Varying Sentence Structure
PROCEDURALExpand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader interest, and style, using techniques such as embedding clauses, using appositives, and varying sentence length
Mastery Evidence
- Combine two simple sentences into one complex sentence using subordination
- Expand a simple sentence by adding descriptive phrases and clauses
- Reduce wordy sentences by removing redundant words while preserving meaning
Assessment Prompt
“When [child] revises their writing, can they take a very long sentence and split it up, or take three short choppy sentences and combine them into one — choosing the version that reads best for the audience?”
Curriculum Standards1 alignment
L.5.3aCommon Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical SubjectsExpand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.
Prerequisites2
- Subordinate clauseshardAges 6—9
- Relative ClausessoftAges 9—10
Show full prerequisite tree
- Joining Words with 'And' hard
Must be able to join with 'and' before learning subordination and other co-ordinating conjunctions
- Pronouns for clarity soft
Relative pronouns (who, which, that) overlap with pronoun knowledge; pronoun cohesion supports understanding pronoun reference in relative clauses
- Subordinate clauses hard
Relative clauses extend subordination; learners must understand how subordinate clauses work before embedding relative clauses
- Joining Words with 'And' hard
Must be able to join with 'and' before learning subordination and other co-ordinating conjunctions
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