The cat stayed indoors all day.

Sentence Openers

This KS2 English quiz will challenge you on sentence openers. Using different words to start a sentence enhances your writing. Imagine if every sentence you read began in the same way: 'The day was rainy. The cat stayed indoors all day. The children were bored. The telephone rang...' You'd become bored too - and quickly! To avoid this, writers use a variety of different ways to start their sentences.

Always remember to read through your work before handing it in. This way, you can change words if you realise you've used the same one over and over again.

Take this English quiz to see how many different sentence openers you know.

To see a larger image, click on the picture.

Choose the sentence opener which could be added to the beginning of the sentence.
____ the ship reached land.

Prettily

However

Although

Eventually

Eventually, the ship reached land.

Choose the sentence opener which could be added to the beginning of the sentence.
____ his cousin Charlie, Jack didn't know anyone in his new school.

When

Since

Because

Besides

Besides his cousin Charlie, Jack didn't know anyone in his new school.

Choose the sentence opener which could be added to the beginning of the sentence.
____ they built up enough courage to look behind the rusty old car.

Since

After a while

Suddenly

After a while, they built up enough courage to look behind the rusty old car.

Choose the sentence opener which could be added to the beginning of the sentence.
____ he was the tallest person in the family, it was always his job to reach things down from the top shelf.

Since

Meanwhile

Although

Therefore

Since he was the tallest person in the family, it was always his job to reach things down from the top shelf.

Choose the sentence opener which could be added to the beginning of the sentence.
____ she became a famous singer, Jo had worked at a dry cleaner's.

But

Before

Despite

However

Before she became a famous singer, Jo had worked at a dry cleaner's.

Choose the sentence opener which could be added to the beginning of the sentence.
____ he was no longer hungry, James ate a large piece of cake.

Despite

Afterwards

Although

Meanwhile

Although he was no longer hungry, James ate a large piece of cake.

Choose the sentence opener which could be added to the beginning of the sentence.
____ I had three apples, I could bake a tart.

When

Finally

However

If I had three apples, I could bake a tart.

Choose the sentence opener which could be added to the beginning of the sentence.
____ his fear of flying, Daniel booked a flight to India.

Because

Since

Although

Despite

Despite his fear of flying, Daniel booked a flight to India.

Choose the sentence opener which could be added to the beginning of the sentence.
____ she slammed the book down on her desk.

Suddenly

Even though

Softly

Because

Suddenly, she slammed the book down on her desk.

10.

Choose the sentence opener which could be added to the beginning of the sentence.
____ she had finished her homework, Holly would not be allowed to go out to play.