Recognising Complex Sentences Worksheets is a scaffolded literacy resource designed to help students identify, analyse, and construct complex sentences with confidence. By working through targeted activities, students will develop their understanding of sentence structure, improve their grammar skills, and strengthen their ability to use main and dependent clauses effectively in writing.

These worksheets guide learners through recognising sentence types, pinpointing main clauses, and transforming simple sentences into complex ones. This step-by-step approach supports the development of grammatical accuracy while also encouraging students to be more intentional and creative in their writing choices.

The Recognising Complex Sentences Worksheets are versatile and can be used during whole-class lessons, small group work, or individual tasks. They are ideal for reinforcing learning during a grammar unit or as a targeted intervention for students who need additional support with sentence complexity.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Identify whether a sentence is simple, compound, or complex
• ✅ Recognise and highlight main and dependent clauses
• ✅ Construct complex sentences using correct structure and punctuation
• ✅ Apply conjunctions effectively to link ideas
• ✅ Improve sentence variety and fluency in writing

What’s Included:

• Worksheets for identifying sentence types
• Activities for recognising main and dependent clauses
• Sentence transformation tasks
• Opportunities for independent writing and editing

Materials Needed:

• Printed worksheet pages
• Pencils or pens for completing tasks
• Highlighters for clause identification
• Laminator and sleeves (optional, for reusability)

How to Use:

1. Distribute the worksheets to individuals or groups.
2. Begin with sentence type identification tasks to ensure understanding of simple, compound, and complex sentences.
3. Highlight main and dependent clauses in provided examples.
4. Complete sentence transformation exercises by expanding simple sentences into complex ones.
5. Apply these skills to independent writing tasks.
6. Encourage peer review for collaborative learning and feedback.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as part of a grammar-focused literacy rotation
• 💡 Pair with mentor texts to identify real-world examples of complex sentences
• 💡 Provide as homework for targeted skill reinforcement
• 💡 Incorporate into writing workshops to improve sentence variety
• 💡 Use for pre- and post-assessment to track progress

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Model sentence analysis on the board before students begin
• 💛 Use colour coding to visually separate main and dependent clauses
• 💛 Encourage students to read sentences aloud to check flow and meaning
• 💛 Offer sentence starters for students who need additional support
• 💛 Revisit these worksheets periodically to consolidate learning

This resource is part of our Year 5 English Unit: Complex Sentences and is perfect for building a strong foundation in sentence structure and grammar.