Sentence Combining Avoiding Choppy Sentences Some pictures and information from www.nationalgeographic.com

Read the following sentences: My brother went to the store. I went to the store. It was an aquarium store. We had saved our money. We wanted to buy fish. The fish were for our aquarium.

Avoiding Choppy Sentences Choppy sentences are created when a writer’s sentences Are too short Are all formed in the same way (no variety) You can fix choppy sentences to make them read more smoothly. The process is called SENTENCE COMBINING.

Fixing Choppy Sentences There are many ways to fix choppy sentences, but we will focus on three main ways. Using a comma and coordinating conjunction (, boyfans) Using a semicolon (;) Using a subordinate conjunction.

1. Using Compound Sentences If two sentences are similar to each other, you can combine them by using a comma and one of the boyfans. Here’s an example: Whales start out as pups. Whales grow to be some of the largest mammals. Whales start out as pups, and they grow to be some of the largest mammals.

Try this one: Clown fish are very famous. Clown fish grow to be less than five inches long.

Did you get something like this? Clownfish are very famous, but they grow to be less than five inches long.

2. Adding a Semicolon Just as you can fix a run-on sentence by using a semicolon, you can combine two sentences with similar ideas by connecting them with a semicolon. Things to remember: The sentences must have similar ideas. After the semicolon begin the next word with a lowercase (small) letter.

Try this one: Pufferfish do not swim well. They protect themselves by inflating into a large, spiny circle.

Did you get something like this Did you get something like this? Pufferfish do not swim well; they protect themselves by inflating into a large, spiny circle.

3. Using a subordinate conjunction. A third way to combine sentences is to make one of the sentences subordinate. You can do this by beginning one of the sentences with a subordinate conjunction. Examples of subordinate conjunctions: when, if, because, since.

Some butterfly fish have markings that confuse predators. Try this one: Some butterfly fish have markings that confuse predators. They are able to escape more easily. (Use the subordinating conjunction since.)

Did you get something like this Did you get something like this? Since some butterfly fish have markings that confuse predators, they are able to escape more easily.

Try another one! The sailfish is known as the fastest fish in the ocean. It can swim up to sixty-eight miles per hour. (Use the subordinating conjunction because.)

Did you get something like this Did you get something like this? The sailfish is known as the fastest fish in the ocean because it can swim up to sixty-eight miles per hour.

Remember! Three ways to avoid choppy sentences: Comma and coordinating conjunction (boyfans) Semicolon Subordinating conjunction