Identifying clauses in a sentence | KS2 English | Teachit - Free Printable
Educational worksheet: Identifying clauses in a sentence | KS2 English | Teachit. Download and print for classroom or home learning activities.
JPEG
1240×1754
156.1 KB
Free · Personal Use
Quality Assured by Worksheets Library Team
Reviewed for educational accuracy and age-appropriateness
ID: #952039
⭐
Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Identifying clauses in a sentence | KS2 English | Teachit
▼
Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Identifying clauses in a sentence | KS2 English | Teachit
To solve this problem, we need to identify the main clause and the subordinate clause in each sentence.
* Main Clause: This is the part of the sentence that can stand alone as a complete sentence. It has a subject and a verb and makes sense by itself.
* Subordinate Clause: This part cannot stand alone. It usually starts with words like *which, who, when, because, while, as, that*. It adds extra information to the main clause.
Here is the step-by-step breakdown for each sentence:
1. The moon, shining like a light, was directly overhead.
* The core sentence is "The moon was directly overhead."
* "Shining like a light" describes the moon but isn't a full clause with its own subject/verb structure in the same way (it's a participle phrase), but in many school exercises, if it doesn't have a finite verb, the whole thing might be treated as one unit or the phrase is ignored. However, looking at standard grammar for this level: "The moon... was directly overhead" is the main idea. There is no subordinate *clause* here (no subject+verb combo inside the commas). Wait, let's look closer. "Shining like a light" is a phrase. Sentence 1 is actually a simple sentence with a descriptive phrase. If forced to find clauses, the whole thing is the main clause. Let's look at sentence 3 for comparison. Sentence 3 has "which had bloomed". That is definitely a subordinate clause. Sentence 1 does not have a conjunction or relative pronoun starting a new verb group. So, the entire sentence is the Main Clause.
2. The stolen car sped up the hill, chased by two police cars.
* Similar to #1, "chased by two police cars" is a participle phrase, not a full clause (it lacks a subject and auxiliary verb like "which was"). The main action is "The stolen car sped up the hill." So, the whole sentence acts as the main clause.
3. The flowers, which had bloomed in the spring, were fading fast.
* Main part: "The flowers ... were fading fast."
* Extra part: "which had bloomed in the spring" (starts with 'which', has subject 'which' and verb 'had bloomed').
* Main Clause: The flowers were fading fast.
* Subordinate Clause: which had bloomed in the spring.
4. Steven, a year younger than me, was not allowed to go.
* "A year younger than me" is a phrase, not a clause.
* Main Clause: Steven was not allowed to go.
5. The room was filled by a strange noise that echoed through my head.
* Main part: "The room was filled by a strange noise..."
* Extra part: "...that echoed through my head" (starts with 'that', describes the noise).
* Main Clause: The room was filled by a strange noise.
* Subordinate Clause: that echoed through my head.
6. Mum sat on the sofa, while the children played on the floor.
* Two full actions here connected by "while".
* Main Clause: Mum sat on the sofa.
* Subordinate Clause: while the children played on the floor.
7. The new pupil smiled shyly as she was introduced to the class.
* Main action: "The new pupil smiled shyly".
* Time/Reason: "as she was introduced to the class".
* Main Clause: The new pupil smiled shyly.
* Subordinate Clause: as she was introduced to the class.
8. The sun, which was now directly overhead, was incredibly hot.
* Main part: "The sun ... was incredibly hot."
* Extra part: "which was now directly overhead".
* Main Clause: The sun was incredibly hot.
* Subordinate Clause: which was now directly overhead.
9. The present, wrapped in silver paper, was under the Christmas tree.
* "Wrapped in silver paper" is a phrase.
* Main Clause: The present was under the Christmas tree.
10. We looked up in surprise when we heard Aisha’s scream.
* Main action: "We looked up in surprise".
* Time: "when we heard Aisha’s scream".
* Main Clause: We looked up in surprise.
* Subordinate Clause: when we heard Aisha’s scream.
11. I knew I was nearly home because the car was slowing down.
* Main action: "I knew I was nearly home".
* Reason: "because the car was slowing down".
* Main Clause: I knew I was nearly home.
* Subordinate Clause: because the car was slowing down.
12. Miss Gerrard, who teaches English, hates the misuse of the possessive apostrophe.
* Main part: "Miss Gerrard ... hates the misuse of the possessive apostrophe."
* Extra part: "who teaches English".
* Main Clause: Miss Gerrard hates the misuse of the possessive apostrophe.
* Subordinate Clause: who teaches English.
*(Note: In sentences 1, 2, 4, and 9, the text between commas are phrases, not clauses, because they don't have their own subject and verb pair. Therefore, the entire sentence is considered the main clause, and there is no subordinate clause.)*
Final Answer:
1.
* Main Clause: The moon, shining like a light, was directly overhead.
* Subordinate Clause: None (Note: "shining like a light" is a phrase, not a clause)
2.
* Main Clause: The stolen car sped up the hill, chased by two police cars.
* Subordinate Clause: None (Note: "chased by two police cars" is a phrase)
3.
* Main Clause: The flowers were fading fast.
* Subordinate Clause: which had bloomed in the spring
4.
* Main Clause: Steven was not allowed to go.
* Subordinate Clause: None (Note: "a year younger than me" is a phrase)
5.
* Main Clause: The room was filled by a strange noise
* Subordinate Clause: that echoed through my head
6.
* Main Clause: Mum sat on the sofa
* Subordinate Clause: while the children played on the floor
7.
* Main Clause: The new pupil smiled shyly
* Subordinate Clause: as she was introduced to the class
8.
* Main Clause: The sun was incredibly hot.
* Subordinate Clause: which was now directly overhead
9.
* Main Clause: The present was under the Christmas tree.
* Subordinate Clause: None (Note: "wrapped in silver paper" is a phrase)
10.
* Main Clause: We looked up in surprise
* Subordinate Clause: when we heard Aisha’s scream
11.
* Main Clause: I knew I was nearly home
* Subordinate Clause: because the car was slowing down
12.
* Main Clause: Miss Gerrard hates the misuse of the possessive apostrophe.
* Subordinate Clause: who teaches English
* Main Clause: This is the part of the sentence that can stand alone as a complete sentence. It has a subject and a verb and makes sense by itself.
* Subordinate Clause: This part cannot stand alone. It usually starts with words like *which, who, when, because, while, as, that*. It adds extra information to the main clause.
Here is the step-by-step breakdown for each sentence:
1. The moon, shining like a light, was directly overhead.
* The core sentence is "The moon was directly overhead."
* "Shining like a light" describes the moon but isn't a full clause with its own subject/verb structure in the same way (it's a participle phrase), but in many school exercises, if it doesn't have a finite verb, the whole thing might be treated as one unit or the phrase is ignored. However, looking at standard grammar for this level: "The moon... was directly overhead" is the main idea. There is no subordinate *clause* here (no subject+verb combo inside the commas). Wait, let's look closer. "Shining like a light" is a phrase. Sentence 1 is actually a simple sentence with a descriptive phrase. If forced to find clauses, the whole thing is the main clause. Let's look at sentence 3 for comparison. Sentence 3 has "which had bloomed". That is definitely a subordinate clause. Sentence 1 does not have a conjunction or relative pronoun starting a new verb group. So, the entire sentence is the Main Clause.
2. The stolen car sped up the hill, chased by two police cars.
* Similar to #1, "chased by two police cars" is a participle phrase, not a full clause (it lacks a subject and auxiliary verb like "which was"). The main action is "The stolen car sped up the hill." So, the whole sentence acts as the main clause.
3. The flowers, which had bloomed in the spring, were fading fast.
* Main part: "The flowers ... were fading fast."
* Extra part: "which had bloomed in the spring" (starts with 'which', has subject 'which' and verb 'had bloomed').
* Main Clause: The flowers were fading fast.
* Subordinate Clause: which had bloomed in the spring.
4. Steven, a year younger than me, was not allowed to go.
* "A year younger than me" is a phrase, not a clause.
* Main Clause: Steven was not allowed to go.
5. The room was filled by a strange noise that echoed through my head.
* Main part: "The room was filled by a strange noise..."
* Extra part: "...that echoed through my head" (starts with 'that', describes the noise).
* Main Clause: The room was filled by a strange noise.
* Subordinate Clause: that echoed through my head.
6. Mum sat on the sofa, while the children played on the floor.
* Two full actions here connected by "while".
* Main Clause: Mum sat on the sofa.
* Subordinate Clause: while the children played on the floor.
7. The new pupil smiled shyly as she was introduced to the class.
* Main action: "The new pupil smiled shyly".
* Time/Reason: "as she was introduced to the class".
* Main Clause: The new pupil smiled shyly.
* Subordinate Clause: as she was introduced to the class.
8. The sun, which was now directly overhead, was incredibly hot.
* Main part: "The sun ... was incredibly hot."
* Extra part: "which was now directly overhead".
* Main Clause: The sun was incredibly hot.
* Subordinate Clause: which was now directly overhead.
9. The present, wrapped in silver paper, was under the Christmas tree.
* "Wrapped in silver paper" is a phrase.
* Main Clause: The present was under the Christmas tree.
10. We looked up in surprise when we heard Aisha’s scream.
* Main action: "We looked up in surprise".
* Time: "when we heard Aisha’s scream".
* Main Clause: We looked up in surprise.
* Subordinate Clause: when we heard Aisha’s scream.
11. I knew I was nearly home because the car was slowing down.
* Main action: "I knew I was nearly home".
* Reason: "because the car was slowing down".
* Main Clause: I knew I was nearly home.
* Subordinate Clause: because the car was slowing down.
12. Miss Gerrard, who teaches English, hates the misuse of the possessive apostrophe.
* Main part: "Miss Gerrard ... hates the misuse of the possessive apostrophe."
* Extra part: "who teaches English".
* Main Clause: Miss Gerrard hates the misuse of the possessive apostrophe.
* Subordinate Clause: who teaches English.
*(Note: In sentences 1, 2, 4, and 9, the text between commas are phrases, not clauses, because they don't have their own subject and verb pair. Therefore, the entire sentence is considered the main clause, and there is no subordinate clause.)*
Final Answer:
1.
* Main Clause: The moon, shining like a light, was directly overhead.
* Subordinate Clause: None (Note: "shining like a light" is a phrase, not a clause)
2.
* Main Clause: The stolen car sped up the hill, chased by two police cars.
* Subordinate Clause: None (Note: "chased by two police cars" is a phrase)
3.
* Main Clause: The flowers were fading fast.
* Subordinate Clause: which had bloomed in the spring
4.
* Main Clause: Steven was not allowed to go.
* Subordinate Clause: None (Note: "a year younger than me" is a phrase)
5.
* Main Clause: The room was filled by a strange noise
* Subordinate Clause: that echoed through my head
6.
* Main Clause: Mum sat on the sofa
* Subordinate Clause: while the children played on the floor
7.
* Main Clause: The new pupil smiled shyly
* Subordinate Clause: as she was introduced to the class
8.
* Main Clause: The sun was incredibly hot.
* Subordinate Clause: which was now directly overhead
9.
* Main Clause: The present was under the Christmas tree.
* Subordinate Clause: None (Note: "wrapped in silver paper" is a phrase)
10.
* Main Clause: We looked up in surprise
* Subordinate Clause: when we heard Aisha’s scream
11.
* Main Clause: I knew I was nearly home
* Subordinate Clause: because the car was slowing down
12.
* Main Clause: Miss Gerrard hates the misuse of the possessive apostrophe.
* Subordinate Clause: who teaches English
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of subordinate clauses worksheet.
