Sentence Combining and Sentence Variety

Why are we doing this? Sentences have to be combined to avoid the monotony that would result if all sentences were brief and of thesame length.

Independent Clause:contains a subject and a verb to create a complete thought.

Dependent Clause: contains a subject and a verb but does not create a complete thought.

Fragment: incomplete sentences; fragments are pieces of sentences that have become disconnected from the main clause.

Fragment: Purdue offers many majors in engineering. Such as electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering.

Revision: Purdue offers many majors in engineering, such as electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering.

Run-On: two or more independent clauses are combined without correct punctuation.

Run-On: The grocery store was really packed with people there must have been a big sale today.

Revision: The grocery store was really packed with people. There must have been a big sale today.

Strategies for Variation: Adding sentence variety to your writing can give it life!Everyone knows a few methods for correcting fragments run-ons and combining sentences. List two:

1. ______

2. ______

Here are some more strategies for sentence variation:
3. Alternate short and long sentences: Several sentences of the same length can be bland. To enliven paragraphs, write sentences of different lengths. Long sentences work well for incorporating a lot of information, and short sentences can often maximize crucial points.

Example: The Winslow family visited Canada and Alaska last summer to find some Native American art. In Anchorage stores they found some excellent examples of soapstone carvings. But they couldn't find a dealer selling any of the woven wall hangings they wanted. They were very disappointed when they left Anchorage empty-handed.

Revision: The Winslow family visited Canada and Alaska last summer to find some Native American art, such as soapstone carvings and wall hangings. Anchorage stores had many soapstone items available. Still, they were disappointed to learn that wall hangings, which they had especially wanted, were difficult to find. Sadly, they left empty-handed.

4. Vary sentence openings: If too many sentences start with the same word, especially "The," "It," "This," or "I," your writing can grow tiresome for readers. Below are various beginnings for a sentence. Notice that different beginnings can alter not only the structure but also the emphasis and meaning of the sentence.

Example: The biggest coincidence that day happened when David and I ended up sitting next to each other at the Super Bowl.

Possible Revisions:

  • Coincidentally, David and I ended up sitting right next to each other at the Super Bowl.
  • But the biggest coincidence that day happened when David and I ended up sitting next to each other at the Super Bowl.
  • By sheer coincidence, I ended up sitting directly next to David at the Super Bowl.
  • What are the odds that I would end up sitting right next to David at the Super Bowl?
  • Many amazing coincidences occurred that day, but nothing topped sitting next to David at the Super Bowl.

5. Subordinate part of the sentence: Subordinating means taking part of the sentence and creating a dependent clause, a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. Use the words below to help as you practice subordination in sentences.

afteruntilalthoughwhile unlessuntil

orderwhenas long as aswheneverwhereas whereveras though since though because so thatbefore even if if even though

Example: The biggest coincidence that day happened when David and I ended up sitting next to each other at the Super Bowl.

Possible Revisions:

  • When I sat down at the Super Bowl, I realized that, by sheer coincidence, I was directly next to David.
  • Though I hadn't made any advance arrangements with David, we ended up sitting right next to each other at the Super Bowl.
  • Without any prior planning, David and I ended up sitting right next to each other at the Super Bowl.
  • Until I reached my seat at the Super Bowl, I had no idea I’m be sitting right next to David.

Practice I: Using Poetry to Practice Subordinate Clauses

Follow the guidelines below to create a poem out of subordinate clauses on a separate sheet of paper.

1. You must write three stanzas of five lines each.

2. The first four lines of each stanza must begin with a word from the list of subordinators and cannot be a complete sentence.

3. The last line of the stanza cannot begin with a subordinator and must be a complete sentence.

4. The first word of each line must begin with a capital letter.

5. The first four lines are punctuated with a comma, and the last line is punctuated with a period.

Sentence Order: Subordinator - Subject - Verb

Example:

Whenever I get up,

After the alarm clock has gone off,

Before the sun comes up,

As I stumble to the shower,

I slowly get ready for my day of school.

When I arrive at school,

As I am talking to my friends,

Before classes begin,

While I do my work,

I long to be back in my cozy bed.

Practice II: Sentence-Combining withGoldilocks & the Three Bears

Use your best sentence sense to turn these boring, short sentences into sentences with life! You may leave out unnecessary words, but do not leave out important concepts. For example, the forest is both "dark" and "big," but you probably don't need to repeat "the forest was." In each paragraph, employ all three of the strategies we practiced today: use both short and long sentences, vary sentence openings, and subordinate part of the sentence.

Paragraph #1
  1. Once upon a time, there were three bears.
  2. There was a mother bear, a father bear, and a baby bear.
  3. The three bears lived in the forest.
  4. The forest was dark.
  5. The forest was big.
  6. One day the bears decided to go out for a walk before breakfast.
  7. Their porridge was too hot.
  8. The bears left the house.
  9. They left their bowls of porridge on the table to cool.

Paragraph #2
  1. Goldilocks was a cute little girl.
  2. Goldilocks had long golden hair.
  3. She was walking in the forest one day.
  4. She was alone.
  5. Goldilocks came upon the bears' home.
  6. The bears' home was vacant.
  7. The door was open.
  8. She walked through the door.
  9. Goldilocks didn't knock.

Paragraph #3
  1. Goldilocks went into the kitchen.
  2. She saw three bowls of porridge.
  3. The bowls of porridge were on the table.
  4. One bowl was large.
  5. One bowl was middle-sized.
  6. One bowl was large.
  7. Goldilocks picked up a spoon.
  8. Goldilocks tasted the porridge from the small bowl.
  9. The porridge tasted good.
  10. Suddenly Goldilocks realized how hungry she was.
  11. Her long walk had given her an appetite.
  12. Goldilocks ate all the porridge from the small bowl.

Paragraph #4
  1. Goldilocks went into the living room.
  2. She saw three chairs in the living room.
  3. One chair was large.
  4. One chair was middle-sized.
  5. One chair was small.
  6. Goldilocks sat in the small chair.
  7. The small chair broke into a hundred pieces.
  8. Goldilocks found herself on the floor.
  9. The hundred pieces scattered all over the floor.

Paragraph #5
  1. Goldilocks went upstairs.
  2. The bedroom was upstairs.
  3. She saw three beds in the bedroom.
  4. One bed was large.
  5. One bed was middle-sized.
  6. One bed was small.
  7. Goldilocks tested the small bed.
  8. Goldilocks climbed into the small bed.
  9. The small bed was comfortable.Goldilocks felt sleepy from her long walk in the forest.
  10. Goldilocks went to sleep in the small bed.

Paragraph #6
  1. The three bears came home.
  2. The bears had been walking in the woods.
  3. The three bears went into the kitchen.
  4. The baby bear discovered that his porridge had been eaten.
  5. The baby bear was unhappy.
  6. The three bears went into the living room.
  7. The baby bear discovered that his chair had been broken.
  8. The baby bear was unhappy.
  9. The three bears went upstairs.
  10. The baby bear discovered Goldilocks.
  11. Goldilocks was asleep in his bed.
  12. Goldilocks woke up.
  13. Goldilocks saw the bears.
  14. The bears were shocked to see her.
  15. She was shocked to see them.
  16. Goldilocks screamed and ran home.
  17. Goldilocks was frightened.
  18. She would be safe at home.