Year 6 · SPaG · Autumn: Phrases and clauses
Year 6 main and subordinate clauses worksheet and PowerPoint
To identify main and subordinate clauses and to say whether a sentence is simple, compound or complex.
Clauses
A clause has a subject and a verb. A main clause makes sense on its own. A subordinate clause begins with a word like because, although, when or if and depends on a main clause.
| main clause | can stand alone as a sentence: We stayed inside. |
|---|---|
| subordinate clause | cannot stand alone: because it was raining |
| simple sentence | one clause: The children played. |
| compound sentence | two main clauses joined by and, but, or, so: I called, and she answered. |
| complex sentence | a main clause and a subordinate clause: We stayed inside because it was raining. |
Examples
- Although it was cold, we went swimming. (the first clause is subordinate)
- I opened the door, and the cat ran in. (two main clauses)
Key words
- clause
- a group of words with a subject and a verb
- main clause
- makes sense on its own
- subordinate clause
- depends on a main clause
- complex sentence
- has a main clause and a subordinate clause
What is on the worksheet
Every sheet for this lesson has a short teaching box and 12 questions that get gradually harder: 8 fluency questions, then 4 reasoning questions that ask pupils to explain or choose. A writing challenge follows. The questions use the same styles as the key stage 2 grammar and punctuation test (circle, underline, tick, fill the gap, add punctuation, rewrite, explain). They are written for this website, not copied from past papers.
All the answers are on the last page of the same editable Word file. New questions are made every time, so you can print a different sheet for every group or for homework. The same sheet code always gives the same sheet.
Writing challenge: Write six sentences about a school trip: two simple, two compound and two complex. Underline each subordinate clause in green.
Pupil target: I can find main and subordinate clauses.
The PowerPoint
A 20-slide lesson deck for the same lesson: a starter that revisits earlier learning, key words, an I do and a You do question on each slide with a countdown timer, answers that appear one click at a time, and a challenge. Download the main and subordinate clauses PowerPoint.
Where this lesson fits
This is lesson 10 of 72 in the Year 6 SPaG scheme, in the Autumn term, block “Phrases and clauses”. It is taught before the SATs grammar test in May.
Other lessons in this block
- Expanded noun phrases
- Coordinating and subordinating conjunctions
- Relative clauses
- Adverbs of possibility
- Modal verbs
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