Complex Sentences

Year 7 Sentence Starters

Icons key:
For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation Teachers notes included in the Notes Page Accompanying worksheet
Boardworks Ltd 2006

Flash activity. These activities are not editable. Extension activities

1 of 22

Web addresses

Contents

Simple sentences Compound sentences The subordinate clause Relative and adverbial clauses Writing complex sentences

2 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Complex sentences: Simple sentences

Simple sentences

3 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Different types of sentences

Hi Max, do you want to revise with me for Fridays sentence test? Yeah sure Megan. I want to test my knowledge to make sure that I score 100%...

Well I want to do well too. Im going to become a famous novelist, so I need good writing skills.
4 of 22 Boardworks Ltd 2006

Simple sentences
Lets quickly recap basic sentences

Can you remember the differences between simple and compound sentences? Simple sentences contain a subject, a verb and an object. Simple sentences make sense on their own, e.g. I Subject like Verb tea. Object

5 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Subject, verb, object revision

Read the sentences below:

1. John loves television.

2. My brother eats worms.

3. Norman picks his nose. verb subject object

Decide which words are the verbs, subjects and objects in the sentences.
6 of 22 Boardworks Ltd 2006

Complex sentences: Compound sentences

Compound sentences

7 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Compound sentences
Now lets revise compound sentences

Compound sentences are simple sentences which have been joined together by the conjunctions: or, and or but.
I like tea. I like coffee.

These are two simple sentences.

They can be joined to form a compound sentence:

I like tea and I like coffee.

8 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Simple and compound sentences

9 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Complex sentences: The subordinate clause

The subordinate clause

10 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

The subordinate clause

Now we need to understand the tricky part complex sentences... Look at the three sentences below: 1. Mr Farrell, who is our English teacher, always gives great lessons. 2. Liverpool, which is where I live, is an amazing city. 3. I hate my woolly jumper that my granny bought for me. Compare the sentences without the highlighted words 1. Mr Farrell always gives great lessons. 2. Liverpool is an amazing city. 3. I hate my woolly jumper.
11 of 22

Do the extra words make any difference?

Boardworks Ltd 2006

The purpose of the subordinate clause

1. Mr Farrell, who is our English teacher, always gives great lessons. 2. Liverpool, which is where I live, is an amazing city. 3. I hate my woolly jumper that my granny bought for me. The extra words provide us with additional information about the subject, verb or object They tell us that Mr Farrell is an English teacher the speaker lives in Liverpool the jumper was bought by the subjects granny.

12 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Types of clauses
The sentence below is a complex sentence. Mr Farrell, Farrell,who who whois is isour our ourEnglish English English teacher, teacher, teacher always always , always gives gives gives great great great lessons. lessons. The main and most important idea in the sentence is called the main clause. This makes sense on its own. The additional information is called the subordinate clause. This clause would not make sense on its own. When the subordinate clause splits the main clause down the middle, commas are used to show the boundaries between them.

13 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Spotting different clauses

14 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Complex sentences: Relative and adverbial clauses

Relative and adverbial clauses

15 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Complex sentences
Okay, so a sentence with a main clause and a subordinate clause is known as a

complex sentence e.g. John walked by the canal that was full of barges.
main clause subordinate clause

Do you know what sort of word that is?

16 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

The functions of subordinate clauses

Subordinate clauses can be used for different purposes:
Relative clauses are used to provide more detail about nouns. They are introduced by the relative pronouns who, which and that.

e.g.

The food that we ate on holiday was delicious.

Relative clauses are used in the middle or at the end of sentences. Adverbial clauses describe the verb in more detail. They are introduced by adverbs such as slowly, before, happily, etc. e.g. Before starting work, Roger fed his pet cat.

Adverbial clauses can be used anywhere in the sentence.

17 of 22 Boardworks Ltd 2006

Adverbial and relative clauses

18 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Complex sentences: Writing complex sentences

Writing complex sentences

19 of 21 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Different types of sentences

20 of 22

Boardworks Ltd 2006

Writing complex sentences

Look at the picture of Megan. Write five complex sentences using subordinate clauses. Use these details: name: Megan owns: a pet tarantula called Mogg species: Mogg is a Chilean Rose wears: hooded tops, patterned tights and boots hair colour: red ambition: to become a writer.

Remember: introduce relative clauses with relative pronouns and adverbial clauses with adverbs.
21 of 22 Boardworks Ltd 2006

Using simple, compound and complex sentences

Lets recap when to use simple, compound and complex sentences

Simple and compound sentences are useful to be brief:

in emergency instructions
to teach young children for someone who cant read much English.

Complex sentences are useful to be descriptive: to explain something in detail

to be precise about what you are describing to keep your reader interested.
22 of 22 Boardworks Ltd 2006