause makes a complex sentence.
  3. Because the library closed · 'Because the library closed' cannot stand alone, so it depends on the main clause 'we studied at Maya's house'.
  4. Compound · A semicolon can join two independent clauses, and that still counts as a compound sentence.
  5. Because it was raining, the game was cancelled. · 'Because it was raining' is a dependent clause naming the cause. 'The game was cancelled' is the one independent clause, so the sentence is complex.
  6. Compound-complex · One dependent clause ('Although she was tired') plus two independent clauses makes this compound-complex.
  7. Although Lena was nervous, she stepped onto the stage. · 'Although Lena was nervous' is dependent and shows contrast with the independent clause 'she stepped onto the stage'. The other versions keep two independent clauses, so they are compound.
  8. Compound-complex · 'When the postman arrived' is a dependent clause, and 'The dog barked' plus 'the baby woke up' are two independent clauses. A dependent clause does not have to come first.
  9. The storm cut the power; we lit candles. · A comma alone cannot join two complete thoughts. The semicolon fixes it and keeps both clauses independent, so the sentence stays compound. The 'because' option is good grammar, but it makes the sentence complex, not compound.
  10. Rain fell, but we played. Fans cheered, so we felt brave. Time ran out. We left then. · The revision keeps the rain contrast, the cheering as the cause of bravery, and the timing of leaving. It uses two compound sentences followed by two short simple sentences.
Worksheet · LightMySky