Here are combined versions of the sentences using semicolons and comma conjunctions: 1. The black dog has won many prizes; he doesn't know many tricks. 2. She saw a cat run in front of her, and she fell down while roller­skating. 3. There was a meteor shower, but the crew did not know how to avoid the meteors. 4. I wanted to buy a baby Chihuahua, so I started to save my money. 5. Gillian did not like to read; she was not very good at it. 6. Pam liked Wayne, and Leena also liked Wayne.

1. How do we become better
writers?
Tip #1:
Click for tip...
Vary our sentence types.

2. What does "vary our sentence
types" mean?
Well, Noah, I am glad
you asked. It means to
have a variety of
sentences­­ just like you
had a variety of animals
on the ark!

3. Instead of a paragraph that looks
like this:
Wayside School was accidentally built sideways. It
was supposed to be only one story high. It was
supposed to have thirty classrooms in a row. It is
thirty stories high. Each story has one classroom.
You can create a paragraph that
looks like this:
Wayside School was accidentally built sideways. It was
supposed to be only one story high with thirty classrooms
in a row. However, it is thirty stories high, and each story
has one classroom.
Can you find the differences?
Why do the changes make the paragraph better?

4. You can combine
sentences to create a
compound sentence.

5. Here are two great sentences. We call them
simple sentences. Simple sentences have
one subject and one predicate.
The teacher had a long tongue and pointed ears.
Subject Predicate
She was the meanest teacher at Wayside School.
Subject
Predicate

6. A compound sentence
is when you take two
simple sentences and
put them together with a
special "glue"
The teacher had a long tongue and pointed ears.
She was the meanest teacher at Wayside School.

7. There are three
brands of this special
"glue".
.A ; , con.
You can keep them two separate sentences with
end punctuation and a capital letter. You can
combine them with a semi­colon, or you can
combine the sentences with a comma and a
coordinating conjunction.

8. The teacher had a long tongue and pointed ears ; she was the meanest teacher at Wayside School.
The teacher had a long tongue and pointed ears she was the meanest teacher at Wayside School.
, con.
, and
, but
, or
, for
, nor
, so
, yet

9. Now YOU try to combine these
sentences. Combine at least
one with a semicolon and at
least one with a comma
conjunction!
1. The black dog has won many prizes. He doesn't know many tricks.
2. She saw a cat run in front of her. She fell down while roller­skating.
3. There was a meteor shower. The crew did not know how to avoid the
meteors.
4. I wanted to buy a baby Chihuahua. I started to save my money.
5. Gillian did not like to read. She was not very good at it.
6. Pam liked Wayne. Leena also liked Wayne.