complex sentences

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Complex SentencesYear 7 Sentence Starters

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Contents


Simple sentences

Compound sentences

The subordinate clause

Relative and adverbial clauses

Writing complex sentences


Complex sentences: Simple sentences


Simple sentences


Different types of sentences

Hi Max, do you want to revise with me for Friday’s 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. I’m going to become a famous novelist, so I need good writing skills.


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 like tea.

Subject Verb Object

Simple sentences

Let’s quickly recap basic sentences…


Read the sentences below:

1. John loves television.

2. My brother eats worms.

3. Norman picks his nose.

Decide which words are the verbs, subjects and objects in the sentences.

verb

subject

object

Subject, verb, object revision


Complex sentences: Compound sentences


Compound sentences


Compound sentences

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

Now let’s revise compound sentences…

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.


Simple and compound sentences


Complex sentences: 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.

Do the extra words make any difference?


Mr Farrell is an English teacher

the speaker lives in Liverpool

the jumper was bought by the subject’s granny.

The purpose of the subordinate clause

The extra words provide us with additional information about the subject, verb or object…

They tell us that…

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 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.

Types of clauses

Mr Farrell, who is our English teacher, always gives great lessons.Mr Farrell, who is our English teacher, always gives great lessons.Mr Farrell, who is our English teacher, always gives great lessons.

When the subordinate clause splits the main clause down the middle, commas are used to show the boundaries between them.

The sentence below is a complex sentence.


Spotting different clauses


Complex sentences: Relative and adverbial clauses


Relative and adverbial clauses


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

complex sentence

Complex sentences

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?


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.

The food that we ate on holiday was delicious.e.g.

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.

Relative clauses are used in the middle or at the end of sentences.

Adverbial clauses can be used anywhere in the sentence.


Adverbial and relative clauses


Complex sentences: Writing complex sentences




Different types of 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.


Using simple, compound and complex sentences

Let’s 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 can’t 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.

complex sentences

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