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Grade 4 · English Language Arts · Unit 3 of 9

Sentence Builders

Clauses and phrases

What your child practises

Spotting independent and dependent clauses and prepositional phrases, joining ideas into compound and complex sentences, and fixing run-ons and fragments.

Ontario Curriculum expectation: B3.1 · simple and compound sentences with prepositional phrases and independent and dependent clauses

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Which is a complex sentence?

    • We played outside.
    • It was cold, so we stayed inside.
    • Although it was cold, we played outside.
    Show answer

    Although it was cold, we played outside.

    Hint: Although begins a dependent clause joined to a main idea.

  2. Question 2

    Which is a compound sentence?

    • Jay plays the flute, and Aiyana plays the drums.
    • Jay plays the flute because he loves music.
    • Jay plays the flute in the band.
    Show answer

    Jay plays the flute, and Aiyana plays the drums.

    Hint: A compound sentence joins two independent clauses with and, but or so.

  3. Question 3

    Which is a prepositional phrase? The kitten hid behind the sofa.

    • The kitten hid
    • behind the sofa
    • hid behind
    Show answer

    behind the sofa

    Hint: It starts with a preposition (behind) and ends with a noun.

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence is complete?

    • Winding up the mountain.
    • The trail winds up the mountain.
    • Up the mountain on the trail.
    Show answer

    The trail winds up the mountain.

    Hint: A complete sentence has a subject and a verb that tells what the subject does.

  5. Question 5

    Which is a prepositional phrase? The cat slept under the warm blanket.

    • under the warm blanket
    • slept under
    • The cat slept
    Show answer

    under the warm blanket

    Hint: A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition (under) and ends with a noun.

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence has two prepositional phrases?

    • The ball rolled down the hill into the pond.
    • The ball splashed loudly.
    • The ball rolled quickly.
    Show answer

    The ball rolled down the hill into the pond.

    Hint: Down the hill and into the pond each begin with a preposition.

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