READ & WATCH (3-5 hours)

Take extensive notes as you proceed through this lesson. You will also need a copy of a recent essay.

To begin this lesson, go to the Guide to Grammar and Writing's page "Sentence Combining Skills" and read through it carefully, taking notes and following relevant links as needed. When you get done, complete the "First Quiz on Sentence Combining" at the bottom of the page. As you do this, you should first make your attempt, then look at the Guide's version to see if you did it similarly. Your goal is to combine sentences that are as concise and clearly worded as theirs or more so. If you don't do so well on the first quiz, do the second one, repeating this same process. The third quiz will provide even more practice. When you finish, edit your essay by reading through and combining sentences as needed. Remember,

CONCISENESS AND CLARITY ARE BETTER THAT WORDINESS AND CONFUSION

Once you have completed the Sentence Combining Skills page, go to the GGW's page "Conjunctions" and read through it carefully, noting the various types of conjunctions and how they are used. When you get to the bottom of the page, under the heading "Conjunctive Adverbs," click on the link to "Coherence: Transitions Between Ideas" and read that page. Pay particular attention to the different relationships and the conjunctions that convey those relationships. You do not need to complete the quiz unless you want the practice; however, you will need to read through your essay draft and edit as needed to ensure you are using transitions and conjunctions correctly and effectively.

Line 2.png

VIDEO LESSONS:

PART 1:

Watch the following videos and take notes. You should also have a copy of your essay in front of you to refer to as he proceeds through the lesson. When he pauses to allow students to complete the exercise, you will also need to complete it. Keep in mind, you are not in his class, but the exercises he has you do will need to be submitted here.

When you complete this video, and before completing the next one, review chapter 36 in the EasyWriter noting the sections that deal specifically with Compound Sentences. Then, go into your essay draft, starting with the first body paragraph, and see where the sentences would flow more smoothly by combining sentences into compound sentences.

PART 2:

Now watch this video:

Once you complete this video and its exercises, do as you did in Part 1 and go through your essay paragraphs, creating complex sentences or correcting them to ensure you have sentence variety.

PUTTING THIS INTO PRACTICE (2-4 hours)

Once you have completed the lessons above, go back to the "Conjunctions" page on the Guide to Grammar and Writing, and review the different types of conjunctions and their meanings. Then, read through your essay draft and highlight every conjunction that you have used. When you finish, go back through what you highlighted to check for the following:

- - Each conjunction is used correctly and for its specific meaning
  - Each conjunction helps the ideas/sentences flow more smoothly from one to the next
  - Each conjunction is used with the correct punctuation

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING:

Hi Left.png Keep in mind the following:

- - Conjunctions should not be overused or repeat in the same sentence.
  - Mix the different methods for joining sentences, and by using different sentence types and conjunctions, you will create sentence variety in your essay.
  - Do not overuse conjunctions, particularly for example and for instance; they are not used very often in academic writing
  - Always vary your sentence openings; no two sentences in a paragraph should start the same way.
  - Vary your paragraph openings; again, no two topic sentences should start the same way, and do not start topic sentences with conjunctions unless the essay is making a major shift
  - Avoid run-on sentences, comma splices, and sentence fragments by editing and carefully proofreading. These are major errors, and academic essays can and will fail if these errors are prevalent.

Click NEXT to move forward.