Sentence types #2
Learning Objectives: to understand/revise
the difference between simple, compound
and complex sentences and how they are
used for impact.
Recap: What must all sentences have?
+
strong.
the kitten.
Simple
sentences
I went to the
shops.
The smelly, mangy dog crawled
to its kennel.
The book was covered in
spiders.
Simple
sentences
I went to the
shops.
The smelly, mangy dog crawled
to its kennel.
The book was covered in
spiders.
Simple
sentences
I went to the
shops.
The smelly, mangy dog crawled
to its kennel.
The book was covered in
spiders.
Now write three of your own simple
sentences.
Compound sentences
• Compound sentences join 2 or more independent
clauses (which could stand on their own) with the
words and, or, but, or so.
Ben enjoys swimming
he tries really hard at it.
Sarah likes Starburst
she hates Haribo
Haribo.
John is scared of spiders
I did an impressive dance move
he always runs away.
I fell over.
You could tidy your room
you could bake a cake.
A seagull once bit Ben’s nose
it gave him a fright.
Complex sentences
• Complex sentences join a simple sentence
and a subordinate clause, a clause which
doesn’t make sense on its own.
• They often use words like because or although.
• e.g. The boy was late for school BECAUSE he
forgot to set his alarm.
• The boy was late for school.
This is a simple sentence.
It has a SUBJECT (the boy)
It has a VERB (was)
• The boy was late for school because his
alarm clock didn’t ring.
This is now the main clause.
We call it a main clause
because it would make
sense as a simple sentence
on its own.
• The boy was late for school because his
alarm clock didn’t ring.
This is the subordinate
clause.
We call it the subordinate
clause because it can’t
stand on its own.
The ‘because’ means that it
HAS to be joined to main
clause.
• Because his alarm clock didn’t ring, the
boy was late for school .
If the subordinate clause
goes first, we need to put
a comma in to mark where
it ends.
Subordinating connectives
– Since
– which/who/that e.g. ‘The dog, that was
sitting on the step, wagged its tail’
– therefore
– although
– but
– despite
– So
– While
• Because his alarm clock didn’t ring, the boy
was late for school .
• There are lots of other words like ‘because’ (conjunctions)
which create subordinate clauses.
• Write down a sentence (main clause + subordinate clause OR
subordinate clause + main clause) using each of these:
– Since
– which/who/that e.g. ‘The dog, that was sitting on the step, wagged
its tail’
– therefore
– although
– but
– despite
– So
– While
• ‘Since there was a lot of snow, it was very cold this
morning.
Sentence types in review writing
• TASK: highlight each sentence type in a
different colour in the extracts from
reviews of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
• Which sentence type is the most frequently used?
• Why do you think this is the case?
Extension/support questions
• Are the simple sentences any shorter than complex or
compound sentences? What impact do these sentences
have?
• Are there any compound sentences with more than two
independent clauses? What impact do these sentences
have?
• Where are the complex sentences used and why?
Sentence types in descriptive
writing
• TASK: highlight each sentence type in a
different colour in the extracts from ‘King
of Shadows’
• Which sentence type is the most frequently used?
• Why do you think this is the case?
Extension/support questions
• Are the simple sentences any shorter than complex or
compound sentences? What impact do these sentences
have?
• Are there any compound sentences with more than two
independent clauses? What impact do these sentences
have?
• Where are the complex sentences used and why?