Teach the Power of a Dependent Clause

Did you know that not all dependent clauses are created equal? It’s true!

Dependent clauses are used by writers to elaborate on or make connections between ideas in a sentence. They can be used to show reason, purpose, condition, concession or time. The trick is being able to identify which of these functions is being used!

This set of six worksheets has been designed by our team to help your students learn more about how dependent clauses are used to link ideas within a sentence. The variety of activity types keeps learning fresh and allows students to apply their knowledge in different ways.

The activities included in this worksheet pack include:

• Finish the Sentence
• Dependent Clause Detective
• Sort the Dependent Clauses
• Fix the Mistakes
• Cloze Passage Challenge
• Does It Match?

This resource downloads as a black-and-white PDF or editable Google Slides file. The download also includes an answer key to make grading the worksheets fast and easy.

Enhance Student Writing with Dependent Clauses

The ability to use dependent clauses effectively has multiple benefits for student writing. Here are a few reasons to get your students using this resource to enhance their sentence writing skills:

• Builds complex sentence structures – Understanding how dependent clauses connect to main clauses helps students write longer, more sophisticated sentences.
• Clarifies relationships between ideas – By using dependent clauses, students can show cause and effect, time relationships and purpose more clearly in their writing.
• Strengthens editing and revising skills – Students become better at spotting incomplete sentences or run-ons when they understand how clauses work together.
• Supports genre writing – Knowing how to use clauses of reason, purpose and condition helps students explain their ideas and support arguments more effectively.

Download to Explore Dependent Clauses Examples

Are you ready to start teaching this important grammar skill with confidence? Use the Download button above to access your preferred version of this resource. (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides template on your personal drive before accessing it.)

As this resource contains answers, you may wish to print one copy only, then remove the answer sheet before making further copies.

Whether used for direct instruction, group work or homework tasks, this set provides everything you need to make complex sentence structures approachable and enjoyable.

This resource was created by Kaylyn Chupp, a teacher in Florida and a Teach Starter collaborator.

More Resources for Teaching Dependent and Independent Clauses

Teaching about independent and dependent clauses doesn’t have to be dull… for you or your students! Click below to browse more teacher-created, curriculum-aligned materials to use when exploring this important topic with your class.

[resource:5173237] [resource:5173221] [resource:2653242]