Writing Better Sentences: Sentence-Combining Instruction in the Classroom

Abstract

ABSTRACT Constructing well-formed sentences is 1 area of writing that may be particularly difficult for less skilled writers and writers with learning disabilities. Many of these writers may benefit from direct, systematic instruction in sentence-construction skills. A writing intervention called sentence combining is 1 way to teach these important skills. The authors explain the importance of sentence skills and the difficulties that writers may experience with sentences, summarizing the practical results and implications from recent empirical studies. The authors also discuss suggestions for creating sentence combining activities and teaching sentence.