Download Sentences Basics

Sentences and punctuation: getting the basics right:
A simple sentence has one verb or group of verbs in it. You must use a full stop to show it
is complete.
1. Last year, it snowed on Christmas Day.
2. I have finished all of my Christmas shopping.
3. On Christmas Eve, the kids put up their stockings.
This passage is written in simple sentences, but has no full stops or capital letters.
Make the corrections that a teacher or examiner would make:
Christmas dinner is my favourite meal of the year we have turkey, sprouts and stuffing
everybody squeezes around the table the worst bit is the washing up of course after the
meal we all open our presents we watch the queen’s speech on the telly
Putting the full stops in the right places is VERY important. However, the examiner
also wants to see that you can vary the length and type of sentences you use.
Choose connectives from the list to turn the simple sentences below into
compound or complex sentences. You may have to change one or two words to make it
sound right:
Compound connectives:
and, but, so, or
Complex connectives:
when, although, if, who, which, because, in order to,
as a result of, as, even though, while
1. We all sat around the tree. The presents were being handed out.
2. Twelve carol singers were standing at the door. They were dreadfully out of tune.
3. I try to wrap the presents neatly. My friends think I’m useless.
4. We get two weeks off school. We will get a chance to rest.
This passage is written with a combination of simple, compound and
complex sentences. Can you correct the punctuation – especially full
stops and commas?
My Christmas message
I’m looking forward to Christmas this year but it’s always worth remembering that for
some people Christmas is a time that they dread if you have lost somebody dear to you
in the past twelve months or if Christmas brings back sad memories of years gone by
you would probably rather forget all about it
A lot of people who are in that situation choose to do something alternative at Christmas
some go on holiday or try to get away from the all the traditions a friend of mine orders
takeaway curry and some videos and pretends it’s just another day I don’t blame her
she lost her mum one Christmas so she’d prefer not to celebrate
Of course, it’s useful to remember not to get carried away too much anyway the 25 th
December is just another day and life will go on pretty much as normal for most people
on the 26th or 27th
So maybe while you’re enjoying the warmth of your family Christmas spare a brief
thought for those who aren’t having such a great time but don’t forget to savour every
moment of joy too
Now write your Christmas message, trying to use a combination of simple,
compound and complex sentences, accurately punctuated.
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