WriteTraits Sentence Fluency

Sentence Fluency Have you ever ridden with a driver who seemed to have one foot on the brake and the other on the gas pedal? Zoom! Stop! Zoom! Stop! Have you ever ridden with a driver who seemed to have one foot on the brake and the other on the gas pedal? Zoom! Stop! Zoom! Stop! Instead of enjoying the ride, you were probably bracing yourself Instead of enjoying the ride, you were probably bracing yourself If you write like that, readers will be bracing themselves, too. If you write like that, readers will be bracing themselves, too. Smooth writing or fluency will happen if you keep in mind your readers’ comfort Smooth writing or fluency will happen if you keep in mind your readers’ comfort

Improving Fluency Many writing strategies can improve fluency. These strategies include: Combining short, choppy sentences Combining short, choppy sentences Varying sentence length Varying sentence length Using transition words Using transition words Revising for fluency Revising for fluency

Rolling Along Riding in a bumpy car is not fun!

Skating boarding and bike riding are not fun on a bumpy surface, either. Skating boarding and bike riding are not fun on a bumpy surface, either.

Any Fun? What fun would any of these things be if you had to keep stopping and restart every metre or so? What fun would any of these things be if you had to keep stopping and restart every metre or so?

Good Writing Also…. Needs to roll along as smoothly as a good bike ride or a good afternoon at the skateboard park Needs to roll along as smoothly as a good bike ride or a good afternoon at the skateboard park

Not Fun Either! Reading choppy sentences is not fun either Reading choppy sentences is not fun either They bump the reader through the text the way rocky, bumpy roads bump drivers along a dirt road They bump the reader through the text the way rocky, bumpy roads bump drivers along a dirt road Periods and commas when used with care, don’t interrupt the flow anymore than a nice, gradual turn or small bump Periods and commas when used with care, don’t interrupt the flow anymore than a nice, gradual turn or small bump

There is a Cure! Fortunately we can pave roads, build skateboard parks and ALSO create smooth sentences Fortunately we can pave roads, build skateboard parks and ALSO create smooth sentences One way to improve this is with sentence combining One way to improve this is with sentence combining A little sentence combining weaves ideas together in a way that improves the flow and make for greater clarity A little sentence combining weaves ideas together in a way that improves the flow and make for greater clarity Now the reader clearly understands what you are saying Now the reader clearly understands what you are saying

The Result…. The road and the sentences are smooth! The road and the sentences are smooth!

Read the following passage My horse is white. He has one blue eye and one brown eye. He is friendly. He likes when we brush him. He snuggles his nose into us when we brush him. He is fun to ride. He is my horse and I am glad.

What Did You Notice? Does the paragraph roll smoothly along? Why?

Why? Short sentences Short sentences Full of starts and stops Full of starts and stops Most sentences start with the same word Most sentences start with the same word

Read this passage My friendly horse, Flash, has one blue eye and one brown eye. This majestic white creature loves when I brush his soft coat. I can tell because he snuggles his nose into me and whinnies. He also loves to race through the corn fields behind our barn. Whoosh! Flash gallops through the stalks like a NASCAR racer flying around a speedway. I clutch his mane and shriek with laughter. He is a wonderful horse!

What Did You Notice? Does the paragraph roll smoothly along? Why?

Why? Smooth sentences Smooth sentences A variety of length of sentences A variety of length of sentences

Rules of the Game Listen as the teacher reads the passage on page 76 aloud Listen as the teacher reads the passage on page 76 aloud Does the passage run smoothly? Does the passage run smoothly? In ‘Your Response’ check how the paragraph looked and sounded to you In ‘Your Response’ check how the paragraph looked and sounded to you Now, complete ‘Locating the Problem’ by rating the passage Now, complete ‘Locating the Problem’ by rating the passage

Revision of ‘Rules of the Game’ Read the revision Read the revision Put your check beside “What Did You Notice?’ Put your check beside “What Did You Notice?’

Combining Sentences What does it mean? What does it mean? It is a great way to smooth out writing that isn’t rolling along It is a great way to smooth out writing that isn’t rolling along Combining sentences isn’t always about combining 2 sentences with a conjunction like and or but Combining sentences isn’t always about combining 2 sentences with a conjunction like and or but

Combining Sentences Example: Example: Jack ran along way. He went more than a Mile. CAN BECOME Jack ran more than a mile.

Remember…. Combining sentences sometimes includes condensing, which can make the final product shorter than the total length of the original sentences. Combining sentences sometimes includes condensing, which can make the final product shorter than the total length of the original sentences.

Combine these sentences Combine the following sentences on loose leaf. Combine the following sentences on loose leaf. A new animal was born. It was born at the zoo. It was an elephant. It weighed two hundred fifty pounds.

Combined Sentences Revised A two hundred and fifty pound baby elephant was born at the zoo. A two hundred and fifty pound baby elephant was born at the zoo.

Sentence Combining Using 4 sentences from ‘Rules of the Game’ Using 4 sentences from ‘Rules of the Game’ Players can get a penalty. +They can get a penalty for breaking a rule. + Players who break rules have to sit in the penalty box. + Players may have to sit out for two minutes or more. =A player who gets a penalty for breaking a rule must sit still in the penalty box for two minutes or more.

Writing Notebook In your writing notebook, create a title page for ‘ SENTENCE FLUENCY ’ In your writing notebook, create a title page for ‘ SENTENCE FLUENCY ’ Under the title add this checklist Under the title add this checklist ~ Do my sentences begin in different ways? ~Did I use some long and some short sentences? ~Did I use transition words and conjunctions to make my writing flow smoothly ~Does my paper sound smooth as I read it aloud?

May Flower Service Project Carefully read ‘May Flower Service Project’. Carefully read ‘May Flower Service Project’. Look and listen for sentences you could combine to get this passage rolling. Look and listen for sentences you could combine to get this passage rolling. Read the passage again putting a + between any sentences you feel could be combined Read the passage again putting a + between any sentences you feel could be combined Rewrite your revised version Rewrite your revised version You may have to change the wording or add linking words to make some combinations work You may have to change the wording or add linking words to make some combinations work This is homework This is homework

Homework Complete ‘May Flower Service Project’ revision. If you don’t have enough room, use loose lesf Complete ‘May Flower Service Project’ revision. If you don’t have enough room, use loose lesf In the Sentence Fluency section of your writing notebook, write about ‘Your Best or Worst Big Cove Experience’ In the Sentence Fluency section of your writing notebook, write about ‘Your Best or Worst Big Cove Experience’ Remember to date the page, title your work and double space Remember to date the page, title your work and double space This writing must be at least 1 ½ pages double spaced. We have increased the length of your writing This writing must be at least 1 ½ pages double spaced. We have increased the length of your writing Be prepared to share your writing on Day 4 Be prepared to share your writing on Day 4

What is sentence fluency? What is sentence fluency? May Service Project Revision May Service Project Revision Sharing time – remember when you are asked to comment on someone’s writing you must first say why you like it and why and then one way to improve the writing Sharing time – remember when you are asked to comment on someone’s writing you must first say why you like it and why and then one way to improve the writing