Using Coordinating Conjunctions

by Word Travel Press LLC

Price: 100 points or $1 USD

Subjects: writingRange,speech,expressiveLanguage,specialed,readingSkills,reading,writing

Grades: 4,5,6,7,8

Description: The activities included here are based on the decodable book, Hank the Tank from the HOT ROD series at www.wordtravelpress.com, but the book is not needed to use this deck. Students explore bear facts as they combine simple sentences using the coordinating conjunctions (but, or, and) BOA. The combined sentence may result in a compound sentence, in which case they will need a comma. However, some sentences will remain simple sentences that do NOT need a comma. Students must decide which is which. See the examples below: Combine: Bears are attracted to trash cans. Bears are attracted to dog food. Possible Answers: (comma) Bears are attracted to trash cans, and they are attracted to dog food. (no comma) Bears are attracted to trash cans and dog food. Hints: Tell students that if the information on BOTH sides of the conjunction could be an independent clause, the result is a compound sentence and a comma is needed BEFORE the conjunction. If the information on both sides of the conjunction is NOT an independent clause, then the result does NOT require a comma. See the examples above. NOTE: An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence containing a subject and a predicate.