Does a noun clause count as a dependent clause?

Yes. In she said that the bus was late, that the bus was late is a dependent clause doing a noun's job. Add a second independent clause and the sentence becomes compound-complex.

Is a sentence with however in it compound?

Only when however follows a semicolon that joins two independent clauses. The game ran long; however, the bus waited is compound. However can also sit inside a single clause, and then it changes nothing.

What changes from the seventh grade page?

The labels stay the same and the sentences get harder. They run up to twenty words, they put the dependent clause in the middle, and they join clauses with yet and nor as well as and and but.

8th grade compound-complex sentences

8th grade compound-complex sentences worksheets

Eighth graders sort sentences into the same four structures by counting clauses. Simple has one independent clause, compound has two, complex has one plus a dependent clause, and compound-complex has two plus at least one dependent clause. The sentences are longer now, and a noun clause (that school would close early) counts as a dependent clause too.

Free printable PDF worksheet.

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

The kind of sentences you'll fix

Write the structure of each sentence. Choose from the words in parentheses.

“The robot followed the black line perfectly, but it stalled at every sharp turn.” Structure: (complex / compound / compound-complex / simple).
Fixed: “The robot followed the black line perfectly, but it stalled at every sharp turn.” Structure: compound.
“Our group heated the water to boiling; however, the salt still would not dissolve completely.” Structure: (complex / compound / compound-complex / simple).
“Scientists believe that the crater formed when a large meteor struck the ground.” Structure: (complex / compound / compound-complex / simple).

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 an 8th grade sheet

8th grade sheets draw from 52 sentences, 7 to a page. None of these sentences are on 7th grade sheets. 7th grade sheets print 8 to a page.

A few of the sentences:

After the fire drill on Tuesday morning, the eighth graders returned to the gym for the rest of the assembly.
The drummer lost her place in the second song, so the bass player counted her back in.
The wind shifted to the north overnight, and the temperature fell by twenty degrees.

Fix it. Write the structure of each sentence. Choose from the words in parentheses. 7 sentences to fix per page.

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

How to teach this

The labels are the same as last year, so spend the time on the sentences that fool students. Three kinds do most of the damage: a simple sentence padded with phrases (hoping for a better grade, Owen reread the chapter), a complex sentence with two dependent clauses joined by and (when the bell rang and the hallway filled), and a compound-complex sentence whose dependent clause is a noun clause in the middle. Have students bracket every subject and verb pair, then count. The number tells you the label.

Watch for: Two verbs do not make a compound sentence. We packed the cart and wiped the tables has one subject and stays simple. Length is not the test. A simple sentence can run fifteen words if it never adds a second subject and verb pair. A semicolon joins a compound sentence just as a comma and a conjunction do. The mark is different; the count is the same.

Common questions about 8th grade compound-complex sentences

Does a noun clause count as a dependent clause?: Yes. In she said that the bus was late, that the bus was late is a dependent clause doing a noun's job. Add a second independent clause and the sentence becomes compound-complex.
Is a sentence with however in it compound?: Only when however follows a semicolon that joins two independent clauses. The game ran long; however, the bus waited is compound. However can also sit inside a single clause, and then it changes nothing.
What changes from the seventh grade page?: The labels stay the same and the sentences get harder. They run up to twenty words, they put the dependent clause in the middle, and they join clauses with yet and nor as well as and and but.

Related worksheets

Ready to print one?

Need a fresh set of sentences? Download another copy.

Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated September 2026.

Spot a mistake on this sheet? Tell us. · About these worksheets