Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences Worksheet

Writing skills lesson 27: Complex sentences · Set 587 · 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.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) Kavya sang a song and danced on the stage. (b) My grandmother makes mango pickle every summer. (c) The mango was green, yet it was very sweet. (d) Dev went to bed early because he was tired.
2. 2.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
   “___ I opened the door, the cat ran in.” (a) Although (b) When (c) Which
3. 3.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
   “Isha jumped over the puddle and laughed loudly.” (a) compound sentence (b) simple sentence (c) complex sentence
4. 4.What is the main clause in this sentence?
   “Although the sky was cloudy, it did not rain.” (a) it did not rain (b) did not rain (c) Although the sky was cloudy
5. 5.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
   “We thanked the man ___ found our dog.” (a) who (b) because (c) which
6. 6.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
   “Arjun opened the window and looked outside.” (a) complex sentence (b) simple sentence (c) compound sentence
7. 7.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
   “Rohan finished his homework and went to bed.” (a) simple sentence (b) compound sentence (c) complex sentence
8. 8.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
   “Our cat is lazy; it sleeps all day.” (a) complex sentence (b) compound sentence (c) simple sentence
9. 9.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
   “___ Kabir was tired, he finished his homework.” (a) Although (b) Because (c) Which
10. 10.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) Joseph painted a boat on the wall. (b) The shop was closed, so we went home. (c) Although the sky was cloudy, it did not rain. (d) The boys swam in the river and played on the bank.
11. 11.What is the subordinate clause in this sentence?
    “We thanked the man who found our dog.” (a) We thanked the man (b) who found our dog (c) thanked the man
12. 12.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “Although the test was hard, Zoya got full marks.” (a) simple sentence (b) complex sentence (c) compound sentence
13. 13.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “The sky turned dark; thunder rumbled.” (a) compound sentence (b) simple sentence (c) complex sentence
14. 14.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) I know that the earth is round. (b) The road was wet, so Dad drove slowly. (c) The bright stars twinkled in the night sky. (d) The farmer ploughed the field and sowed the seeds.
15. 15.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) The road was wet, so Dad drove slowly. (b) Grandma peeled the peas and cooked a tasty curry. (c) Kabir thinks that the test is easy. (d) A cool breeze blew across the lake.
16. 16.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “The puppy barked loudly and ran to the gate.” (a) compound sentence (b) complex sentence (c) simple sentence
17. 17.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “The bus which goes to Agra leaves at ten.” (a) complex sentence (b) simple sentence (c) compound sentence
18. 18.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) If you heat ice, it melts. (b) The lights went out; we lit a candle. (c) The little girl hugged her teddy bear. (d) Our teacher smiled at us and opened the book.
19. 19.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) The river flows past our village. (b) The mango was sweet although it looked green. (c) Riya loves maths; her brother loves art. (d) Rohan finished his homework and went to bed.
20. 20.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “When the water boiled, Mum added the rice.” (a) simple sentence (b) complex sentence (c) compound sentence
21. 21.What is the main clause in this sentence?
    “When the water boiled, Mum added the rice.” (a) Mum added the rice (b) When the water boiled (c) added the rice
22. 22.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “The lady who runs the library is very kind.” (a) simple sentence (b) compound sentence (c) complex sentence
23. 23.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “The peacock spread its colourful feathers.” (a) compound sentence (b) complex sentence (c) simple sentence
24. 24.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “Dev went to bed early ___ he was tired.” (a) who (b) because (c) although
25. 25.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “The boys swam in the river and played on the bank.” (a) compound sentence (b) simple sentence (c) complex sentence
26. 26.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) The doctor gave Omkar some medicine. (b) Riya has lived in Pune since she was five. (c) The baby was asleep, so we spoke softly. (d) Kavya sang a song and danced on the stage.
27. 27.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “It has rained every day ___ we came to Shimla.” (a) who (b) although (c) since
28. 28.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) The baby laughed at the clown and clapped her hands. (b) When the water boiled, Mum added the rice. (c) I called Meera, but she did not answer. (d) The children flew kites on the terrace.
29. 29.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “The baby laughed at the clown and clapped her hands.” (a) complex sentence (b) compound sentence (c) simple sentence
30. 30.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “Dev went to bed early because he was tired.” (a) simple sentence (b) complex sentence (c) compound sentence
31. 31.What is the main clause in this sentence?
    “Although the box was small, it was very heavy.” (a) it was very heavy (b) was very heavy (c) Although the box was small
32. 32.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “Ananya passed the test, and her friends passed it too.” (a) compound sentence (b) simple sentence (c) complex sentence
33. 33.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “The book which I borrowed is about birds.” (a) simple sentence (b) compound sentence (c) complex sentence
34. 34.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “The bus ___ goes to Agra leaves at ten.” (a) if (b) which (c) who
35. 35.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “Diya washed her hands and sat at the table.” (a) complex sentence (b) simple sentence (c) compound sentence
36. 36.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “___ the box was small, it was very heavy.” (a) Which (b) Although (c) Because
37. 37.Choose the right joining word for the gap:
    “The lady ___ runs the library is very kind.” (a) who (b) because (c) which
38. 38.Is this sentence simple, compound or complex?
    “Our class visited the science museum.” (a) complex sentence (b) compound sentence (c) simple sentence
39. 39.Which of these is a complex sentence? (a) The school band played the national anthem. (b) We thanked the man who found our dog. (c) The boys swam in the river and played on the bank. (d) Ananya passed the test, and her friends passed it too.
40. 40.What is the subordinate clause in this sentence?
    “Riya has lived in Pune since she was five.” (a) Riya has lived in Pune (b) since she was five (c) has lived in Pune

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