EdPlace's Y7 Home Learning English Lesson: Using Different Sentence Types




Now...onto the lesson!


Key Stage 3 statutory requirement for English 
Year 7 students should be able to write accurately, fluently, effectively and at length for pleasure and information.


Capitalising in creative writing

Most young writers have a ‘go-to’ sentence structure which they use over and over again. So how do we encourage children to reduce repetition, by using a variety of sentence lengths?

Why not follow our step by step approach to see if your child can:

1) Understand why writers use different sentence lengths

2) Identify the different types of sentences and if they’ve really cracked it

3) Create a piece of writing that uses a range of sentence types


Step 1 - Learning the Lingo!

Before we try to create rhythmic writing, it’s important to check that your child understands what the key terminology means. 

Here are the three main sentence types:

1) A Simple Sentence contains a subject and a verb e.g. The cat sat on the mat.

2) A Compound Sentence is two simple sentences joined by a connective e.g. The cat sat on the mat and purred as it drifted off to sleep.

3) A Complex Sentence adds extra information:

a)   between two commas e.g. The cat, which was feeling tired, sat on the mat. 

b) at the beginning or end, using a comma e.g. Feeling tired, the cat sat on the mat.


Step 2 - Being the teacher

Before asking your child to use a variety of sentence types, it is important for them to understand WHY this will improve the flow of their writing. The following paragraph relies heavily on just ONE type of sentence, a simple sentence. Read it aloud to get an idea of why we need to use different sentence types.


Tim and Jack went to the beach.  They were going surfing. The beach was empty. They chose the best spot. They started to get out the surfboards. There was a loud splash. Then there was a shout. Tim and Jack ran forward. Something moved in the water. They saw a hand waving. Someone had fallen in the water.


Step 3 - Sentence Length in Action

Once your child has understood the importance of varying their sentence lengths, they can then practise using the different types in their writing.

If we look at this paragraph again, we can see how much more interesting it becomes to read when we use the three different sentence types: simple, compound and complex.

It was a beautiful, sunny day so Tim and Jack decided to visit the beach. Feeling excited, they collected everything they would need for a great day’s surfing on the ocean they loved so much. Realising that the beach was empty when they arrived, they were delighted to be able to choose a spot right next to the very best waves. Just as they unpacked their surf boards there was a splash. Then a terrified scream. Sprinting forwards, the boys arrived at the water’s edge just in time to see….


Step 4 - Give it a Go

Why not have a go at identifying these sentence types? 

1) The shoplifter had stolen clothes, so he ran once he saw the police.

2) They spoke to him in Spanish, but he responded in English.

3) After eating dessert at the Ice Cream Parlour, Jack went to the gym to exercise.

4) The baby cried for food.

5) The fields, which were covered in dew, shimmered in the sunlight.



Step 5 - And... off you go!




Activity 1: Revise Sentence Types

Activity 2: Sentence Structure: Creating Variety in Your Writing

Activity 3: Revise Conditional Sentences

Activity 4: Recognise Relative Clauses

Activity 5: Revise the Structure of Complex Sentences




All English, maths and science from Year 1 - GCSE





1) Compound

2) Compound

3) Complex

4) Simple

5) Complex