Sentence Structure: Changing Word Order Worksheet

A complex sentence contains a main clause and a subordinate clause.

Jack went swimming although the water was cold.

The main clause makes sense on its own.

Jack went swimming although the water was cold.

The subordinate clause begins with a connective and does not make sense on its own.

Jack went swimming although the water was cold.

Sometimes order of the clauses can be changed so that the subordinate clause is at the start of the sentence. In this case we need to use a comma to separate the clauses.

Although the water was cold, Jack went swimming.

Starting a sentence with the subordinate clause can make writing more varied and interesting.

Look at the following sentence:

We'll be late if you don't hurry up.

Which part is the subordinate clause?

We'll be late...

....if you don't hurry up.

Look at the following sentence:

I like maths although I find it quite hard.

Which part is the subordinate clause?

Although I find it quite hard...

...I like maths.

How would you rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning?

The sports day was cancelled because it rained so much.

Because it rained so much, the sports day was cancelled.

It rained so much sports day was cancelled.

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

I will go to America next year if I can afford it.

How would you rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning?

You will keep on improving provided you work hard.

Provided you work hard, you will keep on improving.

Provided you work hard you will keep on improving.

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

I can reach the top shelf although I am only nine.

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

You must take your coat in case it rains.

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

You may leave the table once you have eaten all your food.

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

Katie carried on walking as if she hadn't heard her mother calling.

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

We had to wash our hands before we started cooking.

ANSWERS

Question 1

Look at the following sentence:

We'll be late if you don't hurry up.

Which part is the subordinate clause?

CORRECT ANSWER

....if you don't hurry up.

EDDIE SAYS

The trick here is to identify the main clause first. Which bit of the sentence makes sense on its own? 'We'll be late', is the main clause. 'If you don't hurry up' does not make sense without the rest of the sentence. Therefore, this is the subordinate clause.

ANSWERS

Question 2

Look at the following sentence:

I like maths although I find it quite hard.

Which part is the subordinate clause?

CORRECT ANSWER

Although I find it quite hard...

EDDIE SAYS

Good effort! Remember to look for the main clause first, the sentence that would make sense on its own. 'I like maths.' can stand alone as a sentence. 'I find it quite hard', does not make sense on its own as it does not explain what the subject finds hard.

ANSWERS

Question 3

How would you rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning?

The sports day was cancelled because it rained so much.

CORRECT ANSWER

Because it rained so much, the sports day was cancelled.

EDDIE SAYS

Are you getting the hang of this now? Option 1 is the correct rewritten sentence. Let's go through the key things you need to do: First, identify the main clause and the subordinate clause. Then move the conjunction to the start of the sentence and remember to separate the subordinate clause and the main clause with a comma!

ANSWERS

Question 4

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

I will go to America next year if I can afford it.

CORRECT ANSWER

If I can afford it, I will go to America next year.

EDDIE SAYS

Fantastic keep it up! Did you identify the main clause? Once you have got that you can move the subordinate clause to the start of the sentence. Remember to move the conjunction used to the start and separate the two clauses using a comma.

ANSWERS

Question 5

How would you rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning?

You will keep on improving provided you work hard.

CORRECT ANSWER

Provided you work hard, you will keep on improving.

EDDIE SAYS

Option 1 is the correct rewritten sentence because it begins a connective and uses a comma. 'Provided you work hard', can not be a sentence on its own as it does not explain the whole story. This is the subordinate clause so must go at the start of the sentence. Option two is incorrect as it doesn't include your comma!

ANSWERS

Question 6

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

I can reach the top shelf although I am only nine.

CORRECT ANSWER

Although I am only nine, I can reach the top shelf.

EDDIE SAYS

Did you remember to put the conjunction first, in this case 'although'? Just keep reminding yourself that a subordinate clause can not make sense on it's own, it relies the main clause to give the reader the information they need. Keep it up!

ANSWERS

Question 7

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

You must take your coat in case it rains.

CORRECT ANSWER

In case it rains, you must take your coat.

EDDIE SAYS

Well done your nearly there! 'In case it rains' needs to go at the start of the sentence as it is the subordinate clause. It can does not give the reader enough information and relies on the rest of the sentence for it to make sense. Remember you need the comma after the subordinate clause to separate it from the main clause.

ANSWERS

Question 8

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

You may leave the table once you have eaten all your food.

CORRECT ANSWER

Once you have eaten all your food, you may leave the table.

EDDIE SAYS

Amazing effort! 'Once' is the conjunction so comes to the start of the sentence followed by 'you have eaten all your food', as this is the subordinate clause. You then needed to use a comma followed by the rest of the sentence, which is your main clause. Nearly there!

ANSWERS

Question 9

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

Katie carried on walking as if she hadn't heard her mother calling.

CORRECT ANSWER

As if she hadn't heard her mother calling, Katie carried on walking.

EDDIE SAYS

Did you get it? 'As if' comes to the start of the sentence, followed by 'she hadn't heard her mother'. This is the subordinate clause as it does not make sense on it's own. It relies on the the main clause.

ANSWERS

Question 10

Rewrite the following sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning.

(Remember that the subordinate clause begins with a connective and don't forget the comma!)

We had to wash our hands before we started cooking.

CORRECT ANSWER

Before we started cooking, we had to wash our hands.

EDDIE SAYS

Super star effort! Make sure you have started the sentence with the conjunction 'Before'. Then identify the main clause. This should be stand alone sentence. 'We need to wash out hands.' This makes sense on it's own. 'Before we started to cooking', gives us extra information and relies on the main clause in order for it to make sense. This is the subordinate clause. Also remember you need to include your comma when the subordinate clause comes first.

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