Changing Simple Sentences into Complex Using Adjective & Noun Clauses

📘 Did You Know:

  • A simple sentence uses one main clause.
  • A complex sentence uses a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses.

🔄 How to Change a Simple Sentence into a Complex Sentence

We can change simple sentences into complex sentences in three different ways: 

  1. By turning an adjective or participle phrase into a relative clause.
  2. By turning an adverb or adverbial phrase into an adverbial clause. 
  3. By using noun clause.

Forming Complex Sentences with Adjective Clauses

✅ Sentence Type 1: Adjective + Noun 

When a simple sentence has an adjective + noun, we can change it into a complex sentence by turning the adjective into a relative clause using who/which/that.

📚 How to Do It:

  • Step 1: Find the noun and the adjective in the simple sentence.
  • Step 2: Move the adjective after "which is / who is / that is" clause after the noun.
  • The result is a complex sentence with a relative clause.

🧠 Tip for Students:

  • Use “which” for things and “who” for people.
  • The structure is: [Noun] + which/who + verb + adjective or phrase

Here are some examples showing how simple sentences can be changed into complex sentences using relative clauses (who/which/that):

Simple: Mount Everest is a high mountain.
Complex: Mount Everest is a mountain which is high.
Simple: He is a clever student.
Complex: He is a student who is clever.
Simple: It is a tall building.
Complex: It is a building which is tall.

Simple: She is a good singer.
Complex: She is a singer who is good.

Exercise 1:

Turn the following simple sentences into complex by turning the attributive adjective into an adjective clause (relative clause):

Noun Phrase (Adjective + Noun)

  • a) It is a beautiful flower.
  • b) He has a sharp knife.
  • c) We saw a huge elephant.
  • d) She wore a red dress.
  • e) He bought a new phone.
  • f) They live in a small house.
  • g) I need a clean plate.
  • h) She drew a colourful picture.
  • i) He met a kind teacher.
  • j) They have a brave son.

✅ Sentence Type 2: Noun + Participle Phrase 

When a simple sentence has a noun + participle phrase, we can change it into a complex sentence by turning the participle phrase into a relative clause using who/which/that. 

📚 How to Do It:

  • Step 1: Find the noun and the participle (verb + ing) in the simple sentence.
  • Step 2: Turn the participle phrase into a relative clause using which/who + was/were + verb + ing.
  • The result is a complex sentence with a relative clause.

Here are examples showing how simple sentences can be changed into complex sentences using relative clauses (who/which/that):

Simple: I met a boy reading a book.
Complex: I met a boy who was reading a book.
Simple: They saw a man running in the field.
Complex: They saw a man who was running in the field.
Simple: She found a dog barking loudly.
Complex: She found a dog which was barking loudly.

Simple: The police caught a thief escaping from the house.
Complex: The police caught a thief who was escaping from the house.

Exercise 2:

Turn the following simple sentences into complex by turning the participle phrase into an adjective clause (relative clause):

Noun + Participle Phrase (Adjective + Noun)

  • a) I saw a man walking a dog.
  • b) We met a girl singing a song.
  • c) He is a boy reading a book.
  • d) She found a cat sleeping on the bed.
  • e) They helped a child crying loudly.
  • f) He drew a picture showing a sunset.
  • g) She bought a vase made of glass.
  • h) We saw a car parked outside.
  • i) I met a student preparing for exams.
  • j) They helped a woman carrying bags.

Exercise in Action [Grade 9 & 10]

Changing Simple Sentences into Complex Using Adjective Clause

1. Simple to Complex: ADJECTIVE+NOUN

  1. Dhaka is an old city. (Complex)
  2. You may have many good friends. (Complex)
  3. The city dwellers are the worst victim. (Complex)
  4. People in general are fond of glittering things. (Complex)
  5. People in general are fond of glittering things. (Complex)
  6. You may have many good friends. (Complex) 
  7. Fresh air is necessary for our existence. (Complex)
  8. A corrupted man can do anything against morality. (Complex) 
  9. Allah gave the boy a good return. (Complex) 
  10. The prosperity of a society depends upon the reasonable income of its able-bodied person. (Complex)
  11. Dhaka city may be the worst victim of this natural calamity. (Complex) 
  12. Poverty dare not enter the house of a hardworking man. (Complex)
  13. Once there lived a jealous queen. (Complex) 
  14. He was a rebellious poet (Complex)
  15. He was the first boy in the class. (Complex)
  16. Water, a vital element of environment, is polluted in different ways. (complex)
  17. An industrious boy will shine in life. (Complex)
  18. An anger taken person causes a lot of troubles to himself. (Complex)
  19. Tigers are known as ferocious animals. (Complex)
  20. Different   channels telecast attractive programmes. (Complex)

2. Simple to Complex: PRESENT PARTICIPLE/PAST PARTICIPLE

  1. People exposed to loud sound suffer from health hazard. (Complex)
  2. Seeing the frogs, the boys started throwing stones at them. (Complex)
  3. Coming back, Raju was upset to see this. (Complex) 
  4. She went out to work closing the door. (Complex)
  5. The students studying regularly can expect a good result. (Complex)
  6. Students studying here enjoy so many facilities. (Complex) 
  7. The courtier's men were surprised to see Saadi's putting his foods in the pockets of his dress. (Complex) 
  8. The students studying here enjoy a lot of facility (Complex)
  9. She had a stepdaughter named Jesmine. (Complex)  
  10. The students studying regularly can expect a good result. (Complex)
  11. People living below the poverty line lead a miserable life. (Complex)
  12. Hearing those words, the fisherman became brave. (Complex)
  13. People living below the poverty line lead a miserable life. (Make complex sentence)
  14. People living below the poverty line lead a miserable life. (Complex)

Exercise in Action [Grade 9 & 10]

Changing Simple Sentences into Complex Using Adjective Clause

  1. Mr. Rahim, one of my cousins is a good teacher. (Complex)
  2. An industrious man will shine in life. (Complex)
  3. A corrupted man can do anything against morality. (Complex)
  4. Actually, Mother Teresa was a noble hearted person. (Complex sentence)
  5. The idle always lag behind. (Complex)
  6. There lived an old woman in the house. (Complex)
  7. It is a speedy transmitting system of information. (Complex) 
  8. A corrupt man can do anything against morality. (Complex) 
  9. The programmes telecast by television are very interesting. (Complex)
  10. The students studying regularly can expect a good result. (Complex)
  11. Long time ago, there lived a young man called Ruplal. (Complex)
  12. He had a basket full of caps. (Complex) 
  13. A man having patriotic zeal is called a patriot. (Complex)
  14. Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Tarin. (Complex)
  15. Bangladesh is a test-playing country developing its standard day by day. (Complex)
  16. There is cinema to delight in the evening. (Complex)
  17. The person doing otherwise is sure to repent later. (Complex)
  18. He was thought to be dead. (Complex)
  19. He wants his students to be good citizen. (Complex)