Compound Sentence Worksheets 4th Grade

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Add a "Name" and "Date" line at the top Add an answer key as the last page

All 160 sentences

Simple, compound or complex 90

A loose shutter banged against the wall all night.
A row of hollyhocks swayed beside the shed.
A spotted newt crawled under the wet log.
A thick fog covered the valley until noon.
After lunch, the choir practiced in the gym.
After the snow melted, we found my lost mitten.
Although the jigsaw was missing a corner, we framed it anyway.
As the sun set, the lake turned orange.
The audience clapped as the dancers bowed.
The baker's cat sleeps on a flour sack.
Because the ferry left late, we saw only the second act.
Because the pump handle broke, we carried buckets from the stream.
The bees stay in the hive while it rains.
Before sunrise, three shrimp boats chugged past the jetty.
Before the curtain rose, the actors took a deep breath.
The bell rang, and the hallway filled with voices.
The birdbath was empty, so I dragged the hose over.
The calf follows its mother wherever she goes.
The cave was dark, but our lamps were bright.
The cement was still soft, so we roped off the sidewalk.
The chipmunk carried three acorns to its burrow.
The clock in the square strikes every hour.

Show all 160 sentences (138 more)

Simple, compound or complex, continued

The creek iced over, so the geese flew to the open bay.
The crowd grew quiet when the conductor raised her baton.
The dog barks whenever the mail truck stops.
The drawbridge was up, so two tugboats slipped through.
During the storm, the power line sagged over the road.
The farmer whistled, and the sheepdog circled the flock.
The ferry horn startled the gulls.
The ferry was full, so the swim team took the next one.
The goalie and the coach studied the muddy field.
Grandpa planted beans, but the rabbits ate the sprouts.
Hector sketched the lighthouse in his notebook.
The hikers rested on a flat rock and shared an orange.
I brought my kite to the hill, but there was no wind.
I keep a flashlight by my bed since the power goes out often.
I knocked twice, but nobody came to the gate.
I set two alarms, but I still overslept.
I will water the tomatoes before the sun gets too hot.
If the creek rises, the footbridge will close.
If you fold the map carefully, it will fit in your pocket.
In the cellar, we found a trunk of faded maps.
Jada plays the cello, and her brother plays the trumpet.
The kettle whistled, and steam fogged the kitchen window.
The kite dipped because its tail was too short.
The kitten pounced, and the yarn rolled under the couch.
Kofi wears a helmet because the trail is rocky.
Lena and her grandfather mended the fishing net.
The lights flickered, but the movie kept playing.
The map was torn, but we could still read the street names.
Marta and Deshawn built a birdhouse from scrap cedar.
Mei smiled although her team had lost.
The moon rose, and the crickets began to sing.
My brother fed the hens and gathered the eggs.
My shoelace snapped, so I tied the ends in a knot.
Nora tuned her violin, and Ben set up the music stands.
The old mule refused to cross the creek.
Omar swept the porch, and his sister watered the ferns.
On Saturday, my uncle tunes pianos at the music shop.
Once the glue set, the model wing held firm.
Our neighbor paints birdhouses in her garage.
The path was slick with mud, so we laced up our tallest boots.
Priya wound the kite string around a stick.
Ravi studied the star chart, but clouds hid the sky.
The road crew patched the pothole near the bridge.
The scouts folded the tent and carried it to the truck.
Since the library shuts at five, we left right after school.
Six lanterns hung from the old oak.
The soup was hot, but the bread was still frozen.
The spotted pony circled the ring and stopped at the fence.
The stand ran out of peaches, so Mom bought plums.
The team cheered after the goalie blocked the kick.
The tired puppy flopped onto the cool tile.
The tram rattled downhill and squealed around the bend.
The twins and their cousin raced down the dock.
Two tugboats pushed the barge upriver.
Unless the fog lifts, the plane cannot land.
Until the paint dries, nobody may touch the railing.
The waves pulled back, and tiny crabs raced for their holes.
We can climb the stairs, or we can wait for the elevator.
We could paint the fence today, or we could wait for a dry weekend.
We kept walking even though our feet were sore.
We stayed inside until the hail stopped.
We will plant the seedlings if the ground thaws.
When the kiln cooled, Ms. Ortiz unloaded the clay bowls.
When the starting horn sounded, eight rowers pulled hard.
Whenever the wind blows, the porch chimes ring.
While the bread baked, Dad sliced the pears.
You can borrow my raincoat, or you can share my umbrella.
You may read on the rug, or you may write at your desk.

Commas and joining words 70

The alarm rang, ___ Jonah slept through it. but, or, so
Ana likes plums, but her brother prefers figs.
The band started to play and the dancers took the floor.
The battery died, ___ the toy robot stopped. but, or, so
The beavers finished their dam and a pond spread over the meadow.
The box looked heavy, ___ it was full of feathers. but, or, so
Can you lift the watermelon, ___ shall I fetch the wagon? but, or, so
The candle burned low, ___ the room grew dim. but, or, so
Carmen ran her fastest, ___ she missed the train. but, or, so
The cart lost a wheel, and apples rolled everywhere.
Devon rinsed the brushes and capped the paint jars.
Did the cat tip over the vase, ___ did the wind do it? but, or, so
Do you want the window seat, ___ would you rather sit by the aisle? but, or, so
The fence had a gap, ___ the rabbit squeezed out. but, or, so
The gate squeaked, ___ Dad oiled its hinges. but, or, so
The goat jumped the fence and ate the roses.
He searched every drawer, ___ the key never turned up. but, or, so
The hens were roosting, ___ we shut the coop door softly. but, or, so
Hold the rope tight, ___ the kite will get away. but, or, so
I forgot my lunch at home, ___ I had nothing to eat at noon. but, or, so
I looked under the couch but the remote was not there.
I opened the shed and found the missing rake.
I shouted the answer, but the drums drowned me out.
I studied the map, ___ I still took a wrong turn. but, or, so
I waved at Inez but she was looking the other way.
I wore two sweaters, ___ I still shivered. but, or, so
Is the skating rink open tonight, ___ did the ice melt? but, or, so
The kitten is tiny, ___ its meow is loud. but, or, so
The kitten yawned and tucked its nose under its tail.
The label said mild, ___ the salsa burned my tongue. but, or, so
The ladder was tall, ___ it did not reach the roof. but, or, so
The lamp flickered, and then the bulb went out.
The market was shutting its doors so we hurried to the checkout.
The mechanic lifted the hood and checked the oil.
Milo raked the leaves but the wind scattered them again.
My boots were soaked, ___ I set them by the heater. but, or, so
My crayon snapped so Reza lent me his.
My hands were sticky, ___ I washed them at the pump. but, or, so
Our raft drifted so we paddled back with our hands.
The owl hooted and a mouse darted under the shed.
The paint had dried out, ___ we bought a new can. but, or, so
The plane circled twice and landed on the short runway.
The puddle was deep, ___ I walked around it. but, or, so
The puppy whined but nobody opened the door.
The recipe called for limes but we had only lemons.
The rink opened early, so we brought our skates.
Shall we walk to the pier, ___ would you rather ride bikes? but, or, so
Should we toast bagels, ___ should we scramble eggs? but, or, so
The side gate was rusted shut so we walked around to the front.
The sign said open, ___ nobody answered the bell. but, or, so
Snow covered the mountain pass, ___ the bus turned back. but, or, so
Sofia zipped her backpack and ran for the bus.
The sprinkler spun and soaked the newspaper.
Start walking, ___ you will miss the first song. but, or, so
The sun came out and the puddles began to dry.
The sun was out, ___ the lake was icy cold. but, or, so
Tasha missed the bus so her aunt drove her to practice.
The top bunk was too high for Nico, ___ he slept on the bottom one. but, or, so
We can meet at the fountain or I can walk to your house.
We can sit in the shade, or we can wade in the stream.
We could bake scones or we could fry some eggs.
We paddled to the sandbar and ate lunch in the sun.
We planted forty bulbs, ___ only six bloomed. but, or, so
Wear your mittens, ___ your fingers will sting. but, or, so
The whistle blew, and the relay teams lined up.
Will you steer the boat, ___ shall I take the oars? but, or, so
The wind picked up and the tent flaps began to snap.
You can feed the goats or you can brush the pony.
You can sketch the bridge, or you can photograph it.
The zipper jammed, so Gran sewed on three buttons.

How this list was compiled: Written for this page on 2026-10-03. In the first set every sentence is one of three kinds: simple (one clause, even with two subjects or two verbs), compound (two clauses that could each stand alone, joined by a comma and and, but, or or so) or complex (one clause that could stand alone and one that opens with a word such as because, when, if, although, until or while). In the second set a compound sentence either has or lacks its comma, a sentence with one subject and two verbs takes no comma, and the joining word that makes sense is chosen from but, so and or. The kinds follow the Sentence clause structure article of Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentence_clause_structure (license CC BY-SA 4.0), read 2026-10-03. The grades come from the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (L.3.1i, produce simple, compound and complex sentences; L.4.2c, use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence), read on 2026-10-02 in the standards document published at thecorestandards.org. The page follows no curriculum. No person, brand or character is named, and no published worksheet was copied. Licence: own work

How it works

These compound sentence worksheets for 4th grade print eight sentences from our own bank. In the opening set a child circles simple, compound or complex under each one. A second set works on the comma and the joining word.

Read the full guide

Simple, compound or complex

A simple sentence has one clause, even with two subjects or two verbs: The tram rattled downhill and squealed around the bend. A compound sentence joins two with a comma and and, but, or or so. A complex sentence adds a clause that opens with a word such as because, when, if or although.

Compound and complex sentences worksheet for 3rd, 4th or 5th grade

The Common Core names the three kinds in grade 3 (L.3.1i) and the comma in a compound sentence in grade 4 (L.4.2c). For the comma, choose Commas and joining words under Set: a sentence is marked correct or needs a comma, or has a blank for but, so or or. In fifth grade both sets are review.

A sentence with one subject and two verbs takes no comma, so the key marks it correct.

Questions and answers

What is the difference between a compound and a complex sentence?

A compound sentence joins two clauses that could each stand alone: The bell rang, and the hallway filled with voices. A complex sentence has one clause that could not stand alone: We stayed inside until the hail stopped.

Is this a simple and compound sentences worksheet for 3rd grade or 2nd grade?

The opening set mixes simple, compound and complex sentences. The Common Core has second graders produce simple and compound sentences (L.2.1f) and adds complex ones in grade 3 (L.3.1i), so a second grader will meet a kind that comes a year later.

Can I get the compound sentences worksheet as a PDF with answers?

Yes. Press Print worksheet and choose Save as PDF in the print window. The answer key is the last page of the same file; uncheck Add an answer key as the last page under More options to leave it off.

When does a compound sentence need a comma?

When two clauses that could each stand alone are joined by and, but, or or so, the comma goes before the joining word: The rink opened early, so we brought our skates.

All 160 sentences

Simple, compound or complex 90

Simple, compound or complex, continued

Commas and joining words 70

How it works

Simple, compound or complex

Compound and complex sentences worksheet for 3rd, 4th or 5th grade

Questions and answers

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