Building Better Sentences: Strategies for Developing

Strong sentences are key for good writing. Teachers can boost writing by teaching sentence structure directly. This helps handwriting, reading, and creative work. This guide uses research (Abbott, 1903; Vygotsky, 1962; Saddler, 2012; Graham, 2018). It offers practical ways to build sentences in class.

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What is Sentence Building?

Christie & Derewianka (2008) say sentence building explicitly teaches sentence construction. Learners strategically combine words to convey meaning. Myhill et al. (2012) recognise sentences as crucial for written communication. Saddler (2005) found understanding sentences improves learner writing quality and confidence.

Bereiter and Scardamalia (1987) found learners first understand basic sentence structure. Graham and Perin (2007) noted learners then combine shorter sentences. Saddler (2005) showed learners later change sentence parts for effect.

Sentence building differs greatly from typical grammar teaching. Learners construct meaning by choosing word order and combining clauses. This change from analysis to synthesis has important effects for teaching writing.

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What Does Research Say About Sentence Combining?

Sentence combining boosts writing more than grammar drills (effect size 0.5-0.7). For 40 years, research shows learners write better with complex sentences. Explicit teaching during real writing tasks helps learners most (Sadler, 2012; Graham & Perin, 2007; Christensen, 1960s).

Sentence combining works well, research shows (Hunt, 1965; O'Hare, 1973). Studies from the 1960s and 1970s proved this. However, many teachers do not know about these studies.

Hunt (1965) showed T-units measure writing maturity. Learners write longer, more complex sentences as they progress. Their sentences have more clauses and phrases. This framework helps us understand and improve learner writing (Hunt, 1965).

O'Hare's 1973 study shows sentence combining helps learners. Seventh-grade learners with this instruction beat control groups in syntax. This improvement, O'Hare found, appeared in their own writing.

Graham and Perin (2007) found sentence combining improves writing. This intervention had a 0.50 effect size. It is thus one of the best tools for teachers to use.

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Why Is Sentence Combining More Effective Than Grammar Exercises?

Christenbury & Kelly (1983) found sentence combining helps learners understand meaning. Saddler (2005) states learners revise sentences to clarify ideas and grammar. Weaver (1996) & Strong (1986) suggest this builds language pattern awareness.

Sentence combining beats grammar lessons, researchers say. Learners make sentences; they do not just study them. This active making of language engages different cognitive skills (Graham & Perin, 2007).

Sentence combining gives learners quick meaning feedback. They see straight away if combined sentences read well (Stotsky, 1975). Traditional grammar exercises lack this (Weaver, 1979). Learners can name a noun correctly, but miss its actual use (Hunt, 1970).

Christensen (1967) found sentence combining improves how easily learners write. Graham and Perin (2007) showed practice with structure helps this. Learners who write fluently build sentences automatically, like fluent readers do.

Hillocks and Smith (1991) showed grammar teaching did not improve writing. Sentence combining activities helped learners' writing consistently. Replicated research across ages confirmed these findings. Consider sentence combining over grammar worksheets, researchers say.

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Core Sentence Building Strategies for the Classroom

Starting with Kernel Sentences

Instruction using "kernel sentences" works. These simple sentence patterns, described by researchers (e.g., Rutherford, 2023), help learners build skills. These sentences often follow a subject-verb-object order with no extra clauses.

For example, teachers might present learners with three kernel sentences:

• The dog barked.
• The dog was large.
• The dog frightened the postman.
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Learners are then challenged to combine these sentences into a single, more complex sentence that retains the meaning of the originals. For example: "The large dog barked and frightened the postman."

Learners understand how information connects to form larger concepts. Teachers gradually build learners' sentence skills, increasing confidence (Vygotsky, 1978). This process begins with basic building blocks (Bruner, 1966; Wood et al., 1976).

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Sentence Expansion with Adjectives and Adverbs

Researchers like Hunt (1965) found sentence combining improves writing. Teach learners to add adjectives and adverbs. This helps them build richer, more descriptive sentences (Strong, 1973). It boosts detail in learner's writing, according to Mellon (1969).

Teachers might provide learners with a sentence like "The bird flew" and challenge them to add adjectives and adverbs to make it more vivid and engaging. For example: "The colourful bird flew swiftly."

Learners explore adjectives and adverbs to change meaning. They understand how word choice improves their writing's quality. This strengthens expression, says Brown (2022).

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Subordinating Conjunctions to Add Detail

Research shows conjunctions link ideas, creating complex sentences. Learners must understand "because", "although", "if", "when" and "while". Mastering these conjunctions builds better sentence structures (Halliday, 2014). Teachers should directly teach these skills (Vygotsky, 1978).

"The cat sat on the mat. The cat was fluffy." This exercise, proposed by researchers (e.g., Saddler, 2005; Graham & Perin, 2007), helps learners link ideas. Combining sentences with words like "because" or "although" improves writing. Teachers can adapt this (Christenbury & Vygotsky, 1978) for any subject.

• The rain started.
• We went inside.

Learners might combine these sentences as: "Because the rain started, we went inside." or "We went inside when the rain started."

Subordinating conjunctions help learners show cause and effect. Learners also use them to express contrasts and complex thoughts (Halliday, 2024). Understanding these conjunctions builds stronger writing skills.

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Sentence Manipulation

Research shows sentence manipulation refines writing skills. Learners gain understanding of sentence structure's effects. Practice helps learners control language, per Hairston (1981) and Williams (1990). Sentence work boosts clarity, demonstrated by Strong (1986) and Lanham (1991).

One common technique is to move adverbial phrases to different positions within a sentence. For example, consider the sentence: "The cat slept soundly on the mat."

Learners could be challenged to move the adverbial phrase "on the mat" to the beginning of the sentence: "On the mat, the cat slept soundly." This simple change can alter the emphasis of the sentence and create a different effect on the reader.

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Practical Classroom Activities

Sentence building helps learners write well. Research by Saddler (2005) and Graham and Perin (2007) shows it works. Implementing such strategies is easy with varied classroom activities. These activities support improved learner writing skills, according to studies.

• Sentence Combining Games: Use dice or cards to generate sentence elements (subjects, verbs, objects, conjunctions) and challenge learners to combine them into coherent sentences.
• Picture Prompts: Provide learners with images and ask them to write sentences that describe what they see, using specific sentence structures or vocabulary.
• Sentence Unscramble: Present learners with jumbled words and challenge them to create grammatically correct and meaningful sentences.
• "Add a Detail" Activity: Start with a simple sentence and have learners take turns adding details to expand it, focusing on using adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases.
• Peer Editing: Encourage learners to review each other's writing and provide feedback on sentence structure, clarity, and variety.

Incorporating these activities boosts sentence building. Learners improve their writing quality with this approach. This helps create an engaging learning environment.

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Conclusion

Learners make meaning by manipulating sentence parts. Saddler (2012) and Graham & Perin (2007) proved writing quality improves with explicit instruction. Christensen (1967) and Mellon (1969) found sentence combining strengthens communication.

Sentence building helps learners write better. Start with short sentences, then add complexity. Let learners practise; this boosts confidence. They will use grammar to clearly express ideas (Christenbury & Kelly, 1983; Saddler, 2012).

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Written by the Structural Learning Research Team

Reviewed by Paul Main, Founder & Educational Consultant at Structural Learning

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is sentence building in primary education?

Researchers like Saddler (2012) and Graham and Perin (2007) show sentence building teaches sentence construction. Learners actively build text, going beyond parts of speech, as Myhill (2018) notes. This helps learners understand sentences as writing's core units, as found by Fearn and Farnan (2012).

How do teachers implement sentence combining in the classroom?

Sentence combining helps learners join simple sentences into complex ones. Integrate this with writing tasks so learners use new skills at once. Short, regular practice sessions are often better than long ones (Sadler, 2012).

What are the benefits of sentence building for learning?

Learners understanding sentence structure write clearer, better work. This approach improves writing more than grammar drills, (Christie & Derewianka, 2008). It boosts confidence as learners clearly express complex ideas, (Myhill et al, 2013).

What does the research say about sentence combining?

Graham and Perin (2007) found sentence combining helps writing. It works better than standard grammar teaching. Research shows the effect size is usually between 0.5 and 0.7 (standard deviations).

What are common mistakes when teaching sentence construction?

Grammar labels sometimes get too much focus, research shows.. Learners transfer skills poorly when sentence skills are taught alone. Complex tasks can hinder learner progress if basics aren't secure.

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Further Reading

• Hunt, K. W. (1965). *Grammatical structures written at three grade levels*. National Council of Teachers of English.
• O'Hare, F. (1973). *Sentence combining: Improving student writing without formal grammar instruction*. National Council of Teachers of English.
• Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). Writing next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools. *Alliance for Excellent Education*.
• Hillocks, G., & Smith, M. W. (1991). Grammar and usage. In J. Flood, J. M. Jensen, D. Lapp, & J. R. Squire (Eds.), *Handbook of research on teaching the English language arts* (pp. 591-603). Macmillan.
• Saddler, B., & Graham, S. (2005). The effects of peer-assisted sentence combining on the writing quality of students with learning disabilities. *Journal of Special Education, 39*(1), 23-33.