What is a relative clause, in kid terms?

A leaning part that starts with who, which, whose, or that and hides in the middle: the bread that Grandma bakes. It cannot stand alone, so the sentence is complex.

Why is After lunch, we read simple and not complex?

After lunch has no who-did-what; it is a phrase, not a clause. A sentence only turns complex when the leaning part has its own subject and verb.

5th grade complex sentences

5th grade complex sentences worksheets

Fifth grade complex sentences worksheets bring in relative clauses (the runner who finished last) and the phrase-opener trap (After lunch, we read is still simple). Labeling at this level is the doorway to the clause work sixth grade expects.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.3.1.i.

Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of sentences you'll get

Read each sentence. Circle the letter of the label that fits.

“Through the night, the generator never missed a beat.” This sentence is: . simple · compound · complex
Answer: simple
“The recipe called for saffron, but the store had none.” This sentence is: . simple · compound · complex
“The debate ended in applause, and both sides shook hands.” This sentence is: . simple · complex · compound

Every print pulls a new set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a 5th grade sheet

5th grade sheets draw from 60 sentences, 10 to a page. All 60 are on 4th grade sheets too, along with 60 more.

A few of the sentences:

The tide went out, and the pools appeared.
Under the overpass, the mural stayed dry.
If the smoke drifts north, the sunsets turn red.

Choose the word. Read each sentence. Circle the letter of the label that fits. 10 questions per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Two refinements this year. First, relative clauses: who finished last is a leaning part hiding mid-sentence. Second, the opener trap: After lunch has no verb, so it is a phrase, and the sentence stays simple. Kids who can argue those two cases own this skill.

Watch for: Kids treat because, when, and although as decoration. Those words are the signal: whatever they start cannot stand alone anymore. An opener like After lunch looks like a clause but has no who-did-what. A phrase opener keeps a sentence simple; a clause opener makes it complex.

Common questions about 5th grade complex sentences

What is a relative clause, in kid terms?: A leaning part that starts with who, which, whose, or that and hides in the middle: the bread that Grandma bakes. It cannot stand alone, so the sentence is complex.
Why is After lunch, we read simple and not complex?: After lunch has no who-did-what; it is a phrase, not a clause. A sentence only turns complex when the leaning part has its own subject and verb.

Related worksheets

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Aligned to Common Core L.3.1.i. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated August 2026.

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