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Year 4

A new sentence structure: the relative complex sentence

I can identify the structure of a relative complex sentence.

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New
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Year 4

A new sentence structure: the relative complex sentence

I can identify the structure of a relative complex sentence.

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Share activities with pupils
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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The relative clause is a type of subordinate clause, which must join to a main clause to make complete sense.
  2. The relative clause adds extra, relevant information about a noun or noun phrase within a main clause.
  3. A relative clause often interrupts the main clause.
  4. A relative clause joined with a main clause forms the relative complex sentence.

Keywords

  • Relative clause - a type of subordinate clause that starts with a relative pronoun

  • Main clause - a group of words that contains a verb and makes complete sense

  • Relevant - closely related to

  • Interrupt - force to stop or break

  • Relative complex sentence - a sentence formed of a main clause and a relative subordinate clause

Common misconception

Children may be unsure which noun or noun phrase the relative clause should be placed after.

The relative clause is placed after whichever noun or noun phrase it provides extra, relevant information about.


To help you plan your year 4 english lesson on: A new sentence structure: the relative complex sentence, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Use metaphors to teach the idea of the main clause being interrupted - for instance, you could describe the relative complex sentence as a burger, where the bun is the main clause and the meat is the relative clause.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these are true for a subordinate clause?
Correct answer: It contains a verb.
It makes complete sense on its own.
Correct answer: It needs to be joined to a main clause to make complete sense.
It does not contain a verb.
Q2.
What are two relative pronouns that can start a relative clause?
while
when
Correct answer: who
Correct answer: which
Q3.
In the sentence 'The bicycle, which had a red frame, belonged to my little sister', what is the relative clause?
The bicycle
The bicycle belonged to my sister
Correct answer: which had a red frame
belonged to my sister
Q4.
In the sentence 'Wales, which is a part of the UK, is a beautiful country', what noun does the relative clause tell us more about?
Correct answer: Wales
the UK
country
Q5.
Match the noun phrases to the relative clauses they could link to.
Correct Answer:the house,, which was made of wood,
tick

, which was made of wood,

Correct Answer:my cousin,, who is only two years old,
tick

, who is only two years old,

Correct Answer:the farm,, which produces wheat,
tick

, which produces wheat,

Correct Answer:our teacher,, who is very talented,
tick

, who is very talented,

Q6.
Which of the following sentences contain a relative clause?
Correct answer: The house, which was made of wood, sat on a steep hill.
Because the house was made of wood, it burned down.
Correct answer: My cousin, who is only two years old, goes to nursery every day.
When my cousin was two, she went to nursery every day.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which sentence contains a relative clause?
Andeep, a wonderful cricketer, hit the ball for six.
Andeep, a talented child, hit the ball for six.
Correct answer: Andeep, who was a wonderful cricketer, hit the ball for six.
Q2.
Which relative clause could fill this gap? The mountain, ___________, was 3,000m high.
who was very rocky and steep
which was 3,000m high
Correct answer: which was very rocky and steep
who was 3,000m high
Q3.
Match the relative clause to the sentence it completes.
Correct Answer:, who worked hard, ,Lucas, __________, did his best in the test.
tick

Lucas, __________, did his best in the test.

Correct Answer:, which was very small,,The playground, __________, was always crowded.
tick

The playground, __________, was always crowded.

Correct Answer:, which had a bad coach,,The football team, __________, let in seven goals.
tick

The football team, __________, let in seven goals.

Q4.
In the sentence 'Alex won the competition easily', after which word would you place the relative clause 'who danced every day'?
Correct answer: Alex
won
competition
easily
Q5.
Which of these are true for a relative complex sentence?
Correct answer: It contains a relative clause.
Correct answer: It contains a relative pronoun.
Correct answer: It contains a main clause.
It contains an adverbial clause.
Q6.
To combine the two sentences 'Izzy was working hard in Maths.' and 'She was determined to do well', which sentence would be formed?
Izzy, which was determined to do well, was working hard.
Izzy was working hard in Maths, which was determined to do well.
Correct answer: Izzy, who was determined to do well, was working hard in Maths.