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Combining Sentences

English Language Arts, Grade 8

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When you write, you don’t want to use too many short sentences. It will make your writing choppy. You can join ideas using conjunctions. The three most common conjunctions are: and, but, or. and (used to join similar ideas) Choppy : Dave is going to the restaurant. Sandra is going to the restaurant. Better : Dave and Sandra are going to the restaurant. Since both people are going to the restaurant, it makes sense to say so in one sentence using and. but (used to join opposite ideas) Choppy : I like reading. I don’t like math. Better : I like reading, but I don’t like math. This is a clear case of opposite ideas: liking one thing and not the other. Use but to join opposites. or (used to join alternatives or show uncertainty) Choppy : Robin has to choose. She can go to the park on Sunday. She can go to the picnic. She can go to the beach. Better : Robin has to choose whether to go to the park or the picnic or the beach on Sunday. Robin can’t go everywhere on Sunday. She has three alternatives. Use or to show her choices. Choppy : James is coming to my party. Maria is coming to my party. Better : James and Maria are coming to my party. THINK! How would the meaning change if the names were joined with or? Combining Sentences Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 92-4031

Join the choppy sentences to make one better sentence. Use a conjunction in each sentence. If there is a sentence on both sides of the conjunction, add a comma in front of the conjunction. Choppy : Terri is going on the field trip. Mason can’t go. Better : Terri is going on the field trip, but Mason can’t go. 1. Choppy : Each day Pedro eats a banana. He eats an orange. He eats walnuts, too. Better : _____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2. Choppy : That sound may be a jet taking off. It may be a jet landing. Better : _____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 3. Choppy : Mom wants to go out to dinner. Dad doesn’t feel well. Better : _____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 4. Choppy : The author wrote a popular book. She made it into a screenplay. Better : _____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 5. Choppy : The dog might be a husky. It could be a malamute. Better : __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 6. Choppy : Gavin had planned to go ice skating. There was a snowstorm. Better : __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Mason’ s Surprise Illustrated by Paul Cinimod By Lynne Foti F 96 98 100 102 104 106 Combining Sentences Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 92-4031

Combining Sentences

English Language Arts, Grade 8

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