Language and Grammar: Justify

Group Talk Was Roberto Clemente right to get on that plane? With a group, take turns justifying your opinion about Clemente’s decision. Use compound sentences when you present some of your ideas. Listen respectfully to everyone’s position.

I think he was right. People needed his help, and he knew how to help them!

I don’t think he was right. The plane was old, and the weather was bad! When I read that, I knew there was trouble ahead.

Writing and Grammar: Combine Your Ideas

Study the Models You can make your writing more interesting if you use different kinds of sentences. For example, include some simple sentences and combine others into longer sentences. Be careful not to run too many sentences together!

Not Ok

Roberto Clemente heard about the terrible earthquake. He wanted to help. He bought food and supplies, and went to the airport and hired a plane and packed the things on the plane and waited while mechanics checked the engine. Then the plane took off. It crashed. Roberto died. His spirit lives on in the charities he started to help the needy.

This writing is not smooth. It has too many simple, choppy sentences and one sentence that runs on and on.

Ok

Roberto Clemente heard about the terrible earthquake, and he wanted to help. He bought food and supplies, and he hired a plane. He went to the airport, packed the things on the plane, and waited for mechanics to check the engine. Then the plane took off, but it crashed. Roberto died, but his spirit lives on in the charities he started to help the needy.

This passage flows better. It has a mix of simple and compound sentences and no run-on sentences.

Add Sentences Think of two sentences to add to the OK model above. Use one simple sentence and one compound sentence.

Illustration of the pen icon WRITE ON YOUR OWN Write a paragraph about something you or someone you know did that might cause people to say, “What a heroic thing to do!” Use a variety of sentences.

    Remember

  • • In compound sentences, use and to join similar ideas. Use but to join different ideas. Use or to show when there is a choice.

  • • Insert a comma before the and, but, or or.

  • • Don’t string together too many ideas with commas or and.