Simple, Compound or Complex? is a free printable Grade 4 English worksheet on naming the structure of a sentence, aligned to Common Core standard L.4.1. 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 25 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

One paper per student

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Simple, Compound or Complex?

L.4.1

NameDate

Sort each sentence into the right column.

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

Sort: The dog barked until the van drove away., When the kettle boiled, Grandma made tea., We ate lunch under a tree., It started to rain, so we went inside., I wanted to skate, but the rink was closed., Snow covered the whole town.

SimpleCompoundComplex

2.Sort each one: Simple or Compound or Complex?

Sort: We can walk, or we can take the bus., We stayed inside because it was raining., A fox crept across the field., The power went off, so we lit a candle., She smiled when she saw the cake., The old clock ticked loudly.

SimpleCompoundComplex

3.Sort each one: Simple or Compound or Complex?

Sort: The baby laughed at the puppy., The wind blew hard, but the tent stayed up., The bus stopped at the corner., The dog barked, and the cat ran up a tree., If you finish early, you can read a book., After the bell rang, the children lined up.

SimpleCompoundComplex

LessonPrint · L.4.1 · Set 25 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Simple, Compound or Complex?

Set 25. Prints on its own sheet.

1.1. I wanted to skate, but the rink was closed. — Compound 2. It started to rain, so we went inside. — Compound 3. Snow covered the whole town. — Simple 4. The dog barked until the van drove away. — Complex 5. We ate lunch under a tree. — Simple 6. When the kettle boiled, Grandma made tea. — Complex
2.1. A fox crept across the field. — Simple 2. She smiled when she saw the cake. — Complex 3. The old clock ticked loudly. — Simple 4. The power went off, so we lit a candle. — Compound 5. We can walk, or we can take the bus. — Compound 6. We stayed inside because it was raining. — Complex
3.1. After the bell rang, the children lined up. — Complex 2. If you finish early, you can read a book. — Complex 3. The baby laughed at the puppy. — Simple 4. The bus stopped at the corner. — Simple 5. The dog barked, and the cat ran up a tree. — Compound 6. The wind blew hard, but the tent stayed up. — Compound

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to L.4.1 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.