Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Table of Contents
Quick and Handy Grammar Review: Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs 2
Exercise 1:
Complete each sentence with an appropriate dependent clause.

Exercise 2:
Punctuate the sentences.

Exercise 3:
Write ten contrast sentences based on the information in the chart.

Exercise 4:
Write five sentences comparing two of your relatives. Use while and whereas.

Exercise 5:
Complete the sentences with something surprising or unexpected.

Exercise 6:
Error Correction. Rewrite the sentences, correcting the mistakes.

Exercise 7:
Write the missing adverbs in the blanks, and punctuate the sentences correctly.

Answer Key

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Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Quick and Handy Grammar Review: Complex Sentences

We have already studied simple sentences and compound sentences. Now it is time to analyze the last sentence
type, complex sentences. A complex sentence has two clauses, one independent and one dependent. There
must be at least one independent clause to make a complete sentence. A dependent clause cannot stand on its
own. It must be accompanied by an independent clause. There are two possible combinations of clauses in a
complex sentence.
1. Dependent + Independent
2. Independent + Dependent
Lets analyze each of them:
1. The first type of complex sentence is more common. This sentence begins with an adverb followed by the
subject and verb. A comma goes in the middle of the sentence. Then there is another subject and verb. The formula
is:
Adverb SV, SV.
The first clause is dependent. The second clause is independent.
Although Henrietta eats a lot, he is very thin.
(Adv)
(Subject) (Verb) , (S) (V)
[dependent clause]
[independent clause]
Notice that the sentence has two clauses: the first independent, and the second dependent.
Because it was raining, Toshiko stayed home.
After Bobbie cleaned the kitchen floor, he cooked dinner.
If you get home before 10, you should call me.
Although Jim has short legs, he is a very fast runner.
Because introduces a result clause. After begins a time clause. If starts a conditional sentence. Although
introduces contrast.
2. In the second type of complex sentence, we may switch the order of the two clauses. We may begin with an
independent clause and end with a dependent clause. The formula is:
SV adverb SV.
Notice that there is no comma in the middle of this kind of sentence.
Cordelia feels very sad because she misses her friends.
(Subject)(Verb)
(Adv) (S) (V)
[independent clause]
[dependent clause]
We will have a party when our cousin gets out of jail.
I still love you although you are a liar.
Mark eats in expensive restaurants although he has no money.
Teresa will help you if you ask her.

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Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Quick and Handy Grammar Review Continued: Complex Sentences for Contrast
In this unit, we use complex sentences to write about contrast. There are two common cases of contrast:
unexpected situations and opposites.
1. For unexpected situations, we use three common adverbs: although, though, and even though, which all
have the same meaning. Lets see how a sentence is constructed. We begin with a dependent clause:
Although Phyllis is rich
The connotation of the clause is positive: it is good to be rich. However, because the sentence begins with the
word although, we know that something negative is coming up. The second clause is independent. It will introduce a surprise (something unexpected).
Although Phyllis is rich, she doesnt spend a dime.
Because Phyllis has a lot of money, you expect her to buy many things, eat out all the time, and go to shows and
concerts. However, she holds onto her money, which is a surprising, unexpected thing.
2. The adverbs while and whereas are also used in contrast sentences. Note that while has a different meaning
than when we use it in time sentences, where it means at the same time [While I was taking a shower, I sang the
latest Shakira song]. In contrast, while and whereas are used for direct opposites. We begin with a dependent
clause:
While Victor is a pessimist
This clause has a negative connotation. Victor has a negative view of life. In the second clause, we have to
introduce an opposite idea, usually with a different person.
While Victor is a pessimist, Maria is an optimist.
The second clause is positive. Victor and Maria have opposite attitudes.
Complex sentences for contrast may also follow the other formula, starting with an independent clause:
Mara has a lot of money in the bank even though her salary is not high.
Rose loves opera whereas Hank finds it boring.
I ate everything on my plate although the food was terrible.
Despite the fact that and in spite of the fact that
These formal phrases also introduce dependent clauses. Like although, though, and even though, they are used
in contrast sentences in which the other clause introduces a surprise or unexpected situation.
Despite the fact that it was raining hard, the game was not canceled.
You would expect the game to be canceled if it is raining hard. The fact that they played the game is a surprise.
In spite of the fact that Barcelona played a better game, they lost 10.
Again, it is surprising that Barcelona lost the game because they played better. Of course, in sports (and in life),
the unexpected often happens.
Despite and in spite of
Dont forget that despite and in spite of, without the phrase the fact that, must be followed only by a noun or
gerund. We wont practice them in this lesson, but here is an example:
Despite the rain, the game was not canceled. / The game was not canceled despite the rain.
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Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Exercise 1:
Complete each sentence with an appropriate dependent clause.

1. Because it is raining,
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. Although John lives close to school,
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. If you need my help,
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. While my brother is very tall,
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. When Olivia passed the nursing examination,
___________________________________________________________________________________
6. After I cleaned my apartment,
___________________________________________________________________________________
7. While Mary is always on time, her sister Josie
___________________________________________________________________________________
8. Although she studied all night for the examination, Rosa
___________________________________________________________________________________
9. While Nancy is an excellent worker, Mario
___________________________________________________________________________________
10. Although Paul never has much money,
___________________________________________________________________________________

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Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Exercise 2:
Punctuate the following sentences.
1. While my father loves spicy food my mother hates it.
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. Although Nick runs very slowly he is an excellent defender in soccer.
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. Sal will pick up little Joey from preschool if you dont get back in time.
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. I love you because you always help me with my homework.
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. Because the weather was so bad they canceled the trip to the museum.
___________________________________________________________________________________
6. While Joe always gets high grades Lester never gets more than a C.
___________________________________________________________________________________
7. After she drove her brother to school Victoria stopped for coffee.
___________________________________________________________________________________
8. Hank is always happy while his sister Gina is often sad.
___________________________________________________________________________________
9. The teacher corrected the exams after she listened to music for an hour.
___________________________________________________________________________________
10. Patrick gets excellent grades although he never studies.
___________________________________________________________________________________

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Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Exercise 3:
Analyze the following chart.

Marcia, age 31

Hilda, Marcias sister, age 26

high salary

low salary

lives in a contemporary house

lives in a very old house

lives close to work

lives far from work

very tall

short

outgoing

shy

an optimist

a realist

Write ten contrast sentences based on the information in the chart.

1. While Marcia __________________________________________________________________________.

2. While Hilda is _________________________________________________________________________.
3. While Marcia is an optimist, ______________________________________________________________.
4. Marcia is __________________________________ whereas Hilda is _____________________________.
5. Marcia lives ________________________________ while Hilda ________________________________.
6. While Hilda is a _______________________________________________________________________.
7. While Marcia is 31 years old, _____________________________________________________________.
8. Hilda is shy while ______________________________________________________________________.
9. Hilda earns a low salary whereas ___________________________________________________________.
10. Marcia has an excellent job while __________________________________________________________.

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Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Exercise 4:
Write five sentences comparing two of your relatives. Use while and whereas.
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 5:
Complete the sentences with something surprising or unexpected.
1. Although Han Jin weighs only 82 pounds (37 kg), _________________________________________.
2. Though it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38C), ________________________________________.
3. Even though Ms. Hanbury is a very strict professor, ________________________________________.
4. Despite the fact that Omar never studied music, ___________________________________________.
5. In spite of the fact that Marta did not read the book, ________________________________________.
6. Even though Inge does not come from Russia, ____________________________________________.
7. Despite the fact that Manchester United is a much better team, ________________________________.
8. _______________________________________ in spite of the fact that it is 200 miles (322 km) away.
9. _____________________________________________ despite the fact that she is relatively unknown.
10. _____________________________________ even though he was not the best worker in the company.

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Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Exercise 6:
Error Correction. Indicate what is wrong with each sentence. Then rewrite the sentences, correcting the mistakes.

1. Although she has passed all the examinations for her degree in medicine.
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. Ashraf is thin although he doesnt eat much.
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. The course is difficult in spite of the fact that the teacher is not good.
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. Though the meeting took place in the next room, everyone was on time.
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. Greta plays well even though she studied music for 11 years.
___________________________________________________________________________________
6. In spite of the fact that it was raining, the picnic was canceled.
___________________________________________________________________________________
7. While Jill is cheap, her brother is also cheap.
___________________________________________________________________________________
8. Maya lives in a hotel whereas Barbara also lives in a hotel.
___________________________________________________________________________________
9. Kevin got a low grade in spite of the fact that he did not study.
___________________________________________________________________________________
10. Despite the fact that the road was closed due to heavy snow.
___________________________________________________________________________________

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Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Exercise 7:
Write the missing adverbs in the blanks, and punctuate the sentences correctly.

1. _________________ Nabuko lives far from Keiko she sees her every weekend.

2. Amy doesnt speak Vietnamese well _________________ she lived in Hanoi for six years.

3. Ken lives in a big city _________________ his brother Jeffrey lives in a small town.

4. _________________ the lecture was very interesting Richard fell asleep.

5. _________________ it is located right in the middle of Europe Switzerland did not participate in

World War II.

6. _________________ the bag cost $1400 dollars Carla bought it for her mother.

7. _________________ Egypt has many rivers and lakes Morocco has a large desert.

8. _________________ Sami is tall handsome and rich he has few friends.

9. _________________ the winters are very cold people in Minnesota love to take walks in the park.

10. People still visit the old part of the city _________________ the area is very dangerous.

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Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Answer Key
Exercise 1: Complete each sentence with an appropriate dependent clause. (Answers will vary. Here are some examples.)
1. Because it is raining, we had better not go on a picnic.
2. Although John lives close to school, he is often late for class.
3. If you need my help, I will be there for you.
4. While my brother is very tall, my sister is quite short.
5. When Olivia passed the nursing examination, she was very happy.
6. After I cleaned my apartment, I relaxed on the couch for an hour.
7. While Mary is always on time, her sister Josie is always late.
8. Although she studied all night for the examination, Rosa did not get an A.
9. While Nancy is an excellent worker, Mario is a lazy dog.
10. Although Paul never has much money, he is always generous.
Exercise 2: Punctuate the sentences.
1. While my father loves spicy food, my mother hates it.
2. Although Nick runs very slowly, he is an excellent defender in soccer.
3. Sal will pick up little Joey from preschool if you dont get back in time.
4. I love you because you always help me with my homework.
5. Because the weather was so bad, they canceled the trip to the museum.
6. While Joe always gets high grades, Lester never gets more than a C.
7. After she drove her brother to school, Victoria stopped for coffee.
8. Hank is always happy while his sister Gina is often sad.
9. The teacher corrected the exams after she listened to music for an hour.
10.Patrick gets excellent grades although he never studies.
Exercise 3: Write ten contrast sentences based on the information in the chart. (Answers may vary.)
1. While Marcia lives in a contemporary house, Hilda lives in an old house.
2. While Hilda is short, Marcia is very tall.
3. While Marcia is an optimist, Hilda is a realist.
4. Marcia is very tall whereas Hilda is short.
5. Marcia lives close to work while Hilda lives far from work.
6. While Hilda is a realist, Marcia is an optimist,.
7. While Marcia is 31 years old, Hilda is 26 years old.
8. Hilda is shy while Marcia is outgoing.
9. Hilda earns a low salary while Marcia has a high salary.
10.Marcia has an excellent job while Hilda does not.
Exercise 4: Write five sentences comparing two of your relatives. (Answers will vary. Here are some examples.)
1. While my mother is an excellent cook, my sister is clueless in the kitchen.
2. While my sister is very generous, my cousin is really cheap.
3. My father is 61 years old whereas my mother is only 50.
4. My brother Bob works in a factory while my sister Jill is a nurse.
5. My aunt and uncle live in the city whereas my mother and father live in the suburbs.
Exercise 5: Complete the sentences with something surprising or unexpected. (Answers will vary. Here are some examples.)
1. Although Han Jin weighs only 82 pounds (37 kg), she is the best boxer in the class.
2. Though it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38C), Anmol and Gita took a 30-minute jog.
3. Even though Ms. Hanbury is a very strict professor, her students love her.
4. Despite the fact that Omar never studied music, he has a beautiful voice.
5. In spite of the fact that Marta did not read the book, she participated in the discussion.
6. Even though Inge does not come from Russia, she speaks Russian perfectly.
7. Despite the fact that Manchester United is a much better team, they might lose against Juventus.
8. We drove to Washington in only three hours in spite of the fact that it is 200 miles (322 km) away.
9. Barbara Urkel won the election despite the fact that she is relatively unknown.
10.Henry Johnson became the new vice president even though he was not the best worker in the company.

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Complex Sentences and Contrast Adverbs

Grammar Practice Worksheets

Exercise 6: Error Correction. Rewrite the sentences, correcting the mistakes. (Answers will vary. Here are some examples.)
1. Although she has passed all the examinations for her degree in medicine.
This is an incomplete sentence. Although introduces a dependent clause, but there is no independent clause.
Although she has passed all the examinations for her degree in medicine. Maria is still not a doctor.
2. Ashraf is thin although he doesnt eat much.
The first clause does not introduce a surprise. Of course Ashraf would be thin if he didnt eat much.
Ashraf is thin although he eats a lot.
3. The course is difficult in spite of the fact that the teacher is not good.
The fact that the teacher is not good makes the course even more difficult.
The course is difficult in spite of the fact that the teacher is good.
4. Though the meeting took place in the next room, everyone was on time.
The second clause does not introduce a surprise. Of course everyone was on time. They only had to walk to the next room.
Though the meeting took place in the next room, no one was on time.
5. Greta plays well even though she studied music for 11 years.
Greta studied music for a long time. You might expect her to play well. The fact that she plays well is not a surprise.
Greta cannot play well at all even though she studied music for 11 years.
6. In spite of the fact that it was raining, the picnic was canceled.
The fact that the picnic was canceled is not a surprise. It was raining.
In spite of the fact that it was raining, the picnic was not canceled.
7. While Jill is cheap, her brother is also cheap.
While should introduce an opposite. Here, sister and brother are very similar.
While Jill is cheap, her brother is very generous.
8. Maya lives in a hotel whereas Barbara also lives in a hotel.
Again, Maya and Barbara are similar in this respect. Whereas should introduce an opposite.
Maya lives in a hotel whereas Barbara lives in her own apartment.
9. Kevin got a low grade in spite of the fact that he did not study.
The first clause is not surprise. People who do not study do not often get high grades.
Kevin got a high grade in spite of the fact that he did not study.
10. Despite the fact that the road was closed due to heavy snow.
This is an incomplete sentence. Despite the fact that introduces a dependent clause, but there is no independent clause.
Despite the fact that the road was closed due to heavy snow, we still got to the concert on time.
Exercise 7: Write the missing adverbs in the blanks, and punctuate the sentences correctly. (Answers may vary.)
1. Although Nabuko lives far from Keiko(,) she sees her every weekend.
2. Amy doesnt speak Vietnamese well despite the fact that she lived in Hanoi for six years. [no punctuation]
3. Ken lives in a big city while his brother Jeffrey lives in a small town. [no punctuation]
4. In spite of the fact that the lecture was very interesting(,) Richard fell asleep.
5. Although it is located right in the middle of Europe(,) Switzerland did not participate in World War II.
6. In spite of the fact that the bag cost $1400 dollars(,) Carla bought it for her mother.
7. While Egypt has many rivers and lakes(,) Morocco has a large desert.
8. Despite the fact that Sami is tall(,) handsome(optional ,) and rich(,) he has few friends.
9. Although the winters are very cold(,) people in Minnesota love to take walks in the park.
10. People still visit the old part of the city despite the fact that the area is very dangerous. [no punctuation]
Note: Although, though, even though, despite the fact that, and in spite of the fact that may all be used in the sentences, with no
difference in meanings. While and whereas are used for opposites.
Spelling Note: This lesson shows the American spelling of the word Canceled. Most other English-speaking countries spell it this
way: Cancelled. Also, the North American spelling of the word Analyze is Analyse in British spelling. Make it a challenge for your
students to find these words in the lesson and see if they know the alternate spellings.

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