Complex Sentences Year 7 Sentence Starters

1. Complex SentencesYear 7 Sentence Starters Icons key: For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation Flash activity. These activities are not editable. Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page Extension activities Web addresses Accompanying worksheet 1 of 22 © Boardworks Ltd 2006

2. Contents • Simple sentences • Compound sentences • The subordinate clause • Relative and adverbial clauses • Writing complex sentences 2 of 22 © Boardworks Ltd 2006

3. Complex sentences: Simple sentences Simple sentences 3 of 22 © Boardworks Ltd 2006

4. 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.

5. Simple sentences Let’s quickly recap basic sentences… 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

6. Subject, verb, object revision Read the sentences below: • John loves television. • My brother eats worms. • Norman picks his nose. verb subject object Decide which words are the verbs, subjects and objects in the sentences.

7. Complex sentences: Compound sentences Compound sentences 7 of 22 © Boardworks Ltd 2006

8. Compound sentences Now let’s revise compound sentences… Compound sentences are simple sentences which have been joined together by the conjunctions: or, and or but. 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.

9. Simple and compound sentences

10. Complex sentences: The subordinate clause The subordinate clause 10 of 22 © Boardworks Ltd 2006

11. 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. Do the extra words make any difference? 3. I hate my woolly jumper.

12. The purpose of the subordinate clause 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 extra words provide us with additional information about the subject, verb or object… They tell us that… • Mr Farrell is an English teacher • the speaker lives in Liverpool • the jumper was bought by the subject’s granny.

13. Types of clauses The sentence below is a complex sentence. 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. 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. When the subordinate clause splits the main clause down the middle, commas are used to show the boundaries between them.

14. Spotting different clauses

15. Complex sentences: Relative and adverbial clauses Relative and adverbial clauses 15 of 22 © Boardworks Ltd 2006

16. Complex sentences Okay, so a sentence with a main clause and a subordinate clause is known as a… complex sentence 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?

17. 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. e.g. The food that we ate on holiday was delicious. Relative clauses are used in the middle or at the end of sentences. 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. Adverbial clauses can be used anywhere in the sentence.

18. Adverbial and relative clauses

19. Complex sentences: Writing complex sentences Writing complex sentences 19 of 21 © Boardworks Ltd 2006

20. Different types of sentences

21. Writing complex 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.

22. 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.