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Adverbial, relative and non-finite complex sentences revision
I can practise complex sentence test questions.
Lesson 3 of 10
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- Year 6
Adverbial, relative and non-finite complex sentences revision
I can practise complex sentence test questions.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Any complex sentence is formed of at least one main clause joined to at least one subordinate clause.
- There are different types of subordinate clause: adverbial clause, relative clause and non-finite clause.
- Any subordinate clause is a group of words that contains a verb and does not make complete sense.
- There are three types of complex sentence: adverbial, relative and non-finite.
- There are comma rules associated with clause demarcation in complex sentences.
Keywords
Subordinate clause - a group of words that contains a verb and does not make complete sense
Adverbial clause - a type of subordinate clause that starts with a subordinating conjunction
Relative clause - a type of subordinate clause that starts with a relative pronoun
Non-finite clause - a type of subordinate clause that starts with a verb in the progressive tense
Complex sentence - a sentence formed of at least one main clause and a subordinate clause
Common misconception
Pupils may not grasp that the different types of subordinate clause are all subordinate clauses.
Reinforce the point that these are sub-types of subordinate clause.
Complete lessons on different complex sentence types can be found throughout our KS2 Grammar curriculum.
Teacher tip
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which sentence has all the correct capital letters?
Which sentence has all the correct capital letters?
Jun handed Jacob the French Dictionary.
Jun handed Jacob the french Dictionary.
Q2.Which of these is a compound sentence?
Which of these is a compound sentence?
And then it was all over.
As he burst in, we all gasped.
Q3.Which of the following are co-ordinating conjunctions?
Which of the following are co-ordinating conjunctions?
because
which
Q4.Tick the sentences which are exclamations.
Tick the sentences which are exclamations.
How are you happy
What a marvellous sound
Q5.Tick the sentences which are commands.
Tick the sentences which are commands.
Do you want to
He pushed me
Q6.Alex wants to rewrite this statement as a question. Which is the correct version? 'She was here a minute ago.'
Alex wants to rewrite this statement as a question. Which is the correct version? 'She was here a minute ago.'
was she here a minute ago?
She was here a minute ago?
Was she here a minute ago
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following are subordinate clauses?
Which of the following are subordinate clauses?
the rain began slowly
Q2.Which words in this complex sentence are subordinating conjunctions? 'When Miss O'Neill arrived, we cheered because she had been poorly for days.'
Which words in this complex sentence are subordinating conjunctions? 'When Miss O'Neill arrived, we cheered because she had been poorly for days.'
arrived
cheered
Q3.Which of these complex sentences need a comma after a fronted adverbial clause?
Which of these complex sentences need a comma after a fronted adverbial clause?
It had begun before we had time to rest.
We all fell silent when the movie started.
Q4.What kind of word starts a relative clause?
What kind of word starts a relative clause?
subordinating conjunction
-ing form of verb
Q5.Which of these sentences contain a relative clause?
Which of these sentences contain a relative clause?
We all chuckled when Jacob told his story.
When we arrived, we went straight to our dormitories.
Q6.Which of these sentences contain a non-finite (-ing clause)?
Which of these sentences contain a non-finite (-ing clause)?
We were playing tennis.
She was hoping to come, but she wasn't able to.
