Expand and Combine Sentences is a free printable Grade 5 English worksheet on building sentences that show how ideas relate, aligned to Common Core standard W.5.4. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils 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.
B.Because it presents events rather than one person's experience of them
C.Because "I" is informal
2.Which sentence is expanded most usefully?
A.The mill, which had run since 1868, closed on Friday.
B.The mill closed on Friday, and it was a Friday.
C.The mill, which was a mill, closed.
3.When is a short sentence the better choice?
A.Never
B.When you want the statement to land hard
C.Only at the start of a paragraph
4.Which shows a difference between spoken and written English?
A.Speech can trail off; writing usually finishes the thought
B.Speech uses more commas
C.Writing is always formal
5.Which sentence uses its punctuation to create a pause for effect?
A.She said yes eventually and that was that.
B.She, said, yes.
C.She said yes. Eventually.
6.Combine: "The bell hung in a barn. It was green with damp." Which is best?
A.The bell hung in a barn and it was green with damp and it was there a long time.
B.Green with damp the bell hung in a barn.
C.The bell, green with damp, hung in a barn.
7."He would rather not say." Why might a writer report this instead of quoting it?
A.Because quotations are banned
B.To keep the focus on the refusal rather than the words
C.To save space
8.You are writing dialogue for a character from a particular place. What should guide you?
A.The shortest possible words
B.How that person would really speak
C.Formal written standard, always
LessonPrint · W.5.4 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Expand and Combine Sentences
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.Because it presents events rather than one person's experience of them
2.The mill, which had run since 1868, closed on Friday.
3.When you want the statement to land hard
4.Speech can trail off; writing usually finishes the thought
5.She said yes. Eventually.
6.The bell, green with damp, hung in a barn.
7.To keep the focus on the refusal rather than the words
8.How that person would really speak
Questions about Expand and Combine Sentences
What does the Expand and Combine Sentences worksheet cover?
It practises building sentences that show how ideas relate — 8 questions for Grade 5, all on Common Core W.5.4: Shape a piece so its organisation fits its task, purpose and reader. The instruction to pupils is “Tick the right answer”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which Common Core standard does Expand and Combine Sentences practise?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4 — W.5.4, in the Writing domain for Grade 5. The published standard reads: “Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.” The worksheet assesses that standard rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
Expand and Combine Sentences is written for Grade 5, typically ages 10-11. It is one of the sheets on W.5.4, so it suits any pupil working at that standard — including older pupils revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does Expand and Combine Sentences come with an answer key?
Yes. All 8 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 Expand and Combine Sentences can I print?
25 — one per pupil, 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 Expand and Combine Sentences free to print and photocopy?
Yes. Expand and Combine Sentences, 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 W.5.4
Shape a piece so its organisation fits its task, purpose and reader.