Combining Sentences: Compound Sentences

Combining Sentences: Compound Sentences

By Kathi McDonagh

​Sentences Can be Boring:

​The dog ate his dinner.

​

I read the book

​

I saw a tree.​

​One way to make sentences more interesting is to make them different lengths.

​Joan plays the flute.

Todd sings in the choir.

​

Joan plays the flute, and Todd sings in the choir.​

​Fred dropped the guitar.

It didn't break.

​

Fred dropped the guitar, but it didn't break.​

​Should I clean my room?

Should I practice the piano?

​

Should I clean my room, or should I practice the piano?​

​We can join two sentences by adding a connecting word.

​

AND, OR, and BUT are some connecting words.

​

They connect two shorter sentences​

​A comma (,) is used before the connecting word when joining two complete sentences.

Multiple Choice

Choose the best answer:

You can strum the guitar, __ you can pluck the strings.

• and

• or

• but

Multiple Choice

Choose the best answer:

I know the notes, __ I cannot play any songs yet.

• and

• or

• but

Multiple Choice

Choose the best answer:

I pluck with my fingers, __ I use a guitar pick.

• and

• or

• but

Multiple Choice

Choose the best answer:

Most guitars have six strings, __ some have twelve.

• and

• or

• but

Multiple Choice

Choose the best answer:

Ed plays electric guitar, __ he is in a band.

• and

• or

• so

Fill in the Blank

Choose the correct connecting word.

Ann went to New York City, __ she visited the Statue of Liberty.

Fill in the Blank

Choose the best connecting word:

You may have seen pictures of it, __ you may have read about it in a book.

Fill in the Blank

Choose the best connecting word:

It is a statue of a woman, __ her right hand holds a torch.

Fill in the Blank

Choose the best connecting word:

The statue is copper, __ its frame is iron

Fill in the Blank

Choose the best connecting word:

You can view it from shore, __ you can go to Liberty Island to see it.

Fill in the Blank

Choose the best connecting word:

Visitors can climb to the crown, __they cannot go into the torch.

Multiple Choice

Choose the sentence that is written correctly.

• In 1985 the statue had stood for almost one hundred years, but it needed many repairs.

• In 1895 the statue had stood for almost one hundred years but it needed many repairs.

Multiple Choice

Choose the sentence that is written correctly.

• Time had aged the statue, but Americans were still very proud of it.

• Time had aged the statue but Americans were still very proud of it.

Multiple Choice

Choose the sentence that is written correctly.

• Money was collected and repairs began.

• Money was collected, and repairs began.

Multiple Choice

Choose the sentence that is written correctly.

• The repairs were finished in 1986, and a big celebration took place on July 4th.

• The repairs were finished in 1986 and a big celebration took place on July 4th.

Multiple Choice

Choose the sentence that is written correctly.

• Were you there or did you see it on TV?

• Were you there, or did you see it on TV?