2nd grade · English Language Arts · Unit 6 of 12
Joining Sentences
Join ideas with and, but, so, or
What your child practices
Joining two short sentences into one compound sentence with and, but, so or or, and putting a comma before the joining word.
Alaska content standards learning standard: L.2.1 · joining ideas with and, but, so and or
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- “and” adds an idea; “but” shows something different; “so” shows a result; “or” gives a choice.
- Put a comma before the joining word in a compound sentence.
- Read both ideas and ask how they connect.
Example: Which word best joins the ideas? It was raining, ___ we stayed inside. Staying inside happened because of the rain. A result uses “so”. Answer: so
Joining Sentences in Alaska
In the Alaska content standards, this is unit 6 of 12 in 2nd grade English Language Arts, after Book Explorers and before Grammar Gears.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
- 2nd grade guide for Alaska parents
- Printable 2nd grade English Language Arts sheet
- Alaska report cards explained
Source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which one is a compound sentence?
- Drawing or reading.
- We can draw, or we can read.
- We can draw.
We can draw, or we can read.
Hint: A compound sentence has two parts that could each be a sentence on its own.
Question 2
Which word best joins the two ideas?
The sun came out, the birds began to sing.
- or
- and
- because
and
Hint: Use and to add one more idea that goes with the first.
Question 3
Which word best joins the two ideas?
We sang a song, then we danced.
- and
- or
- because
and
Hint: Use and to add one more idea that goes with the first.
Question 4
Which word best joins the two ideas?
I fed the fish, my sister fed the cat.
- or
- and
- because
and
Hint: Use and to add one more idea that goes with the first.
Question 5
Which word best joins the two ideas?
The dog was muddy, we gave it a bath.
- but
- so
- or
so
Hint: Use so when the second part happens because of the first part.
Question 6
Which one is a compound sentence (two ideas joined together)?
- The sunny park.
- The sun came out, and we went to the park.
- We went to the park.
The sun came out, and we went to the park.
Hint: A compound sentence joins two complete ideas with a word like and, but or so.