Here's the completed worksheet with the correct subordinating conjunctions filled in, along with explanations for each choice.
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1. Samantha is happy _because_ she won the championship.
✔ Explanation: “Because” shows cause and effect — her happiness is *caused by* winning the championship.
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2. Jean cleaned the table _while_ her mom did the dishes.
✔ Explanation: “While” indicates two actions happening at the same time — Jean cleaning and mom doing dishes simultaneously.
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3. _Even though_ Dan was sick, he went to work.
✔ Explanation: “Even though” introduces a contrast — despite being sick (which would normally prevent going to work), he still went.
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4. Samantha can’t relax _until_ her exams are over.
✔ Explanation: “Until” indicates a time limit — relaxation is not possible *before* the exams end; it only happens *after* they’re over.
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5. Liza hasn’t seen her aunt _since_ she was a teenager.
✔ Explanation: “Since” refers to a point in the past from which an action or state began and continues to the present — she hasn’t seen her aunt starting from when she was a teen.
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6. Patricia visits the zoo _because_ she loves animals.
✔ Explanation: Again, “because” shows reason — her love of animals is the reason she visits the zoo.
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7. We put away our toys _before_ Mom returns from work.
✔ Explanation: “Before” indicates that the action (putting toys away) must happen *prior to* Mom’s return.
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8. _Since_ Brian watered all the plants, I didn’t have to.
✔ Explanation: “Since” here means “because” — Brian’s action made my action unnecessary. (Note: “Since” can mean either time or reason depending on context — here it’s causal.)
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9. We were surprised _when_ the magician pulled the rabbit out of the hat.
✔ Explanation: “When” refers to the specific moment the surprise occurred — at the instant the rabbit appeared.
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10. _Whenever_ Mom goes shopping, she brings a treat for me.
✔ Explanation: “Whenever” means “every time” — this is a habitual action that occurs each time Mom shops.
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✔ Final Answers:
1. because
2. while
3. Even though
4. until
5. since
6. because
7. before
8. Since
9. when
10. Whenever
*(Note: Capitalization matters for sentence starters — “Even though,” “Since,” and “Whenever” are capitalized because they begin the sentence.)*
Let me know if you’d like a printable version or flashcards for these conjunctions!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of complex sentence worksheet 6th grade.
