Grammaropolis
The Sentence Factory

Sentence Combining

Three classic problems: a fragment is missing a part, a run-on jams two sentences together, and a comma splice joins them with only a comma. Here we join clauses the right way.

Start the lesson →

Preview how it deepens, Grades 3 through 8.

clause + joiner + clause See it · tap a half
Try it on the line

Build one yourself.

Pick one chip at each station and snap them together. The Mayor inspects the finished sentence, a quick taste of how the parts combine.

1 · first complete thought

2 · Connie's joiner

3 · second complete thought

4 · The Mayor inspects
Combine two complete thoughts the right way.
✓ Two thoughts, joined right · approved
Keep going in the Arcade · free, plays daily
Sentence Surgeon · revising sentences
Sentence Surgeon

A change order drops: make it plural, give it an adverb, swap in a pronoun. Re-tool the sentence and roll it back onto the line.

Play Sentence Surgeon →
Garbage Sentences · syntax vs. meaning
Garbage Sentences

Slang builds a sentence that follows every rule of grammar and still means nonsense. Catch which rule he really broke, and let the Mayor judge.

Play Garbage Sentences →
Watch for

A comma alone cannot join two complete thoughts.

Comma splice

Two complete thoughts joined by only a comma is a comma splice. The comma is not strong enough on its own.

Joined

A comma plus a joining word (one of the FANBOYS) holds the two thoughts together. Connie does the joining.

The crew on this station

The characters host. The sentence is the star.

Connie portrait
Connie
works the line
The Mayor portrait
The Mayor
inspects the sentence
What you'll learn

The same concept, deeper every grade.

Sentence Combining runs the length of the Factory, Grades 3 through 8. The lesson meets the standard at each grade, across all four frameworks.

Grade 3 Three classic problems: a fragment is missing a part, a run-on jams two sentences together, and a comma splice joins them with only a comma. Here we join clauses the right way. CCSS L.3.1.H · CCSS L.3.1.I
Grade 4 Three classic problems: a fragment is missing a part, a run-on jams two sentences together, and a comma splice joins them with only a comma. Here we join clauses the right way. CCSS L.4.1.F
Grade 5 Three classic problems: a fragment is missing a part, a run-on jams two sentences together, and a comma splice joins them with only a comma. Here we join clauses the right way. CCSS L.5.3.A
Grade 6 The fragment, the run-on, and the comma splice are the three classic sentence problems. This concept focuses on joining clauses: doing it right, and spotting the run-on and the comma splice. CCSS L.6.1
Grade 7 The fragment, the run-on, and the comma splice are the three classic sentence problems. This concept focuses on joining clauses: doing it right, and spotting the run-on and the comma splice. CCSS L.7.1.B
Grade 8 The fragment, the run-on, and the comma splice are the three classic sentence problems. This concept focuses on joining clauses: doing it right, and spotting the run-on and the comma splice. CCSS L.8.1