KS2 English Quiz - Clauses and Phrases (Questions)

This KS2 English quiz looks at clauses and phrases. Sentences are made up of collections of words called 'clauses' and 'phrases'. It is easy to recognise a clause because it could be a complete sentence on its own. This sentence is a clause, too: 'He ran.' The subject is ‘he’ and the verb is ‘ran’. In this sentence, ‘he ran’ is still a clause: 'Although exhausted, he ran.' Phrases have no subject / verb pair. 'Although exhausted' is a phrase.

Understanding clauses and phrases helps you use commas properly. Our next two quizzes are all about commas, so it would be a good idea to play this quiz first.

Challenge yourself with this English quiz on the subject.

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1. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Before lunch, I will finish reading my book.
[ ] Before lunch
[ ] Before lunch, I will
[ ] I will finish reading my book
[ ] finish reading my book
2. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
She walked up the stairs, laughing softly.
[ ] She walked up the stairs
[ ] walked up
[ ] walked up the stairs
[ ] laughing softly
3. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
The sun was shining on the pitch, blinding the team.
[ ] The sun was shining on the pitch
[ ] was shining on the pitch
[ ] shining on the pitch, blinding
[ ] blinding the team
4. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Despite being dark and gloomy, the weather made him happy.
[ ] Despite being
[ ] Despite being dark and gloomy
[ ] dark and gloomy, the weather
[ ] the weather made him happy
5. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
The dog, not altogether unsurprisingly, hates having a bath.
[ ] The dog
[ ] not altogether unsurprisingly
[ ] hates having a bath
[ ] The dog hates having a bath
6. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Edna, my Nan's best friend, asked me if I like gooseberries.
[ ] Edna
[ ] my Nan's best friend
[ ] Edna asked me if I like gooseberries
[ ] asked me if I like gooseberries
7. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Over the fields and through the woods, the deer ran.
[ ] Over the fields
[ ] through the woods
[ ] Over the fields and through the woods
[ ] the deer ran
8. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Tired of practising, she quietly closed the lid of the piano.
[ ] Tired of practising
[ ] of practising
[ ] of practising, she quietly closed
[ ] she quietly closed the lid of the piano
9. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
The goalkeeper eyed the striker, leaning forward intently.
[ ] The goalkeeper
[ ] The goalkeeper eyed the striker
[ ] leaning forward
[ ] leaning forward intently
10. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Coming home, I could smell the delicious scent of spaghetti bolognese, my favourite meal.
[ ] Coming home
[ ] Coming home, I could smell
[ ] I could smell the delicious scent of spaghetti bolognese
[ ] my favourite meal

 

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KS2 English Quiz - Clauses and Phrases (Answers)
1. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Before lunch, I will finish reading my book.
[ ] Before lunch
[ ] Before lunch, I will
[x] I will finish reading my book
[ ] finish reading my book
'Before lunch' is a phrase - it does not include a subject/verb pairing.
2. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
She walked up the stairs, laughing softly.
[x] She walked up the stairs
[ ] walked up
[ ] walked up the stairs
[ ] laughing softly
'She' is the subject and 'walked' is the verb.
3. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
The sun was shining on the pitch, blinding the team.
[x] The sun was shining on the pitch
[ ] was shining on the pitch
[ ] shining on the pitch, blinding
[ ] blinding the team
'The sun' is the subject and 'was shining' is the verb.
4. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Despite being dark and gloomy, the weather made him happy.
[ ] Despite being
[ ] Despite being dark and gloomy
[ ] dark and gloomy, the weather
[x] the weather made him happy
'The weather' is the subject and 'made' is its verb.
5. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
The dog, not altogether unsurprisingly, hates having a bath.
[ ] The dog
[ ] not altogether unsurprisingly
[ ] hates having a bath
[x] The dog hates having a bath
Often clauses are interrupted by phrases. When a phrase such as 'not altogether unsurprisingly' is used to add extra information, it needs a pair of commas to separate it from the main clause.
6. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Edna, my Nan's best friend, asked me if I like gooseberries.
[ ] Edna
[ ] my Nan's best friend
[x] Edna asked me if I like gooseberries
[ ] asked me if I like gooseberries
The phrase 'my Nan's best friend' is set off from the rest of the sentence with a pair of commas.
7. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Over the fields and through the woods, the deer ran.
[ ] Over the fields
[ ] through the woods
[ ] Over the fields and through the woods
[x] the deer ran
Although it is made up of only three words, 'the deer ran' is the clause of this sentence.
8. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Tired of practising, she quietly closed the lid of the piano.
[ ] Tired of practising
[ ] of practising
[ ] of practising, she quietly closed
[x] she quietly closed the lid of the piano
Subject / verb = 'she closed'. 'Tired of practising' is a phrase.
9. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
The goalkeeper eyed the striker, leaning forward intently.
[ ] The goalkeeper
[x] The goalkeeper eyed the striker
[ ] leaning forward
[ ] leaning forward intently
Subject / verb = 'The goalkeeper eyed'.
10. Find the clause in the sentence. Remember, a clause could make a complete sentence on its own.
Coming home, I could smell the delicious scent of spaghetti bolognese, my favourite meal.
[ ] Coming home
[ ] Coming home, I could smell
[x] I could smell the delicious scent of spaghetti bolognese
[ ] my favourite meal
'Coming home' and 'my favourite meal' are both phrases.
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