Printable Phrases and Clauses Worksheets
Phrases and clauses worksheets teach 4th and 5th graders to tell the difference between word groups and clause units. These printable sheets feature sorting tables, sentence analysis drills, and complete answer keys.
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Structured, printable skill sheets with step-by-step guidance for Phrases and Clauses.
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About Phrases and Clauses
What this skill is
A phrase is a group of related words without both a subject and a verb (such as "in the tall grass"). A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb, and can be independent (able to stand alone) or dependent (needing another clause).
When children learn it
Distinguishing phrases from clauses and analyzing independent versus dependent clauses is taught in 4th and 5th grade language arts (CCSS L.5.1.a) to support sophisticated sentence structure.
Teaching Tips
- Use the "Subject + Verb Checklist": look at the word group and ask two questions: (1) Does it have a subject? (2) Does it have a verb? If it does not have BOTH, it is only a phrase. If it has both, it is a clause. This simple checklist makes worksheets foolproof.
Common Mistakes
- Labeling a long prepositional phrase as a clause because it contains many words.
- Failing to notice that a dependent clause cannot stand alone even though it contains both a subject and a verb.
- Misidentifying introductory participial or prepositional phrases as complete sentences.