Mini lesson:              Combine Short Sentences

Source:    Teaching Qualities of Writing  by Jo Ann Portalupi and

                 Ralph Fletcher

Goal:        Students will learn how to combine short sentences into

                longer ones so that the writing is more fluent.

TEKS:      3.17D:  Compose sentences with interesting, elaborated subjects

                3.18C:  Revise selected drafts for varied purposes, including

                 to achieve a sense of audience, precise word choice, and vivid 

                 images

• Read the first paragraph about Grandpa

Focus on the sentences. How did they sound when I read them aloud? Was there a nice flow to them? Or did they sound choppy?

These sentences did sound choppy, and it?s because they?re all so short. There?s nothing wrong with a short sentence but when they?re all short, the writing sounds choppy because you?re stopping every few words.

Discuss

We could fix this problem by combining some of the short sentences into longer ones, something like this.

• Read the second paragraph about Grandpa (See attachment)

Which one sounds smoother and has a better flow?

In order to combine two short sentences you sometimes need to add a transition word, such as since, because, while and but.

• I have lots of dogs.  My dog Rascal was the wildest.
• I have had lots of dogs, but Rascal was the wildest.

At other times, you combine short sentences by taking words away.

• I love Hershey?s chocolate miniatures. I especially love the semisweet ones.
• I love Hershey?s chocolates, especially the semisweet ones.

Lets? try this. Put these sentences on the board and let the sentences combine them into a longer sentence.

I went to Yankee Stadium  I hoped I would catch a foul ball.

My dad gets in a bad mood on Sunday night.  He has to get up early for work on Monday morning.

Encourage students look in their writing and work on combining the sentences.