Success Homeschool

Year 8 English · Sentence variety for effect

Name: ______________________

Date: ____________

1. Which is a simple sentence?
- ☐ (a) The bell rang, and everyone rushed out.
- ☐ (b) The bell rang.
- ☐ (c) When the bell rang, everyone rushed out.
- ☐ (d) The bell rang because it was three o'clock.
2. Which is a compound sentence?
- ☐ (a) Although the pool was closed, we went for a walk.
- ☐ (b) We wanted to swim, but the pool was closed.
- ☐ (c) The pool was closed.
- ☐ (d) Because the pool was closed.
3. Which is a complex sentence?
- ☐ (a) It was late, so we went home.
- ☐ (b) It was late.
- ☐ (c) Although it was late, we kept walking.
- ☐ (d) It was late and dark.
4. Which coordinating conjunction joins the two clauses? 'She knocked on the door, but nobody answered.'
5. Which subordinating conjunction begins this sentence? 'Because the road flooded, the bus turned back.'
6. What is the usual effect of a very short sentence placed after several long ones?
- ☐ (a) It slows the pace and adds description.
- ☐ (b) It creates emphasis or a sudden jolt of tension.
- ☐ (c) It confuses the reader on purpose.
- ☐ (d) It has no effect.
7. Which passage builds the most tension?
- ☐ (a) The house was old. It had a garden. It had a gate. It was quiet.
- ☐ (b) The house was old and it had a garden and a gate and it was quiet.
- ☐ (c) Mira pushed the rusted gate, which groaned on its hinges as she edged towards the silent house. A curtain twitched.
- ☐ (d) Mira visited a house with a garden.
8. What is the smallest number of independent clauses a compound sentence must have? Type a number.

Answer sheet

1. The bell rang. — It has just one independent clause.
2. We wanted to swim, but the pool was closed. — Two independent clauses are joined by the coordinating conjunction 'but'.
3. Although it was late, we kept walking. — 'Although it was late' is a dependent clause attached to the main clause 'we kept walking'.
4. but — 'But' joins two independent clauses to make a compound sentence.
5. Because — 'Because' introduces the dependent clause 'because the road flooded'.
6. It creates emphasis or a sudden jolt of tension. — The sudden change in rhythm makes the short sentence stand out.
7. Mira pushed the rusted gate, which groaned on its hinges as she edged towards the silent house. A curtain twitched. — A long, detailed sentence builds suspense, then the short sentence 'A curtain twitched.' delivers a sudden shock.
8. 2 — A compound sentence joins at least two independent clauses.