Remarkable / Worksheets / Grade 7 English / Simple, compound and complex sentences
A one-page CAPS Grade 7 English poster on simple, compound and complex sentences (Grammar), with the key ideas, key words and a tip to remember.
A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. A main clause makes sense on its own. A subordinate clause does not: it depends on a main clause.
The bus left (main clause) when the bell rang (subordinate clause).
A simple sentence has one main clause. It can still be long.
The cheetah sprinted across the open plain.
A compound sentence joins two or more main clauses of equal weight with and, but, or, so or yet. A comma usually comes before the joining word.
The sun set, and the stars appeared.
A complex sentence has a main clause and at least one subordinate clause. A subordinating word starts the subordinate clause.
Although the road was wet, the driver kept going.
When the subordinate clause comes first, put a comma after it. When it comes second, you usually need no comma.
If you leave now, you will catch the train.
You will catch the train if you leave now.
A relative clause is a subordinate clause that describes a noun. It starts with who, whom, whose, which or that.
The girl who won the race is my cousin.
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