Co-ordinating Conjunctions: Year 6 SPaG

Year 6 SPaG worksheet on co-ordinating conjunctions: 20 SATs-style questions with answers. Free printable PDF.

3-page A4 PDF from the Tiger Shark Education question bank (Sentences and clauses): two pages of questions (circle or underline, tick one) and an answer page. Example questions: Circle the co-ordinating conjunction in the sentence. The river rose so the bridge was closed. / Circle the co-ordinating conjunction in the sentence. I was tired but I kept going.

What are co-ordinating conjunctions? Co-ordinating conjunctions join words, phrases or clauses of equal importance. The main ones are and, but, or and so (plus for, nor and yet, sometimes remembered as FANBOYS). Two main clauses joined by a co-ordinating conjunction make a compound sentence: It was raining, so we stayed in.

Common mistakes and tips: Children often confuse co-ordinating with subordinating conjunctions. A quick test: if both parts of the sentence still make sense on their own when you remove the conjunction, it is probably co-ordinating. Overusing ‘and’ to create long, rambling sentences is another common issue, so ask pupils to choose the conjunction that shows the relationship most precisely.

Quick example to try: give pupils two short sentences, such as ‘The path was steep’ and ‘We kept climbing’, and ask them to join them with and, but and so in turn. Discuss which conjunction shows the relationship between the ideas most accurately.

Questions on this topic appear often in the SATs. The skill also counts in teacher assessment of writing at the end of Year 6, so children benefit from both practice in test style and from using it in their own writing.

Ways to use this worksheet: as a lesson starter or plenary, as a quick assessment before teaching a topic, for intervention groups, or as SATs revision homework. The answer page lets children self-mark. After marking, ask pupils to write two of their own sentences using the skill, so they apply it rather than just recognise it.

Using the correct terminology: the SATs use the terms in the National Curriculum glossary, and children need to recognise them quickly. Display the key term for this topic with a clear definition and an example, and use it consistently in lessons and feedback. When children explain their answers, encourage them to use the term in a full sentence. Short, regular retrieval practice, such as a two-minute quiz on terms from previous weeks, keeps knowledge fresh across the year. Because grammar topics build on one another, gaps from earlier years cause difficulties later, so this sheet is also useful for checking that Year 6 pupils have secure foundations from Years 3 to 5.