Writing Strategies. Sentence Combining

Transcription

1 Writing Strategies Sentence Combining

2 When combining sentences, be sure to: Use conjunctions correctly FANBOYS Because, if, since, although, etc Focus on Clarity The sentence should be easy to understand and make sense. Focus on Rhythm The sentence sounds good It flows It is not choppy Get rid of unneeded words and phrases

3 1a. The Good, the Okay, and the Ugly You might wish they weren t there sometimes. The truth is that traffic signals help keep things moving. The Ugly: Because the truth is that traffic signals help keep things moving, you might wish they weren t there sometimes. Why is this ugly? The Okay: You might wish they weren t there sometimes, and the truth is that traffic signals help keep things moving. Why is this okay? The Good: You might wish they weren t there sometimes, but the truth is that traffic signals help keep things moving. Why is this good?

4 1b. What is the best way to combine the sentences? They took the baseball cards from the attic. They traded the cards at the flea market. They took the baseball cards from the attic and traded them at the flea market. The attic had baseball cards that they took and traded the cards at the auction They traded the cards at the auction that they took from the attic.

5 2a. The Good, the Okay, and the Ugly The elephants charged towards the mud pit. The elephants wanted to cool off. The Ugly: To cool off, the elephants charged towards the mud pit because the elephants were hot and the mud pit wasn t. Why is this ugly? The Okay: The elephants wanted to cool off so the elephants started to charge towards the mud pit. Why is this okay? The Good: The elephants charged towards the mud pit because they wanted to cool off. Why is this good?

6 2b. What is the best way to combine the sentences? The cowdogs watch the chicken coop. They protect the chickens from wolves. Protecting the chickens from wolves, the cowdogs watch the chicken coop for wolves. They protect the chickens from wolves as the cowdogs watch the chicken coop. The cowdogs watch the chicken coop to protect the chickens from wolves. The cowdogs watch the chicken coop and they protect the chickens from wolves.

7 3a. The Good, the Okay, and the Ugly Hank ran away from home. He thought no one loved him The Ugly: Hank ran away from home and Hank ran away from home because he thought no one loved him. Why is this ugly? The Okay: No one loved Hank and so Hank ran away from home. Why is this okay? The Good: No one loved Hank, so he ran away from home. Hank ran away from home because no one loved him. Why are these good?

8 3b. What is the best way to combine the sentences? The glass is tall. The glass is red. The glass is full of ice cream. The glass is tall, the glass is red, and it is full of ice cream. The tall glass is full of ice cream and it is red. The glass full of ice cream is tall and red. The tall, red glass is full of ice cream.

9 4a. The Good, the Okay, and the Ugly Stanley spat in his hole. He showered. Stanley changed into his cleaner set of clothes The Ugly: Stanley showered and he spat in the hole and Stanley changed into his cleaner set of clothes Why is this ugly? The Okay: Stanley spat in his hole and he showered and he changed into his cleaner set of clothes. Why is this okay? The Good: After Stanley spat in the hole, he showered and changed into a cleaner set of clothes. Stanley spat in the hole, then showered and changed into a cleaner set of clothes. Why are these good?

10 4b. What is the best way to combine the sentences? Her grandmother is 85. Her grandmother lives in Chicago. Her 85 year old grandmother lives in Chicago. Her grandmother is 85 and her grandmother lives in Chicago. Her grandmother lives in Chicago and she is 85. Her grandmother is 85, she lives in Chicago.

11 5a. The Good, the Okay, and the Ugly They took the cats to other lands. They traded them for treasures in these lands. The Ugly: To other lands taking the cats, while trading them for treasures there. Why is this ugly? The Okay: They took the cats, but then they traded them for treasures in other lands. Why is this okay? The Good: They took the cats to other lands and traded them for treasures. Why are these good?

12 5b. What is the best way to combine the sentences? Marvin caught three fish that were wiggling. They were trout. Marvin caught trout and they were wiggling three fish. Marvin caught three wiggling trout. Marvin s three wiggling fish were trout and they were caught. Marvin caught three trout that were wiggling.

13 6a. The Good, the Okay, and the Ugly Elmer would sit in his room during summer. He would listen to music for hours. The Ugly: He would sit in his room during summer as Elmer listened to music for hours. Why is this ugly? The Okay: Elmer would sit in his room during summer and he would listen to music for hours. Why is this okay? The Good: During summer, Elmer would sit in his room and listen to music for hours. During summer, Elmer spent hours listening to music in his room. Why are these good?

14 6b. What is the best way to combine the sentences? The band s first album came out in It was called Ten. Ten, the band s first album, came out in The band s first album came out in 1991 but was called Ten. The band s first album was called Ten, and the album came out in Ten was the bands first album and it came out in 1991.

15 7a. The Good, the Okay, and the Ugly My parents gave me my dream horse. Her name is Goldie. She is a beautiful palomino. The Ugly: My parents gave me a palomino who is beautiful and a horse that is a dream of mine. Why is this ugly? The Okay: My parents gave me a dream horse called Goldie and she is beautiful and a palomino. Why is this okay? The Good: My parents gave me my dream horse, a beautiful palomino named Goldie. Why is this good?

16 7b. What is the best way to combine the sentences? Pompeii was a rich and wonderful city. Pompeii was destroyed by a great volcano. The volcano was called Mount Vesuvius. Pompeii was a rich and wonderful city and it was a city destroyed by a great volcano called Mount Vesuvius. Pompeii was destroyed by a volcano and the volcano was called Mount Vesuvius that destroyed the rich and wonderful city. Pompeii was once a rich and wonderful city, but it was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius, a great volcano. Mount Vesuvius, a great city, was destroyed by Pompeii, a rich and wonderful volcano.

17 8a. Combine the following sentences Several students studied at the library. They were studying for their biology test.

18 8b. Combine the following sentences Betsy wasn t allowed to go to the movies. She needed to study for a math test.

19 Review What should you look for when combining sentences?