Combine Reduce Expand Sentences

The following sentences are choppy. What is the best way to combine them? Ms. Macdonald has a headache. She is tired. She is resting in bed.

• Ms. Macdonald doesn't feel well.

• Ms. Macdonald has a headache and is tired, so she is resting in bed.

• Ms. Macdonald has a headache and is tired and is resting in bed.

• These sentences do not need to be combined.

The student was in the 5th grade.

The student wouldn't stop talking.

The student's behavior disturbed the other students.

Choose the sentence that BEST combines these details.

• The student in the 5th grade wouldn't stop talking and disturbed the other students.

• The 5th grader wouldn't stop talking and the talking disturbed the other students.

• Since the 5th grader wouldn't stop talking, he disturbed the other students.

• The 5th grader wouldn't stop talking because he disturbed the other students.

The underlined sentences are too short and choppy. What is the best way to combine them? I am hungry. I will eat pizza. I will play outside.

• I will play outside and eat pizza because I am hungry.

• I am hungry, so I will eat pizza and then play outside.

• I am hungry and I will eat pizza and I will play outside.

• The sentences shouldn't be combined.

Compare the two sentences. Why was this sentence reduced? We ran and dashed around the playground until we were exhausted and worn out. We dashed around the playground until we were exhausted. *

• It was too long.

• It was too confusing.

• It had repetitive details.

Select the sentence from the answer choices that correctly combines the two simple sentences given here.

• While some artists use watercolors and oil paints.

• Many artists use different paints.

• Artists use both watercolors and oil paints.

• Watercolors are better than oil paints for artists.

The underlined sentence has too many details. What is the best way to reduce it? My sister is tired and sleepy, so she is going to take a nap and rest.

• My sister is tired, so she is going to take a nap.

• My sister is tired and sleepy, so she is going to take a nap.

• My sister is sleepy, so she is going to take a nap and rest.

• No revisions are needed.

Select the sentences from the answer choices that correctly combine the two simple sentences given here.

• Engineers design new cars and then they test them every year too.

• Engineers not only design new cars every year, they test the cars as well.

• Engineers design and test new cars every year.

• Engineers test the cars they design each year.

Which of these is the correct way to join two sentences:

• He was practicing his soccer skills because he found a stray dog.

• He was practicing his soccer skills, there, he found a stray dog.

• He was practicing his soccer skills; and then found a stray dog.

• He was practicing his soccer skills when he found a stray dog. 

Select the sentence from the answer choices that correctly combines the two simple sentences given here.

The author had written several books. The author was successful.

• The author was successful. The author had written many books.

• The successful author had written many books.

• The author had written many successful books.

Select the sentence from the answer choices that correctly combines the two simple sentences given here. The little girl drank lemonade. The girl was thirsty.

• The thirsty girl drank lemonade.

• The thirsty girl drank a little lemonade.

• The thirsty, little girl drank lemonade.

• Drinking lemonade the girl was little and thirsty.