6. Combine the sentences
Wetlands can improve water quality.
What conjunction can
connect these ideas?
People build new wetlands in cities.
and
but
so
or
yet
9. Combine the sentences
This body of water looks like a lake.
It is a reservoir to hold drinking water.
and
but
so
or
yet
10. Combine the sentences
This body of water looks like a lake.
but
It is a reservoir to hold drinking water.
and
but
so
or
yet
11. Combine the sentences
This body of water looks like a
lake, but it is a reservoir to hold
drinking water.
12. Combine the sentences
The Eastern newt spends part of its life in
the water.
It spends part of its life on land.
and
but
so
or
yet
13. Combine the sentences
The Eastern newt spends part of its life in
the water.
and
It spends part of its life on land.
and
but
so
or
yet
14. Combine the sentences
The Eastern newt spends part of its
life in the water, and it spends part of
its life on land.
15. Other ways to combine sentences
We can also move ideas around
to make longer, smoother
sentences.
16. Combine the sentences
Salt marshes are important habitats.
Many kinds of animals live in salt
marshes. Salt marshes are wetlands.
Salt marshes are important
wetland habitats with many kinds
of animals.
17. Combine the sentences
Salt marshes are important habitats.
Many kinds of animals live in salt
marshes. Salt marshes are wetlands.
Salt marshes are important
wetland habitats with many kinds
of animals.
18. Combine the sentences
Salt marshes are important habitats.
Many kinds of animals live in salt
marshes. Salt marshes are wetlands.
Salt marshes are important
wetland habitats with many kinds
of animals.
20. Lots of choices!
Fiddler crabs are small. They live in salt
marshes. They dig burrows.
Fiddler crabs are small creatures
that dig burrows in salt marshes.
21. Lots of choices!
Fiddler crabs are small. They live in salt
marshes. They dig burrows.
Small fiddler crabs live in salt
marshes, where they dig
burrows.
22. Can you combine these?
Willets are wading birds. They have
sensitive beaks. They catch snails and
crabs.
23. Is this a good combination?
Willets are wading birds. They have
sensitive beaks. They catch snails and
crabs.
No, this is not a
good combination.
It is a run-on
sentence.
Willets are wading birds they
have sensitive beaks they catch
snails and crabs.
24. Is this a good combination?
Willets are wading birds. They have
sensitive beaks. They catch snails and
crabs.
Hmm….this is
closer, but does the
word because really fit?
Willets catch snails and crabs
because they are wading birds
with sensitive beaks.
25. Is this a good combination?
Willets are wading birds. They have
sensitive beaks. They catch snails and
crabs.
Yes! This combination
works well.
Willets are wading birds that use
their sensitive beaks to catch
snails and crabs.
Young writers usually resist using “for” as a conjunction, so I chose not to introduce it here.
Some students may try to use a complex sentence to combine the sentences. This is perfectly acceptable, but encourage them to try for the compound sentence as well. The goal is for young writers to gain control over their sentence structure and writing.
Watch to see the conjunctions that students choose. Emphasize that these ideas are related in a way that makes “and” not the best choice.
Have students copy the sentence. Emphasize the comma before the conjunction.
Photo: Long Pine Run, near Caledonia State Park, PA
Photo: Taken at Kings Gap State Park, PA
Once again, have students write the sentence correctly with the conjunction. This would be a good stopping point.
Ask students, “How were the ideas from these sentences combined?”
Have students attempt to combine these sentences. Photo: Isle of Wight near Ocean City, MD
This is one option…
…and this is another. Students will probably have come up with some different ways entirely. Expect that they will not know exactly how to punctuate their longer sentences at this point.
Photo: Isle of Wight near Ocean City, MD. Yes, this is an adult and a juvenile! I was so excited to be able to watch them for 20 minutes.
You may be seeing some sentences like this, so discuss why it is not the best.
As students start to combine sentences, they sometimes try to make relationships where none exist, as in this sentence. Expect this as a natural part of the process and encourage students to think carefully about their sentences.
One possible combination: Herons are tall wetland birds that wade in the water.Photo: Isle of Wight near Ocean City, MD. This is a great blue heron.
One combination: Green frog tadpoles live in ponds, where they eat algae and dead plants.Photo: Kings Gap State Park, PA
One option: Many insect larvae, including mayfly and dragonfly, live in creeks.Mill race(?) ruins near Mt. Holly Springs, PA