Here’s a quick activity to get students thinking about how to combine short sentences or clauses using ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘because’ for their first paragraph.

It can either be used as a worksheet or you could make it more active by cutting up the sentences and distributing one half to some students and the other half to others. They should then look for their respective half and make a full sentence using one of the words above.

I have also added a note to the worksheet to dissuade them from using ‘and’ or ‘but’ at the beginning of a sentence.

Sentence combining worksheet

Cut up sentences

Having just gone through the first drafts of the paragraphs of my level three writing classes, I have noticed that many of the students, rather than connecting two clauses into one sentence, are putting in a full stop and then starting a new sentence with ‘and, so, but etc’.

I used this activity to gently remind them how to connect clauses:

Directions

Before class cut up the sentence halves.

Sentence Halves

1. Distribute random halves to students, making sure you have the correct number of sentences for the number of students in the class. If you have an odd number, a pair of students could act as one.

2. The students stand up and try to find the classmate with the other half of their sentence.

3. When they have found their other half they should sit down together and re-write the sentence using ‘and, but, so, because.’

4. When finished they should check with you and then attempt to re-write the other sentences on the sheet in a similar fashion.

Sentence Sheet

5. When all students have finished, go through the sentences together. This could also be an opportunity to elicit alternatives such as ‘although, however etc’

Notes

The sentences are a bit dull as they are so feel free to re-write them up with a bit of humour or something.