Sentence combining=sentence structure variety

1. Sentence combining=sentence structure variety Let’ s Make Your Writing More Interesting!

2. Use a compound subject, compound verb, or compound object • Example: Mary enjoyed learning. Tom enjoyed learning. Mary and Tom enjoyed learning. • Example: Lisa raced her dog sled. Lisa won a prize. Lisa raced her dog sled and won a prize. • Scott rode the icebreaker. Scott rode the snowmobile. Scott rode the icebreaker and the snowmobile.

3. Use coordinating conjunctions or semicolon • Example: The wind chilled the tundra. The snow battered my face. The wind chilled the tundra, and the snow battered my face. • Example: The snowstorm lasted for hours. The wind stung my face. The snowstorm lasted for hours; the wind stung my face.

4. Use a subordinate clause • Example: We were frightened. We though there might be an avalanche.  We were frightened because we thought there might be an avalanche.

5. Use appositives • Example: My school is near a cornfield. DWHS is near a cornfield. My school, DWHS, is near a cornfield.

6. Use a participal, prepositional, or infinitive phrase • Participle Example: Alice Walker had experienced many hardships as an African American woman. Alice Walker used her life’s struggles in her writing. Having experienced many hardships as an African-American woman, Alice Walker used her life’s struggles in her writing. • Prepositional Example: Alice walker had many hardships during her life. Alice Walker used these hardships in her writing. During her life, Alice Walker had many hardships that she used in her writing. • Infinitive Phrase Example: Ms. McDermott takes notes. Ms. McDermott uses notes to communicate a concept. To communicate a concept, Ms. McDermott uses notes.

7. Use a gerund phrase (“ing”) • Example: Ms. McDermott uses notes to give a lesson. Ms. McDermott tries to teach a concept. Using notes to give a lesson, Ms. McDermott tries to teach a concept.