Understand Clause Structure: Main and Subordinate Clauses for Class 6

This Grade 6 worksheet helps learners identify, match, and create main and subordinate clauses. With engaging activities such as underlining, matching, blanks, rewriting, and clause-based sentence formation, students strengthen their grasp of complete sentence building using independent and dependent ideas.

Why Main and Subordinate Clauses Matter in Grammar?

Clauses form the core of sentence structure. For Grade 6 learners, this topic is essential because:

1. Main (independent) clauses make complete sense on their own.

2. Subordinate (dependent) clauses rely on a main clause to complete meaning.

3. Understanding clauses builds complex sentence writing skills.

4. It supports fluency in essays, storytelling, and formal writing.

What’s Inside This Worksheet?

This worksheet includes five multi-format activities to reinforce main and subordinate clause understanding:

🧠 Exercise 1 – Underline and Circle

Students underline the main clause and circle the subordinate clause in 10 compound sentences. (e.g., “If you try hard, you can succeed.”).

📋 Exercise 2 – Match the Columns

Learners match Column A (main clauses) to Column B (subordinate clauses) to create complete and meaningful sentences (e.g., “We started eating” + “after we set the table”).

✏️ Exercise 3 – Fill in the Blanks

Students complete 10 sentence starters with a fitting subordinate clause from context (e.g., “She couldn’t sleep because the thunder was too loud.”).

📝 Exercise 4 – Rewrite the Sentences

Each main clause must be extended into a complete sentence by adding an appropriate subordinate clause. (e.g., “I stayed at home even though my friends went out.”).

🎨 Exercise 5 – Sentence Formation

Students create original sentences using given subordinating conjunctions (*because, although, when, if, unless*), applying their understanding of clause roles.

✅ Answer Key (For Parents & Educators)

Exercise 1 – Main Clause Underlined, Subordinate Clause Circled

1. You can succeed (**main**), If you try hard (**subordinate**)

2. She smiled (**main**), when she saw the gift (**subordinate**)

3. We went inside (**main**), because it started raining (**subordinate**)

4. He still joined the game (**main**), although he was late (**subordinate**)

5. The passengers got down (**main**), when the train arrived (**subordinate**)

6. The teacher explained the topic (**main**), while we listened quietly (**subordinate**)

7. You will understand (**main**), if you pay attention (**subordinate**)

8. I enjoy stories (**main**), that have funny characters (**subordinate**)

9. They stayed at home (**main**), since it was too cold outside (**subordinate**)

10. I waited (**main**), until the bell rang

Exercise 2 – Matching Answers

1 → d) after we set the table

2 → f) when she saw her friends

3 → e) since the music was too loud

4 → a) when the performance ended

5 → b) because it started to rain

6 → c) until everyone settled down

Exercise 3 – Sample Answers

1. because the thunder was too loud

2. because I was feeling unwell

3. when he saw his toy

4. until the bus arrived

5. because of a power cut

6. because I wasn’t hungry

7. when they saw the surprise

8. because she was sleepy

9. since you look tired

10. even though it was raining

Exercise 4 – Sample Completed Sentences

1. I stayed at home even though my friends went out.

2. She laughed when the teacher made a joke.

3. They went inside because it was raining.

4. He didn’t answer although I called him twice.

5. The bell rang after the students settled down.

6. We cancelled the picnic because of the storm.

7. My brother called me when he reached home.

8. The baby fell asleep while listening to music.

9. I took an umbrella because it looked cloudy.

10. We couldn’t finish the task since we were tired.

Exercise 5 – Sample Sentences Using Conjunctions

1. Because it was late, I went to bed early.

2. Although she was tired, she finished her work.

3. When the doorbell rang, we ran to open it.

4. If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors.

5. Unless you study, you won’t pass the test.