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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.