NAME ______HMRM______#______DATE ______
Grade 7 Sentence Combining and Expanding
Sentences can be expanded by combining kernel ideas, otherwise known as "baby sentences." For example:
1. The goat eats poison ivy pudding.
2. The goat is smelly.
3. The goat is old.
4. The poison ivy pudding is spicy.
All of these kernels can be combined to make a new, more interesting sentence. One possibility is:
The old, smelly goat eats spicy poison ivy pudding.
Exercise 1:
See if you can make a new sentence by combining the sentences below. For example:
Felix gobbled turnips.
The turnips were lumpy.
Becomes combined sentence:
Felix gobbled lumpy turnips.
WRITE YOUR NEW SENTENCES ON PAPER.
1. My little brother, Seymour, washed his hands in Jell-O.
My little brother is brawny.
2. Wally skied warily down the mountain.
The mountain was scary.
3. Georgianna yawned, grunted, and scratched her head.
Her head is itchy.
4. Dr. I. M. Ameeny chased the little puppy with the needle.
The puppy was howling.
5. The trapeze artist caught her husband.
The trapeze artist was scrawny.
Her husband was huge.
The trapeze artist did so happily.
6. Leroy wore tights in the play.
The tights were leopard-spotted.
The play was crazy.
The play was funny.
7. The pig ate grasshoppers.
The pig was slobbery.
The grasshoppers were fat.
The grasshoppers were juicy.
8. Professor U. R. A. Grouch had a nose like a hawk.
The nose was hooked.
The hawk was fierce.
9. Ulysses won the contest.
The contest was for squealing like a pig.
He was squealing like Miss Piggy.
10. Herb rides his exercise bike.
He is muscular.
He is my uncle.
Lesson5-12: Comma: Joining byCoordinate Conjunctions
Prompt: Placeacommabeforethefollowingconjunctions whenjoining independentclauses:"and,""but,""or,""nor,""yet,""so," "still,""for."
Example: 1) "Wandais goingtowork, butIamstayinghome." 2)"Weare goingto thestore,or we are goingtoamovie."
Directions: A commahas beenomittedfromeach ofthefollowingsentences.Insert a commabetweenthewords where you desireacommatobe.
1. JackandJillwentupthehillbutJackcametumbling down.
2. NeitherJack norJillisa mountainclimber butJill enjoys hiking.
3. Jackis popularwiththecrowdfor heisajolly good fellow.
4. Jackmay receiveanathletic scholarshipforheis agifted basketball player.
5. Jackwillplaybasketballyetheis abetter football player.
6. Jillwillplaysoccer orshewillplayfieldhockeyatcollege.
7. Jillisagreat basketballplayersowhy issheplayingsoccer?
8. Jackwouldliketoplaybaseball but baseballis nothis best sport.
9. Jillenjoysher classesinbiologicalscienceandsheespecially enjoys her drama classes.
10. Thestagemay beher futureyetshecontinuestobea serious science student.
11. Shewillnotgiveupher dreams andshewillnot accept less from herself.
12. Will Jack writenursery rhymesorwillJackwork for the water company?
13. Perhaps,Jackwillwritenursery rhymesandhewillworkfor the water company.
14. DidJack andJill meetina nursery rhymeor didthey meet in college?
Lesson5-36: Capitalization: The FirstLetter (of)…
Prompt: Capitalize thefirstword ofasentenceor a sentencefragmentusedas a sentence:"Are yougoingto thegame?Ofcourse!"Capitalize thefirst
word ofasentencecontainedwithin parentheses: "Thetripwas adisaster. (Wewill never travel again.)"Donotcapitalizeaparenthetical sentence occurringwithinasentence:"Eatingour wayacross Europe(theGerman foodwas best) we foundtobeveryreasonablein price."
Directions: Thesentencesbeloweither showerrors incapitalization orare correct as shown.Highlighttheword or words youfeel shouldbecorrectly capitalized but arenotcapitalized, or select"(correctas is)"atthe end of eachsentence.
1. is thecoffeeready?(correctas is)
2. you bet!(correct as is)
3. mybreakfast drink (hotchocolateisbest)helps mewakeup. (correctas is)
4. whengettingupfor school,his lackof organization usuallymadehimlate for breakfast.(correctas is)
5. myfavoriteprogramisjuststarting.(correctas is)
6. newyear's resolutionsare helpfulbutdifficult.(correctas is)
7. toomuchTV (sitcomsare included) interferewithmyschool studies. (correctas is)
8. canIhelp?Pleasedo!(correctas is)
9. Self-improvementismygoal. (correctas is)
10. exerciseis necessary.(correctas is)
11. Our petsarepartofour family.(correctas is)
12. his protestingstartedeveryschool day.(correctasis)
13. welove thegreat outdoors. (correct as is)
14. open prairielandinWyoming(whocouldever forget) becameour home ontherange.(correct as is)
15. aroadtrip acrossthestates (welikeColorado) is ourfavoritevacation. (correctas is)
16. thetour guideeducated usas we toured thenational park. (hewas entertaining.) (correct as is)
17. doyouwatchcollegefootball?(correctas is)
18. MayI be excusedfromthetrip?(correctas is)
19. havea niceday.thank you.(correctas is)
20. breakfastismyfavoritemeal. (correct as is)