Elementary School | English Language | Complex and compound sentences

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English Language: Elementary School: Grades 3, 4 and 5 Quiz - Grade 3 Language - Complex Sentences (Questions)

This English Language quiz is called 'Complex Sentences' and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at elementary school. Playing educational quizzes is an enjoyable way to learn if you are in the 3rd, 4th or 5th grade - aged 8 to 11.

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Sentences are divided into four structural types: simple sentences, complex sentences, compound sentences and compound-complex sentences. In this quiz we are going to look at complex sentences and compound sentences.

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A simple sentence consists of a single subject and a single predicate: there are no clauses, e.g. 'Paul likes swimming': 'Paul' is the subject, 'likes swimming' is the predicate and 'likes' is the predicate verb.

A compound sentence consists of two simple sentences (independent clauses) joined with one of the following conjunctions: 'and, but, for, nor, yet, so', e.g. 'He loved watching horror movies, and he had a large collection of horror DVDs'.

A complex sentence consists of a simple sentence joined with one or more dependent clauses, e.g. 'He was late for work because he missed the 8 o'clock bus'. A dependent clause is a clause that is not a complete thought; therefore, it cannot stand alone as a sentence, e.g. 'because he missed the 8 o'clock bus' makes you ask 'What happened?'

It would be a good idea to do the elementary school English Clauses and Phrases quiz before you do this quiz.

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Which of the following sentences is a complex sentence?

[ ]	He was scared. He went into the forest alone.
[ ]	He was scared.
[ ]	He was scared, but he went into the forest alone.
[ ]	Although he was scared, he went into the forest alone.

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

[ ]	John ran fast. Steve beat him.
[ ]	John ran fast.
[ ]	John ran fast, but Steve beat him.
[ ]	Though John ran fast, Steve beat him.

Which of the following sentences is a complex sentence?

[ ]	Jane opened her umbrella.
[ ]	Jane opened her umbrella because it was raining.
[ ]	It was raining, so Jane opened her umbrella.
[ ]	It was raining.

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

[ ]	He practices every day because he wants to be a top chess player.
[ ]	He wants to be a top chess player, so he practices every day.
[ ]	He wants to be a top chess player.
[ ]	He practices every day.

Which of the following sentences is a complex sentence?

[ ]	While the wind was blowing, the kite flew high.
[ ]	The wind was blowing, and the kite was flying high.
[ ]	The kite was flying high.
[ ]	The wind was blowing. The kite was flying high.

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

[ ]	He tried hard to lift the heavy weight, but he wasn't strong enough to lift it.
[ ]	Although he tried hard to lift the heavy weight, he wasn't strong enough to lift it.
[ ]	He tried hard to lift the heavy weight.
[ ]	He wasn't strong enough to lift it.

Which of the following sentences is a complex sentence?

[ ]	He continued studying. He was very tired.
[ ]	He continued studying.
[ ]	He continued studying, but he was very tired.
[ ]	He continued studying though he was very tired.

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

[ ]	They bought lots of crockery, and they also bought some silver flatware.
[ ]	They bought lots of crockery and flatware.
[ ]	Although they bought some silver flatware, they didn't buy any crockery.
[ ]	They bought lots of crockery. They didn't buy any flatware.

Which of the following sentences is a complex sentence?

[ ]	The bell rang, and the children ran out of the classroom.
[ ]	When the bell rang, the children ran out of the classroom.
[ ]	The children ran out of the classroom. The bell rang.
[ ]	The children ran out of the classroom.

10.

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

[ ]	Though he can't read a map, his favorite subject is geography.
[ ]	His favorite subject is geography, though he can't read a map.
[ ]	His favorite subject is geography, yet he still can't read a map.
[ ]	His favorite subject is geography.

English Language: Elementary School: Grades 3, 4 and 5 Quiz - Grade 3 Language - Complex Sentences (Answers)

Which of the following sentences is a complex sentence?

[ ]	He was scared. He went into the forest alone.
[ ]	He was scared.
[ ]	He was scared, but he went into the forest alone.
[x]	Although he was scared, he went into the forest alone.

Independent clause: 'he went into the forest alone'; dependent clause: 'Although he was scared'. The dependent clause is often introduced by one of the following words: 'although', 'though', 'because', 'provided', 'however', 'if' and 'since'. The dependent clause may stand at the front or the end of the sentence

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

[ ]	John ran fast. Steve beat him.
[ ]	John ran fast.
[x]	John ran fast, but Steve beat him.
[ ]	Though John ran fast, Steve beat him.

The independent clauses are 'John ran fast' and 'Steve beat him'. The conjunction is 'but'. Don't forget: a compound sentence consists of two simple sentences (independent clauses) joined with one of the following conjunctions: 'and, but, for, nor, yet, so'. The first independent clause is separated from the second independent clause by a COMMA and one of the named CONJUNCTIONS

Which of the following sentences is a complex sentence?

[ ]	Jane opened her umbrella.
[x]	Jane opened her umbrella because it was raining.
[ ]	It was raining, so Jane opened her umbrella.
[ ]	It was raining.

Independent clause: 'Jane opened her umbrella'; dependent clause: 'because it was raining'. The dependent clause is often introduced by one of the following words: 'although', 'though', 'because', 'provided', 'however', 'if' and 'since'. The dependent clause may stand at the front or the end of the sentence

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

[ ]	He practices every day because he wants to be a top chess player.
[x]	He wants to be a top chess player, so he practices every day.
[ ]	He wants to be a top chess player.
[ ]	He practices every day.

The independent clauses are 'He wants to be a top chess player' and 'he practices every day'. The conjunction is 'so'. Don't forget: a compound sentence consists of two simple sentences (independent clauses) joined with one of the following conjunctions: 'and, but, for, nor, yet, so'. The first independent clause is separated from the second independent clause by a COMMA and one of the named CONJUNCTIONS

Which of the following sentences is a complex sentence?

[x]	While the wind was blowing, the kite flew high.
[ ]	The wind was blowing, and the kite was flying high.
[ ]	The kite was flying high.
[ ]	The wind was blowing. The kite was flying high.

Independent clause: 'the kite flew high'; dependent clause: 'While the wind was blowing'. The dependent clause is often introduced by one of the following words: 'although', 'though', 'because', 'provided', 'however', 'if' and 'since'. The dependent clause may stand at the front or the end of the sentence

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

[x]	He tried hard to lift the heavy weight, but he wasn't strong enough to lift it.
[ ]	Although he tried hard to lift the heavy weight, he wasn't strong enough to lift it.
[ ]	He tried hard to lift the heavy weight.
[ ]	He wasn't strong enough to lift it.

The independent clauses are 'He tried hard to lift the heavy weight' and 'he wasn't strong enough to lift it'. The conjunction is 'but'. Don't forget: a compound sentence consists of two simple sentences (independent clauses) joined with one of the following conjunctions: 'and, but, for, nor, yet, so'. The first independent clause is separated from the second independent clause by a COMMA and one of the named CONJUNCTIONS

Which of the following sentences is a complex sentence?

[ ]	He continued studying. He was very tired.
[ ]	He continued studying.
[ ]	He continued studying, but he was very tired.
[x]	He continued studying though he was very tired.

Independent clause: 'He continued studying '; dependent clause: 'though he was very tired'. The dependent clause is often introduced by one of the following words: 'although', 'though', 'because', 'provided', 'however', 'if' and 'since'. The dependent clause may stand at the front or the end of the sentence

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

[x]	They bought lots of crockery, and they also bought some silver flatware.
[ ]	They bought lots of crockery and flatware.
[ ]	Although they bought some silver flatware, they didn't buy any crockery.
[ ]	They bought lots of crockery. They didn't buy any flatware.

The independent clauses are 'They bought lots of crockery' and 'they also bought some silver flatware'. The conjunction is 'and'. Don't forget: a compound sentence consists of two simple sentences (independent clauses) joined with one of the following conjunctions: 'and, but, for, nor, yet, so'. The first independent clause is separated from the second independent clause by a COMMA and one of the named CONJUNCTIONS

Which of the following sentences is a complex sentence?

[ ]	The bell rang, and the children ran out of the classroom.
[x]	When the bell rang, the children ran out of the classroom.
[ ]	The children ran out of the classroom. The bell rang.
[ ]	The children ran out of the classroom.

Independent clause: 'the children ran out of the classroom'; dependent clause: 'When the bell rang'. The dependent clause is often introduced by one of the following words: 'although', 'though', 'because', 'provided', 'however', 'if' and 'since'. The dependent clause may stand at the front or the end of the sentence

10.

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

[ ]	Though he can't read a map, his favorite subject is geography.
[ ]	His favorite subject is geography, though he can't read a map.
[x]	His favorite subject is geography, yet he still can't read a map.
[ ]	His favorite subject is geography.

The independent clauses are 'His favorite subject is geography' and 'he still can't read a map'. The conjuction is 'yet'. Don't forget: a compound sentence consists of two simple sentences (independent clauses) joined with one of the following conjunctions: 'and, but, for, nor, yet, so'. The first independent clause is separated from the second independent clause by a COMMA and one of the named CONJUNCTIONS