Year 6 SATs SPaG worksheet on relative clauses: 11 questions in the style of the SATs, with answers. Free PDF.

3-page A4 PDF from the Tiger Shark Education question bank (Sentences and clauses): two pages of questions (tick one) and an answer page. Example questions: Which relative pronoun correctly completes the sentence? Tick one. The trophy ___ she won is on display. (when, where, that, who) / Which relative pronoun correctly completes the sentence? Tick one. The town ___ she grew up has changed a lot. (which, where, that, who)

What is a relative clause? A relative clause is a type of subordinate clause that describes or gives more information about a noun. It begins with a relative pronoun (who, which, that, whose) or with where or when: The boy, who lived next door, was always late. Relative clauses can also be ‘reduced’ when the pronoun is left out: The book I borrowed was brilliant.

Common mistakes and tips: Children often underline only the relative pronoun rather than the whole clause, or include words that belong to the main clause. Others put commas around every relative clause, even when the information is essential to identify the noun. Ask pupils which noun the clause describes, and remind them that the clause continues until the information about that noun ends.

In the KS2 SATs, grammar and punctuation are tested in a separate paper of around 50 short questions, and this topic regularly appears. The questions on this sheet use the same styles as the test (circle, tick, underline, insert), so children practise the format as well as the knowledge.

Teaching ideas: model the first two questions together and talk through the reasoning, then let children complete the rest independently. Use the answers to group pupils for a follow-up session. For extra challenge, ask children to explain their answers in a full sentence using the correct grammatical terms.

Supporting all learners: for children who find grammar difficult, read the questions aloud and work through the first few together before they continue alone. Colour-coding word classes or clauses on mini whiteboards makes abstract ideas more concrete, and sorting word cards or building sentences from strips helps too. More confident pupils can write their own test-style questions for a partner, with the answers and a short explanation. Once each topic is secure, mix it with others, because the real test does not group questions by topic and pupils need to recognise what each question is asking them to do.