Sentence forms and structure
AQA GCSE English Language revision on Sentence forms and structure. Aligned to the AQA GCSE English Language 8700 specification. This bank has 8 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 8)
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Question 1
Which of these is a COMPOUND sentence?
- A) She ran.
- B) She ran quickly down the dark, twisting street.
- C) She ran and he followed.
- D) Although she ran, she was caught.
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Answer: She ran and he followed.
Simple = one clause ('She ran'). Compound = two or more independent clauses joined by FANBOYS conjunctions (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So). Complex = one independent + at least one dependent ('Although she ran, she was caught' starts with a subordinate clause).
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Question 2
A short, sharp sentence in the middle of a long descriptive paragraph is most often used to...
- A) Confuse the reader
- B) Create emphasis or tension
- C) Pad out the word count
- D) Introduce a new topic
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Answer: Create emphasis or tension
'He waited. Listening.' — the short fragment after a longer descriptive run creates a sudden focus, like a freeze-frame. This is structural analysis (an AO2 mark) — name the technique AND say what effect it creates AND why the writer wants that effect.
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Question 3
A 'rhetorical question' is one that...
- A) Asks for a specific answer
- B) Is asked for effect
- C) Has multiple-choice options
- D) Comes from a teacher
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Answer: Is asked for effect
'How could anyone be so cruel?' — the writer isn't expecting a reply; they're making a point and engaging the reader emotionally. Powerful in persuasive writing (Paper 2 Q5). Also useful in creative pieces to shift POV or signal a character's inner thoughts. Don't overuse.
Want to test yourself on the remaining cards for this topic?
5 more questions on Sentence forms and structure — plus mistakes tracking and spaced repetition across the whole English Language spec.