Lesson 10  - Combining Choppy Sentences

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Assessed Skills from Tennessee Blueprint - 6th Grade

Select the best way to combine sentences to provide syntactic variety within context.

Identify the correct use of conjunctions (i.e., coordinating and subordinating) within context.

Identify within context a variety of appropriate sentence combining techniques (i.e., comma + coordinating conjunction, use of semi-colon, introductory phrases and/or clauses).

Identify the correct use of commas (i.e., compound sentences, coordinating conjunctions, introductory words, appositives, and interrupters) within context.

Developing Skills from Tennessee Blueprint - 6th Grade

Demonstrate the correct use of commas (e.g., after introductory words, to set off appositive and interrupters, before a coordinating conjunction, and joining independent clauses to form compound sentences).

Demonstrate the correct us of semicolons (e.g., to combine sentences).

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In this lesson you will learn how to combine choppy sentences by

• combining related sentences with a comma and a coordinating conjunction making a compound sentence

• combining related sentences by making one a clause using a subordinating conjunction making the sentence complex

• combining sentences using a semicolon

Rule 6:  When sentences are related they may be turned into a compound sentence by adding a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

FANBOYS is an acronym made up of the first letters of the common conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.

If you wanted to combine two sentences and show a cause and effect relationship, one way you could do it would be to use a coordinating conjunction. These are the connecting words for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. One way to remember all of them is to call them "FANBOYS." In most cases, they will be preceded by a comma. Example He had to remind himself that they weren't all ignorant brutes. They were still giving the Emberites shelter and food. He had to remind himself that they weren't all ignorant brutes, and that they were still giving the Emberites shelter and food.

• for shows logical consequence; it has the same meaning as because, the reason why

  Lina stayed with Caspar even though she thought he was crazy, for to be alone in this land would be certain death.

• and shows addition; it has the same meaning as in addition, along with

  Chugger told Doon to clean the fountain, and he quickly walked away.

• nor shows addition of a negative point

  Chugger was unjust in his treatment of Doon, nor did he wish to change his actions.

• but shows contrast; it has the same meaning as however, except, on the other hand

  I don't know how you do it where you're from, but here when we work, we work.

• or shows choice

  Doon could take Tick's advice and fight, or he could find a peaceful solution to his problem.

• yet shows contrast

  Caspar could find the hidden treasure, yet Lina knew he wouldn't.

• so shows logical consequence; it has the same meaning as as a result, therefore
          The sun was coming up, so Lina knew it was time to travel on to the city.

Practice Part A - Correctly combine the following sentences by adding a comma and a coordinating conjunction (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So).

Example:

Hills rose on either side. Soon Lina could no longer see the water.

Hills rose on either side, and soon Lina could no longer see the water.

1.  Wet green strings swung from the end of it. Doon shook them off into the bucket. (Use the conjunction and)

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2. Doon was upset. The people of Sparks had unjustly thought him guilty. (Use the conjunction for)

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3. The water was about half gone now. It seemed to be draining very slowly. (Use the conjunction but)

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4. He told Tick about winter. Tick was more outraged than ever.

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5. Go any place you want to go. Don't get in anyone's way.

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6. He pried loose a clump of soggy crud. The water level was once more going down.

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7. Everyone would have to refuse. I'm not sure everyone would.

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8. Lina could ride in the truck. She could walk.

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Rule 7:  Short choppy sentences may be turned into complex sentences by turning one sentence into a phrase or clause and adding a subordinating conjunction.

Try using some of these words when building complex sentences:

after	before	though	when
although	if	unless	whenever
because	since	until	while

 The most commonly used subordinating conjunctions are:

• because, as, since - are used to introduce the cause in a cause effect relationship between two ideas
  Because Lina misunderstood the conversation, she would be away from Sparks a lot longer than she anticipated.
• so - introduces an effect in a cause effect relationship between two ideas
  So Mrs. Murdo would not worry about her absence, Lina wrote her a note and placed it in the book she was reading.
• although, (even) though, whereas, while - are used to express contrast between ideas
  Although Lina was hidden from view, Maddy found her anyway.
  While they could still see the land, Caspar found a good location to camp for the night.
• after - is used to show time
  After she stayed awake most of the night, Lina was very sleepy the next day.

Practice Part B - Correctly combine the following sentences by adding an introductory clause.

Example:

Choppy - The basin is empty. You climb in there and scrub.

Corrected - When the basin is empty, you climb in there and scrub.

1. The water was so murky. He couldn't see where the outflow pipe was. (Add the introductory word because.)

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2. You had sense. You'd have figured out the drain is clogging up. (Add the introductory word if.)

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3. He had a free moment. He holed up with a book. (Add the introductory word whenever.)

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4. The water had all drained out of the fountain. Doon climbed in.

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5. He finally finished. He opened the inflow valve.

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6. He worked for over an hour. There was still a lot of green slime in the fountain.

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Rule 8:  You may join two complete sentence with a semicolon when you want to keep two closely related ideas in one sentence. By using a semicolon instead of a period between two sentences, you show that those two sentences have a closer relationship to each other than they do to the sentences around them.

Note:  Think of a comma as a brief pause, a semicolon as a more moderate pause, and a period as a stop.

Examples:
Some people believed Torren. Some didn't.
Some people believed Torren; some didn't.

Unfair, unfair, he kept thinking. He couldn't bear unfairness.
Unfair, unfair, he kept thinking; he couldn't bear unfairness

Rule 9:  You may join two sentences by using a semicolon with a transitional word and a comma. Some common transitional words are:

• however has the same meaning as but
  Doon didn't want to work with the people who did such awful things; however, he knew he must.
• furthermore has the same meaning as in addition
  Doon was humiliated; furthermore, everyone was staring at him.
• instead has the same meaning as rather
  Lina should be racing towards the city; instead, she quietly rode on the back of the truck.
• consequently has the same meaning as as a result
  Kenny was so amazed; consequently, his mouth dropped open.
• nevertheless has the same meaning as however
  Lina was sleepy; nevertheless, she remained awake.

Practice Part C - Correctly combine the following sentences by adding a semicolon. (Note: Some sentences require a transitional word; others do not.)

1. Doon started to say he was not gazing at the sky. He was taking a one-minute rest.

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2. Doon saw too many sides of things. It confused him.

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3. It's time they find out that if they hurt us. They'll get hurt too.

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4. Tick isn't perfect. He isn't always right about everything.

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5. He was innocent. He who had done nothing!

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6. He sat there shaking. He was afraid he would explode.

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7. Do not get angry. He told himself.

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8. The roadway stood on pillars. You could see a few of the pillars still standing.

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Answer Key

Part A

1.  Wet green strings swung from the end of it, and Doon shook them off into the bucket.
2. Doon was upset, for the people of Sparks had unjustly thought him guilty.
3. The water was about half gone now, but it seemed to be draining very slowly.
4. He told Tick about winter, and Tick was more outraged than ever.
5. Go any place you want to go, but don't get in anyone's way.
6. He pried loose a clump of soggy crud, and the water level was once more going down.
7. Everyone would have to refuse, but I'm not sure everyone would.
8. Lina could ride in the truck, or she could walk.

Part B

1. Because the water was so murky, he couldn't see where the outflow pipe was.
2. If you had sense, you'd have figured out the drain is clogging up.
3. Whenever he had a free moment, he holed up with a book.
4. After the water had all drained out of the fountain, Doon climbed in.
5. When he finally finished, he opened the inflow valve.
6. Although he worked for over an hour, there was still a lot of green slime in the fountain.

Part C

1. Doon started to say he was not gazing at the sky; instead, he was taking a one-minute rest.
   Doon started to say he was not gazing at the sky; he was taking a one-minute rest.
2. Doon saw too many sides of things; consequently, it confused him.
   Doon saw too many sides of things; it confused him.
3. It's time they find out that if they hurt us; they'll get hurt too.
4. Tick isn't perfect; furthermore, he isn't always right about everything.
   Tick isn't perfect;  he isn't always right about everything.
5. He was innocent; he who had done nothing!
6. He sat there shaking; nevertheless, he was afraid he would explode.
   He sat there shaking; he was afraid he would explode.
7. Do not get angry; he told himself.
8. The roadway stood on pillars; furthermore, you could see a few of the pillars still standing.
   The roadway stood on pillars; you could see a few of the pillars still standing.