Students will develop their understanding of independent and dependent clauses by working in teams to sort and construct complex sentences from a scrambled set of words and phrases.

How to Complete

Teams receive a pile of scrambled clause and conjunction cards. We recommend storing these in an envelope. Working together, they sort the cards and match them to create grammatically correct complex sentences. Teams aim to complete as many correct sentences as possible before the time runs out or all cards are used.

Additional Tips

1. Ensure all teams understand the roles of independent clauses, dependent clauses and conjunctions before starting the activity.
2. Encourage students to read their sentences aloud to check for clarity and accuracy.
3. Allow teams to rearrange their completed sentences by starting with the dependent clause for additional practice with punctuation.

Extension Ideas

1. Write About It: Have students write a paragraph using one or more of their completed sentences as inspiration.
2. Sentence Relay: Use the cards in a relay race. One team member at a time collects cards from the envelope to encourage active participation.
3. Expand It: Challenge students to expand their sentences by adding descriptive phrases or additional clauses for more advanced practice.

This hands-on game promotes teamwork, critical thinking and an understanding of sentence structure in an engaging and interactive format.

The resource is part of our Year 4 English Unit: Complex Sentences & Conjunctions.