Simple, compound and complex sentences

Last updated: 15/11/2023
Contributor: Teachit Author
Simple, compound, and complex sentences
Main Subject
Key stage
Category
Language: Grammar, spelling and vocabulary
Resource type
Teaching ideas

This helpful PowerPoint resource with accompanying information sheet both support students in their understanding of different types of sentences and how to use these. The resource guides students clearly through simple sentences, compound sentences and complex sentences, the rules that help structure them and how to construct each type.

Students learn about the ways dependent clauses and subordinating clauses are made using coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. They can apply this knowledge and experiment with how these clauses work with independent clauses to construct their own complex sentences.

The resource supports students to grow their confidence and understanding of sentence structure to help them use a variety of syntactical structures appropriately and creatively in their own work.

Browse additional sentence structure resources in our Sentence construction section.

A sample extract from the resource:

A complex sentence is one in which you glue extra information into a sentence.  We call the original sentence the main clause, and the extra bit the subordinate clause.

Tommy loved his car, which was green.

Although he tried hard, Simon couldn’t get his hair right.

You can tell which is the main clause and which is the subordinate clause because a main clause always makes sense on its own, and a subordinate clause doesn’t. 

Tommy loved his car.  

Which was green.

 

Although he tried hard. 

Simon couldn’t get his hair right.

All reviews

Have you used this resource?

5

30/06/2021

5

25/02/2021

5

18/05/2020

Thank you for your comment, Caroline. I've emailed you separately to see if the resource needs more clarity. Many thanks

Helen Stacey, Teachit English Editor

18/11/2019

5

30/06/2021

5

25/02/2021

5

18/05/2020

Thank you for your comment, Caroline. I've emailed you separately to see if the resource needs more clarity. Many thanks

Helen Stacey, Teachit English Editor

18/11/2019

Unfortunately, I think there is a mistake in this PowerPoint. "The cat stretched and ate his food" is a simple sentence, right?

Pamela Lichty

15/11/2019

5

26/08/2019

This is a lovely overview for my Y7 class :)

17/09/2014

terrible!

22/04/2014

as a display in the classroom

28/03/2013

5