Connecting Grammar and Writing: Sentence Structure

This week we will continue our series on strategies for helping students connect grammar and writing. Last week we focused on descriptive writing. This week's focus is sentence structure.

Most students take very few risks with sentence structure. They write short, simple sentences with little variety--usually because they don't know how to incorporate variety, they are too lazy for serious revision, or they know that short sentences are safer from an error standpoint. (The less risk students take, the less chance they'll make a "mistake" and lose points. That makes me sad.)

So how do we get our students to step out of their sentence structure comfort zones and incorporate some real and meaningful variety?

Sentence combining. Old technique. New twist.

Give each student or group of students a different pair of related simple sentences. (Tip: Put pairs of sentences on index cards and laminate them. Then you can use them for years.) Here is a sample pair:

Jay will like that new shirt. 
Jay is always wearing stylish clothes.

Note: It's easier if the subjects are the same. For more of a challenge, go with something like this pair: Jay will like that shirt. Stylish clothes look good on Jay.

Next, give students a list of ways to combine their sentences. Your list will vary based on the level of your students, but here are eight samples (note the use of grammar terminology):

1. two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction
2. one independent clause with a compound verb
3. an adverb dependent clause followed by an independent clause
4. a sentence with a nonessential adjective clause
5. a sentence with an introductory participial phrase
6. a sentence with a gerund or gerund phrase as the subject
7. a sentence with an introductory prepositional phrase
8. a sentence with an appositive

Students will compose a sentence for each of the combinations on your list. Here's what that looks like:

1. two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction
 Jay will like that new shirt, for he always wears stylish clothes.
2. one independent clause with a compound verb
Jay always wears stylish clothes and will like that new shirt.
3. an adverb dependent clause followed by an independent clause
Since Jay likes stylish clothes, he will like that new shirt.
4. a sentence with a nonessential adjective clause
Jay, who always wears stylish clothes, will like that new shirt.
5. a sentence with an introductory participial phrase
Wearing his new shirt, Jay looks very stylish.
6. a sentence with a gerund or gerund phrase as the subject
Wearing that new shirt will make Jay happy since he likes stylish clothes.
7. a sentence with an introductory prepositional phrase
In his new shirt, Jay looks stylish.
8. a sentence with an appositive
Jay likes his new shirt, a very stylish one. 

Students have now practiced sentence revision, punctuation, and application of grammatical concepts. Allow them to discuss their results. Which structures do they prefer? Why? 

The next time students are revising a piece of writing, remind them of this activity. Challenge them to include AND LABEL three or four of these structures in their final drafts. When you read the papers, you will see more variety, and the annotations will show you the extent of each student's understanding.

Tune in next week for another specific strategy for connecting grammar and writing in your classroom!

(This strategy comes from DGP Plus: Building Stronger Writers, available from DGP Publishing, Inc.)

Need a lesson for a specific area of writing? 

Leave your request as a comment, and we'll get right on it!