As teachers, one of our greatest goals is to help our students become articulate and effective communicators. One of the fundamental building blocks of effective communication is knowing how to write complete sentences. Unfortunately, many students struggle with understanding what a complete sentence is, and even more struggle with the concept of a run-on sentence. In this article, we’ll explore some of the activities you can use to help your students understand these vital concepts.
1. Highlighting
The first activity that you can do with your students is to use highlighting. You can provide them with a paragraph of text that includes a mix of complete sentences and run-on sentences. Then, ask them to go through the text and identify each complete sentence, making sure to highlight them. Once they’ve completed this task, ask them to go back through the text and identify the run-on sentences. This activity will help them see the difference between the two sentence types and give them a better understanding of what makes a complete sentence.
2. Sentence combining
A second activity that you can use to teach students about complete sentences and run-on sentences is sentence combining. To do this activity, provide your students with a few simple sentences that are related to each other. Ask them to combine these sentences into a larger, more complex sentence. This activity will help them see how sentences can be linked together to form a compound or complex sentence, without it becoming a run-on.
3. Sentence sorting
A third activity that you can use is sentence sorting. Provide your students with a mix of complete and incomplete sentences, along with some run-on sentences. Ask them to sort the sentences into piles based on whether they are complete, incomplete, or run-ons. This activity will help them see the different types of sentences and how they differ from each other.
4. Group work
A fourth activity that you can try is group work. Divide your students into small groups and provide them with a paragraph of text that includes a mix of complete and incomplete sentences, as well as some run-on sentences. Ask each group to collaborate and rewrite the paragraph in a way that includes only complete sentences. This activity will encourage your students to work together and improve their writing skills.
5. Editing
A fifth activity that you can use is editing. Provide your students with a paragraph of text that includes a mix of complete and incomplete sentences, along with some run-on sentences. Ask them to go through the text and identify the errors. Once they’ve found all the errors, ask them to correct them. This activity will help them develop their editing skills and improve their understanding of what makes a complete sentence.
In conclusion, teaching students about complete sentences and run-ons is a fundamental building block of effective writing. By using these five activities, you can help your students develop their writing skills and improve their understanding of grammar. These activities will provide your students with the tools they need to communicate effectively and confidently through their writing.
