Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 27: Complex sentences · Set 244 · 40 questions

Writing tip (One clause leans on the other): Find the clause that starts with because, although, if, when, since, who, which or that — the subordinate clause (When the rain stopped). On its own it is not a complete sentence. The rest is the main clause (we went out to play): it makes complete sense alone. Choose the joining word by meaning: because → a reason, although → a surprise, if → a condition, when → a time, since → from a time until now, who → a person, which → a thing, that → what someone says, thinks or knows. Sort any sentence: one clause → simple; two main clauses → compound; a main clause + a subordinate clause → complex.

1. 1.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
   “Priya wrote a letter to her pen friend.” (a) complex sentence (b) compound sentence (c) simple sentence
2. 2.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) Priya wrote a letter to her pen friend. (b) If it rains tomorrow, the match will be cancelled. (c) The box was small, but it was very heavy. (d) Mum bought vegetables and paid the shopkeeper.
3. 3.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
   “Meera cleaned her room and arranged her books.” (a) complex sentence (b) compound sentence (c) simple sentence
4. 4.What is the main clause in this sentence?
   “Dev went to bed early because he was tired.” (a) Dev went to bed early (b) because he was tired (c) went to bed early
5. 5.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
   “Kavya sang a song and danced on the stage.” (a) compound sentence (b) complex sentence (c) simple sentence
6. 6.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
   “The school band played the national anthem.” (a) complex sentence (b) compound sentence (c) simple sentence
7. 7.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
   “When the water boiled, Mum added the rice.” (a) compound sentence (b) complex sentence (c) simple sentence
8. 8.What is the subordinate clause in this sentence?
   “When the rain stopped, we went out to play.” (a) When the rain stopped (b) we went out to play (c) went out to play
9. 9.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
   “We have known Tara since we were in Class 1.” (a) compound sentence (b) complex sentence (c) simple sentence
10. 10.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “___ I opened the door, the cat ran in.” (a) Although (b) When (c) Which
11. 11.What is the main clause in this sentence?
    “Although the test was hard, Zoya got full marks.” (a) Zoya got full marks (b) Although the test was hard (c) got full marks
12. 12.What is the subordinate clause in this sentence?
    “The plant will grow if it gets sunlight.” (a) will grow (b) The plant will grow (c) if it gets sunlight
13. 13.What is the subordinate clause in this sentence?
    “The kite which Dad made for me is red.” (a) which Dad made for me (b) is red (c) The kite is red
14. 14.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “Manav kicked the ball over the fence.” (a) simple sentence (b) compound sentence (c) complex sentence
15. 15.What is the main clause in this sentence?
    “You will catch the bus if you leave now.” (a) You will catch the bus (b) if you leave now (c) will catch the bus
16. 16.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “___ it rains tomorrow, the match will be cancelled.” (a) Who (b) Although (c) If
17. 17.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) A strong wind shook the mango trees. (b) Isha jumped over the puddle and laughed loudly. (c) Kabir ran fast, but he missed the train. (d) The kite which Dad made for me is red.
18. 18.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) The baby laughed at the clown and clapped her hands. (b) I called Meera, but she did not answer. (c) It has rained every day since we came to Shimla. (d) My cousin plays the tabla at weddings.
19. 19.What is the subordinate clause in this sentence?
    “Grandma has lived here since she was a girl.” (a) has lived here (b) since she was a girl (c) Grandma has lived here
20. 20.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “___ the road was blocked, the bus went another way.” (a) Although (b) Because (c) Who
21. 21.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “Our cat is lazy; it sleeps all day.” (a) compound sentence (b) complex sentence (c) simple sentence
22. 22.What is the subordinate clause in this sentence?
    “We have known Tara since we were in Class 1.” (a) since we were in Class 1 (b) have known Tara (c) We have known Tara
23. 23.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “The children flew kites on the terrace.” (a) complex sentence (b) simple sentence (c) compound sentence
24. 24.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) The crow dropped the stone and flew away. (b) Grandpa reads the newspaper every morning. (c) The soup looked plain, but it tasted great. (d) The mango was sweet although it looked green.
25. 25.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “Kabir thinks ___ the test is easy.” (a) who (b) although (c) that
26. 26.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “___ the rain stopped, we went out to play.” (a) When (b) Although (c) Which
27. 27.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “My cousin plays the tabla at weddings.” (a) compound sentence (b) complex sentence (c) simple sentence
28. 28.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) The children flew kites on the terrace. (b) The crow dropped the stone and flew away. (c) The sky was cloudy, but it did not rain. (d) Kabir thinks that the test is easy.
29. 29.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “Joseph painted a boat on the wall.” (a) simple sentence (b) compound sentence (c) complex sentence
30. 30.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) Our teacher smiled at us and opened the book. (b) The old fisherman mended his net on the beach. (c) Nisha was nervous, yet she sang beautifully. (d) If you mix red and yellow, you get orange.
31. 31.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) The girl who sits next to me is from Kochi. (b) The sky turned dark; thunder rumbled. (c) The baby laughed at the clown and clapped her hands. (d) Grandpa reads the newspaper every morning.
32. 32.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “Dev went to bed early ___ he was tired.” (a) who (b) because (c) although
33. 33.What is the subordinate clause in this sentence?
    “The mango was sweet although it looked green.” (a) was sweet (b) The mango was sweet (c) although it looked green
34. 34.What is the main clause in this sentence?
    “The girl who sits next to me is from Kochi.” (a) who sits next to me (b) The girl is from Kochi (c) is from Kochi
35. 35.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) Joseph painted a boat on the wall. (b) You should eat now, or your food will get cold. (c) The baby laughed at the clown and clapped her hands. (d) If you heat ice, it melts.
36. 36.What is the subordinate clause in this sentence?
    “The boy who won the race is my cousin.” (a) is my cousin (b) The boy is my cousin (c) who won the race
37. 37.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “___ Kabir was tired, he finished his homework.” (a) Because (b) Which (c) Although
38. 38.What is the subordinate clause in this sentence?
    “When the light turned green, the cars moved.” (a) the cars moved (b) moved (c) When the light turned green
39. 39.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “Riya wore a sweater ___ it was cold.” (a) who (b) because (c) although
40. 40.What is the main clause in this sentence?
    “Riya wore a sweater because it was cold.” (a) because it was cold (b) Riya wore a sweater (c) wore a sweater

Free writing skills lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/english-writing-skills