Year 6 English: Commas With Compound And Complex Sentences

🔍 Detailed Explanation of Commas with Compound and Complex Sentences

When learning about commas with compound and complex sentences, it’s important to know when and where to place commas correctly. In Year 6 English, following the UK National Curriculum, understanding commas with coordinating and subordinating conjunctions helps make writing clear and easy to read.

📚 What Are Compound and Complex Sentences?

• Compound sentences join two independent clauses (complete sentences) with a coordinating conjunction like and, but, or, so, yet, for, nor.
• Complex sentences have one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses connected by subordinating conjunctions such as because, although, since, if, when.

✍️ Using Commas in Compound Sentences

In compound sentences, you usually place a comma before the coordinating conjunction that joins two complete ideas.

Rule:
Put a comma before and, but, or, so, yet when they link two full sentences.

Examples:

• I wanted to go to the park, but it started to rain.
• She loves reading, and she writes stories too.

Tip:
If the two parts can stand alone as sentences, use a comma before the conjunction.

📝 Using Commas in Complex Sentences

In complex sentences, commas depend on the position of the subordinate clause.

• If the subordinate clause comes at the start, use a comma after it.
• If the subordinate clause comes at the end, usually no comma is needed.

Examples:

• Because it was raining, we stayed inside. (comma after the clause that comes first)
• We stayed inside because it was raining. (no comma needed)

Tip:
Remember, the comma after the subordinate clause helps the reader pause and understand the sentence better.

📊 Summary of Comma Rules with Conjunctions

🎯 Study Tips for Using Commas Correctly

1. Learn common coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.
2. Break sentences into clauses to check if both parts can stand alone.
3. Practice writing sentences and adding commas in the right places.
4. Read your sentences out loud; a natural pause often shows where a comma should go.

By practising these rules and tips, you’ll be confident in using commas correctly in both compound and complex sentences! 😊

📝 10 Examination-Style 1-Mark Questions on Commas with Compound and Complex Sentences

1. In the sentence “I wanted to play outside, but it started to rain,” which word shows where the comma should go?
   Answer: but
2. What do you call the punctuation mark used before “and” in a compound sentence?
   Answer: comma
3. In a complex sentence, after the subordinate clause, which punctuation mark comes next?
   Answer: comma
4. Which conjunction in the sentence “She was tired, so she went to bed early,” is preceded by a comma?
   Answer: so
5. What punctuation is used to separate two independent clauses joined by “or”?
   Answer: comma
6. In the sentence “Because it was raining, we stayed indoors,” what kind of clause comes before the comma?
   Answer: subordinate
7. Which word shows where to place a comma in the sentence “Tom finished his homework and he watched TV”?
   Answer: and
8. In the compound sentence “I like chocolate, and I like vanilla,” which kind of clauses are joined?
   Answer: independent
9. What punctuation mark comes after an introductory subordinate clause?
   Answer: comma
10. In the sentence “Although he was late, he still finished the race,” what word signals the start of the subordinate clause?
    Answer: Although

📝 10 Examination-Style 2-Mark Questions on Commas with Compound and Complex Sentences

1. Write a compound sentence using the conjunction “but” and include a correct comma placement.
2. Identify the correct place to put a comma in this sentence: “I wanted to play football but it started to rain.”
3. Combine these two sentences into one compound sentence using “and” with the correct comma: “The dog barked. The cat ran away.”
4. Where should the comma go in this complex sentence: “Because it was raining we stayed inside.”?
5. Rewrite this sentence by adding a comma after the dependent clause: “Although she was tired she finished her homework.”
6. Choose the correct sentence with commas in a compound sentence:
     a) We went to the park but it was closed.
     b) We went to the park, but it was closed.
7. Explain why a comma is needed after the first clause in this sentence: “If it snows, school might close.”
8. Identify the comma mistake in this sentence: “He wanted pizza, but he ate pasta instead.”
9. Combine the ideas using a comma and the word “or”: “Do you want tea? Do you want coffee?”
10. Write a complex sentence using “because” and insert the comma correctly.

These questions focus on helping Year 6 students practise the correct use of commas in both compound and complex sentences, matching the English national curriculum for key stage 2 learners.

📝 10 Examination-Style 4-Mark Questions on Commas with Compound and Complex Sentences for Year 6

Question 1

Explain why commas are used before the conjunction in this sentence:
“I wanted to go to the park, but it started to rain.”

Answer:
Commas are used before the conjunction “but” because it joins two independent clauses. Each clause can stand alone as a sentence. The comma shows a pause to separate the two complete ideas. This helps the reader understand the sentence clearly. Without the comma, the sentence could be confusing. Commas before conjunctions in compound sentences make the meaning clear.

Question 2

In the sentence “Although it was raining, we went outside,” why is there a comma after “raining”?

Answer:
The comma is used after “raining” because it separates the subordinate clause from the main clause. “Although it was raining” is a dependent clause that cannot stand alone. The comma shows where the clause ends and the main idea “we went outside” begins. This helps the reader understand the sentence’s meaning. Commas after introductory subordinate clauses are important for clarity.

Question 3

Rewrite the sentence correctly with commas: “I like apples but I don’t like oranges.”
Explain where the comma goes and why.

Answer:
The sentence should be: “I like apples, but I don’t like oranges.”
The comma goes before “but” because it connects two independent clauses. Commas before conjunctions in compound sentences separate complete ideas. This prevents the sentence from running together and confusing the reader. Using a comma here improves the sentence’s clarity.

Question 4

Explain the difference between using a comma in a compound sentence and in a complex sentence.

Answer:
In a compound sentence, a comma is used before the conjunction (like “and,” “but,” or “or”) that joins two independent clauses. Both parts can be complete sentences on their own. In a complex sentence, commas are used after a subordinate clause when it comes before the main clause. Subordinate clauses add extra information but cannot stand alone. Comma placement depends on which clause comes first.

Question 5

Find and correct the comma mistake in this sentence: “She was tired but, she finished her homework.”
Explain the correction.

Answer:
The sentence should be: “She was tired, but she finished her homework.”
The comma is moved before “but” not after it. In compound sentences, the comma comes before the conjunction joining two independent clauses. The original sentence places the comma incorrectly, which disrupts sentence flow. Correct comma placement helps sentence meaning.

Question 6

Why is there no comma in this sentence: “He studied hard and he passed the test”?
Should one be added? Explain.

Answer:
In this sentence, both parts are independent clauses joined by “and,” so a comma should be added before “and.” The correct sentence is: “He studied hard, and he passed the test.” The comma shows a pause between two complete ideas. Without the comma, the sentence can be harder to read. Using commas with conjunctions in compound sentences is important.

Question 7

Explain why the sentence “If it rains we will stay inside” needs a comma, and where it should go.

Answer:
The sentence needs a comma after the subordinate clause “If it rains.” The correct sentence is: “If it rains, we will stay inside.” The comma separates the dependent clause from the main clause, signaling a pause. This helps the reader understand the sentence better. Commas after introductory dependent clauses improve clarity.

Question 8

Is this sentence punctuated correctly? “I finished my work, so I went out to play.” Explain your answer.

Answer:
Yes, the sentence is correctly punctuated. The comma before “so” separates two independent clauses. Both “I finished my work” and “I went out to play” can be sentences on their own. The comma shows a pause and clarifies the sentence structure. Commas before conjunctions in compound sentences are necessary.

Question 9

Add commas where necessary in this sentence and explain your choices: “Although I was tired I went to the party but I left early.”

Answer:
The sentence with commas: “Although I was tired, I went to the party, but I left early.”
The first comma comes after the subordinate clause “Although I was tired.” The second comma goes before “but” because it connects two independent clauses. These commas help separate different parts of the sentence and make it clearer for the reader.

Question 10

Explain how commas help to improve meaning in complex sentences with an example.

Answer:
Commas help by separating the subordinate clause from the main clause. For example, in “Because it was late, we went home,” the comma shows where the extra information ends. This makes the sentence easier to read and understand. Without the comma, the sentence might confuse the reader. Commas guide the reader through complex sentence structures.

📝 10 Examination-Style 6-Mark Questions on Commas with Compound and Complex Sentences

Question 1

Explain why commas are used before coordinating conjunctions in compound sentences. Provide an example sentence and identify the commas used.

Answer:
Commas are used before coordinating conjunctions such as “and,” “but,” and “or” in compound sentences to separate two independent clauses. This helps the reader understand that each clause can stand as a sentence on its own. For example, in the sentence, “I wanted to go outside, but it started raining,” the comma comes before “but.” This comma signals a pause and shows that the sentence is made up of two complete ideas joined together. Without the comma, the sentence might be confusing or harder to understand. Therefore, the comma helps to clarify the meaning and improve the flow of the sentence.

Question 2

Write a complex sentence with a subordinating conjunction and explain where and why you used commas in the sentence.

Answer:
A complex sentence has one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. For example: “Although it was raining, we went to the park.” In this sentence, a comma is used after the subordinate clause “Although it was raining” because it comes at the beginning of the sentence. The comma separates the subordinate clause from the main clause “we went to the park.” This comma helps the reader pause and understand the sentence clearly. When the subordinate clause comes at the end of the sentence, a comma is usually not needed.

Question 3

Describe how commas should be used around subordinate clauses that are added in the middle of a sentence.

Answer:
When a subordinate clause is added in the middle of a sentence and provides extra information, it should be set off by commas on both sides. This means placing one comma before the clause and one after it. For example, “My friend, who loves reading, won a prize.” The commas show that the clause “who loves reading” is additional information. This helps the sentence stay clear and prevents confusion. Without the commas, the sentence might sound like everyone loves reading, which isn’t true.

Question 4

Give two examples of compound sentences that use commas correctly and explain your choices.

Answer:
Example 1: “I finished my homework, and then I played football.” The comma comes before “and” because it connects two independent clauses.
Example 2: “She likes ice cream, but she doesn’t like chocolate.” The comma before “but” separates the two complete ideas.
In both examples, the commas help the reader know where one idea ends and the next begins. Because each part has its own subject and verb, the rules for compound sentences say to use a comma before the coordinating conjunction.

Question 5

Explain the difference in comma use between a compound sentence and a complex sentence.

Answer:
In a compound sentence, commas are used before coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or) to separate two main clauses. For example, “He ran fast, but he didn’t win.” In a complex sentence, commas are usually used after subordinate clauses if they come at the beginning of the sentence. For example, “After the game, we went home.” However, if the subordinate clause comes at the end, no comma is needed. The difference depends on the sentence structure: compound sentences have two main clauses joined by a conjunction, complex sentences have main and subordinate clauses.

Question 6

Create a complex sentence with a relative clause and explain how commas are used in relative clauses.

Answer:
Here is an example sentence: “My teacher, who loves history, gave us extra homework.” The relative clause “who loves history” adds extra information about “my teacher.” Since this information is not essential (non-defining), it is set off by commas. Without the commas, it would change the meaning because it would suggest only the teacher who loves history gave homework, not all teachers. So commas help clarify when extra, non-essential information is included.

Question 7

Choose a compound sentence and revise it by adding commas where necessary. Explain the changes.

Answer:
Original: “I wanted to watch a film but my sister wanted to play outside.”
Corrected: “I wanted to watch a film, but my sister wanted to play outside.”
Explanation: Because this is a compound sentence with two independent clauses joined by “but,” a comma should come before the conjunction to separate the ideas. This makes the sentence clearer and easier to read.

Question 8

Identify the error in comma use in the following sentence and correct it: “Because it was cold we stayed inside and watched a movie.”

Answer:
The sentence is a complex sentence with the subordinate clause “Because it was cold” at the start. There should be a comma after this clause: “Because it was cold, we stayed inside and watched a movie.” The comma helps separate the subordinate clause from the main clause, making the sentence clearer. No comma is needed before “and” because the final part is not a compound sentence.

Question 9

Write a compound sentence with two independent clauses joined by “or” and explain the comma placement.

Answer:
Example: “You can have tea, or you can have juice.” The comma is placed before the coordinating conjunction “or” to join two independent clauses. Each clause has its own subject and verb, so the comma helps show the two separate ideas. This makes the sentence easier to understand and shows a clear pause between options.

Question 10

Explain why commas are important in writing compound and complex sentences and give two practical tips for using commas correctly.

Answer:
Commas in compound and complex sentences help readers understand the meaning by showing where clauses begin and end. They create pauses and separate ideas to avoid confusion. For example, commas tell us when one thought finishes and another starts. Two tips are: (1) Use a comma before conjunctions like “and,” “but,” or “or” in compound sentences. (2) Use a comma after subordinate clauses at the start of complex sentences. Practising these rules will make writing clearer and easier to read.