Sentence Combining Drill

Combine multiple short sentences into one complex sentence preserving all information.

Use with a student — free
Card 1 of 10
The dog is brown. The dog is big. The dog barks. → The big brown dog barks.
Say it out loud
This pass0 correct · 0 cued · 0 incorrect · 0/10
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Session summary (SOAP)

Stays on this screen. Nothing is saved or sent.

Mark a card Correct, Correct with cue or Incorrect and the summary writes itself here.

How to run it

Cover the combined version and let the student build their own. Any combination that keeps all the information is correct — the version on the card is one solution, not the solution — and a student who produces a different valid sentence has done the task better than one who reproduces the model. Ask what got lost if information goes missing, which is the check. Twelve minutes covers three or four sets.

Cueing ladder

Start at the top. Add support one step at a time.

  1. Step 1IndependentPresent the item and wait 5 seconds of quiet before helping.Log as correct
  2. Step 2HintStress the part of the sentence that changes, or point to the word ending.Log as cued
  3. Step 3Sentence starterSay the first half of the sentence and let the student finish it.Log as cued
  4. Step 4ModelSay the correct form in the whole sentence; the student repeats it.Log as cued

Adjust it

Easier

Give a sentence starter every time, and do fewer cards.

Harder

Ask for a new sentence of the student's own with the same form, with no card to lean on.

Matching IEP goal

Given sentence cards, Student will produce sentences joined with a conjunction in sentences in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 consecutive sessions, given no more than an indirect cue.

Send it home through the parent portal →

About this activity

Ten sets of three short sentences combined into one: the dog is brown, the dog is big, the dog barks becomes the big brown dog barks; it was raining, we stayed home, we watched a movie becomes since it was raining, we stayed home and watched a movie; the storm came, the power went out, we used candles becomes when the storm came, the power went out, so we used candles.

What to listen for

Listen for information dropping out. Combining three sentences into one requires all three propositions to survive, and students frequently lose the third. The boy ran, he won, he was happy is the clearest case: three propositions and only one of them survives in most first attempts. Watch which strategies they use: adjectives before the noun, a relative clause, a subordinating conjunction, or a possessive — a student who only ever uses and has one tool for a job that needs several.

Carrying it home

Sentence combining works aloud with no materials. Saying three short sentences and asking for one is a car game that takes seconds, and swapping roles is half the fun.

What's in this activity

  • The dog is brown. The dog is big. The dog barks. → The big brown dog barks.
  • She has a bike. The bike is new. She rides it daily. → She rides her new bike every day.
  • It was raining. We stayed home. We watched a movie. → Since it was raining, we stayed home and watched a movie.
  • The boy ran. He won. He was happy. → The boy ran, won, and was happy.
  • The cake was chocolate. Mom made it. It was for my birthday. → Mom made a chocolate cake for my birthday.
  • The car is red. It is parked outside. It belongs to my aunt. → My aunt's red car is parked outside.
  • The storm came. The power went out. We used candles. → When the storm came, the power went out, so we used candles.
  • The team practiced. They were tired. They still won. → Although the team was tired from practicing, they still won.
  • She studied. The test was hard. She passed. → She passed the hard test because she studied.
  • The book is long. I read it. I liked it. → I read the long book and liked it.

Questions

What grades is this for?
Fourth through seventh, matched to writing expectations at that level.
Do I need to sign in?
No, all ten sets play free.
Is there one right answer?
No. Any combination that preserves all the information is correct, and a student producing a different valid sentence from the model has understood the task rather than copied it.

Use this board with your caseload

With a free account, every correct, cued and incorrect mark is saved to the student and scored against their IEP goal, with the data written up for you. Assign it as home practice through the parent portal.

Track progress free

Free for SLPs. No card, no trial clock.