Clauses and Sentence Editing — Answers
Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 6 sentences & clauses worksheet.
Year 6 · English · Sentences & Clauses
Clauses and Sentence Editing — Answers
Part A — Diagnose the sentence
A fragment is missing a main clause. A run-on jams two sentences together without proper joining (a comma on its own is not enough). Circle the diagnosis.
- Acomplete sentence
- Bfragment
- Crun-on
Answer: fragment
There is no main clause: who was running, and what happened?
- Acomplete sentence
- Bfragment
- Crun-on
Answer: run-on
Two complete ideas have been pushed together with nothing joining them.
- Acomplete sentence
- Bfragment
- Crun-on
Answer: complete sentence
A subordinate clause plus a main clause: a correct complex sentence.
- Acomplete sentence
- Bfragment
- Crun-on
Answer: run-on
A comma alone cannot join two complete sentences. This is a comma splice, a type of run-on.
- Acomplete sentence
- Bfragment
- Crun-on
Answer: fragment
It tells us when, but never says what happened.
- Acomplete sentence
- Bfragment
- Crun-on
Answer: complete sentence
One subject with two verbs: a correct sentence.
Part B — Repair it
Rewrite each faulty sentence so it is correct. For fragments, add what is missing. For run-ons, join the ideas properly or split them.
Answer: The dog barked all night, so nobody could sleep.
- Also correct: The dog barked all night; nobody could sleep.
- Or: The dog barked all night. Nobody could sleep.
Answer: Sample: Even though the shop was closed, we found what we needed online.
- Answers will vary. The fix must add a main clause.
Answer: I finished the book, and it was brilliant.
- Also correct: I finished the book; it was brilliant.
- Or: I finished the book. It was brilliant.
Answer: Sample: We stood waiting at the bus stop in the pouring rain.
- Answers will vary. The fix must add a subject and a main verb.
Part C — Combine with a relative clause
Join each pair using the relative pronoun in brackets.
Answer: The woman who lives next door is a vet.
Answer: I lost the book that you lent me.
Answer: This is the park where we play cricket.
Answer: My cousin, who lives in Perth, is a chef.
The relative clause adds extra information, so it sits between commas.
Part D — Edit the paragraph
This paragraph has two fragments and two run-ons.
On Saturday we visited the markets by the river. Because the weather was warm. The stalls were crowded, my sister bought a hat. I found a second-hand book that I had wanted for ages we stayed until the stalls closed. A brilliant day.
Model answer: On Saturday we visited the markets by the river. Because the weather was warm, the stalls were crowded. My sister bought a hat, and I found a second-hand book that I had wanted for ages. We stayed until the stalls closed; it was a brilliant day.
Success criteria:
- No fragments remain
- No run-ons or comma splices remain
- Meaning of the original kept
- Sentences joined with suitable conjunctions, semicolons or full stops
Marking tips
- Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
- For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
- Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.