This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Analysis of Complex Sentences”.
1. Identify the principal clause in the given complex sentence.
The chain which her mother bought is very beautiful.
a) The chain which her mother bought
b) her mother bought is very beautiful
c) The chain is very beautiful
d) her mother bought the chain
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Explanation: A complex sentence is the sentence that contains one independent clause in it and one or more dependent clauses connected by subordinating conjunctions. It comes as a complete sentence and cannot stand alone without requiring a second clause. The principal clause is the independent clause in the complex sentence which is divided by a subordinate clause. Here, “The chain is very beautiful” is the principal clause with the subordinate clause, “which her mother bought” in between.
2. Identify the principal clause in the given complex sentence.
This is the phone that I had missed in the shop.
a) missed in the shop
b) This is the phone
c) that I had missed
d) I had missed in the shop
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Explanation: A complex sentence is the sentence that contains one independent clause in it and one or more dependent clauses connected by subordinating conjunctions. It comes as a complete sentence and cannot stand alone without requiring a second clause. Here, the principal clause is “this is the phone” that acts as the independent clause followed by the subordinate clause, “that I had missed in the shop”.
3. Pick the principal clause of the complex sentence from the given options.
The balloon went up when it was inflated with helium.
a) The balloon went up
b) inflated with helium
c) went up when it was inflated
d) it was inflated with helium
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Explanation: Here, the principal clause is “The balloon went up” followed by the subordinate clause, “when it was inflated with helium”. The principal clause in a complex sentence is the main or independent clause which gives meaning without the remaining part of the sentence. The subordinate clause is the dependent clause that does not give meaning when separated from the main clause.
4. Which one is the principal clause of the complex sentence among the given?
Dipika left the party early because she had assignment works to do.
a) she had assignment works to do
b) Dipika left the party early
c) left the party early because she had assignment
d) Dipika had assignment works to do
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Explanation: A complex sentence is a sentence one independent clause and one dependent clause in it. These independent and dependent clauses are connected using a subordinate conjunction. The main clause can stand alone by itself and it is also called the principal clause. Here, “Dipika left the party early” is the principal clause followed by a subordinate clause, “because she had assignment works to do”. The subordinate conjunction is “because”.
5. The principal clause of the complex sentence given is _____
Hema has lost the purse that she had bought today.
a) Hema had bought today
b) that she had bought today
c) Hema has lost the purse
d) the purse that she had bought
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Explanation: The complex sentence contains one independent and one or more dependent clauses that are connected by a subordinate conjunction. They also have two or more subjects and two or more verbs in them. Here, the sentence “Hema has lost the purse that she had bought today” has one main clause “Hema has lost the purse” and one subordinate clause “that she had bought today” along with the subordinate conjunction “that” and is thus the complex sentence among the given. The main clause is the principal clause in any complex sentence. Thus, the principal clause here is, “Hema has lost the purse”.
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