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Simple or Compound? is a free printable Grade 3 English worksheet on telling one complete thought from two joined ones, aligned to Common Core standard L.3.1. It prints 3 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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All 25 sets ask different questions.

Simple or Compound?

L.3.1

NameDate

Sort each sentence into the right column.

1.Sort each one: Simple sentence or Compound sentence?

Sort: Rain dripped from the roof., The bell rang, and the children lined up., The train left the station., You can draw a picture, or you can write a poem., The dog barked, and the cat ran away., We ate lunch under the tree.

Simple sentenceCompound sentence
2.Sort each one: Simple sentence or Compound sentence?

Sort: The bread rose in the oven., The sun came out, so we went to the park., Mia found a shell, and she gave it to me., Leo likes apples, but his brother likes pears., Grandpa fixed the old clock., Our teacher read us a story.

Simple sentenceCompound sentence
3.Sort each one: Simple sentence or Compound sentence?

Sort: We could bake a cake, or we could make pancakes., The moon rose over the hill., The baby fell asleep., My sister plays the violin., The path was icy, but nobody fell., I wanted to go out, but it was raining.

Simple sentenceCompound sentence

LessonPrint · L.3.1 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Simple or Compound?

Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. Rain dripped from the roof. — Simple sentence 2. The bell rang, and the children lined up. — Compound sentence 3. The dog barked, and the cat ran away. — Compound sentence 4. The train left the station. — Simple sentence 5. We ate lunch under the tree. — Simple sentence 6. You can draw a picture, or you can write a poem. — Compound sentence
  2. 2.1. Grandpa fixed the old clock. — Simple sentence 2. Leo likes apples, but his brother likes pears. — Compound sentence 3. Mia found a shell, and she gave it to me. — Compound sentence 4. Our teacher read us a story. — Simple sentence 5. The bread rose in the oven. — Simple sentence 6. The sun came out, so we went to the park. — Compound sentence
  3. 3.1. I wanted to go out, but it was raining. — Compound sentence 2. My sister plays the violin. — Simple sentence 3. The baby fell asleep. — Simple sentence 4. The moon rose over the hill. — Simple sentence 5. The path was icy, but nobody fell. — Compound sentence 6. We could bake a cake, or we could make pancakes. — Compound sentence

Questions about Simple or Compound?

What does the Simple or Compound? worksheet cover?

It practices telling one complete thought from two joined ones — 3 questions for Grade 3, all on Common Core L.3.1: Use nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and the right subject-verb agreement. The instruction to students is “Sort each sentence into the right column”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.

Which Common Core standard does Simple or Compound? practice?

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1 — L.3.1, under Language for Grade 3. The published standard reads: “Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.” The worksheet assesses that standard rather than a paraphrase of it.

What age or grade is this worksheet for?

Simple or Compound? is written for Grade 3, typically ages 8-9. It is one of the sheets on L.3.1, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.

Does Simple or Compound? come with an answer key?

Yes. All 3 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.

How many different versions of Simple or Compound? can I print?

25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.

Is Simple or Compound? free to print and photocopy?

Yes. Simple or Compound?, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.

More practice for L.3.1

Use nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and the right subject-verb agreement.

All Grade 3 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to L.3.1 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.