Sentence Builder

Little levels (ages 4 to 6)

1. Words in order Tap The, dog, runs in order; four sentences.
2. The capital letter Tap the word that starts the sentence and needs a capital.
3. Stop, ask or shout Period, question mark or exclamation mark?
4. Naming and doing Tap the noun or the verb in The frog jumps.
5. Does it make sense? The bird flies, swims or digs in the sky?

Big levels (ages 7 to 9)

1. Longer sentences Build five-, six- and seven-word sentences.
2. Nouns, verbs, adjectives Sort eighteen words by their jobs.
3. Describing words The fluffy cat, a juicy apple, a loud dog.
4. Join two sentences And, but, because, so, or.
5. Commas in a list Tap the gaps: a hat, a book, and a ball.
6. Question or statement? Sort sentences with their end marks missing.

The big ideas

• A sentence is words in order. The dog runs makes sense; runs dog the does not. Order carries meaning in English, which is why building sentences from word cards is such a strong early-writing exercise.

• Capitals and end marks frame a sentence. A capital letter opens a sentence and a period, question mark or exclamation mark closes it. The end mark also tells the reader how to say it: telling, asking or shouting.

• Words have jobs. Nouns name people, animals and things; verbs are actions; adjectives describe. Every sentence has a noun and a verb, and adjectives add the detail that makes writing vivid.

• Joining words connect ideas. And adds, but contrasts, because explains, so shows a result and or offers a choice. Choosing the right one turns two short sentences into one clear thought.

• Commas keep a list tidy. A hat, a book, and a ball: a comma after each item and the word and before the last keeps the things in a list from running together.

Try it at home

1. Sentence strips Write a sentence on a strip of paper, cut it into words, mix them up and rebuild it. Then add one describing word and read it again.
2. End mark voices Say the same words three ways: The cat is on the roof. The cat is on the roof? The cat is on the roof! Which mark goes with which voice?
3. Word job hunt Pick a page of a picture book and find three nouns, three verbs and three adjectives.
4. Shopping list commas Write a shopping list as a sentence: We need milk, eggs, bread, and apples. Count the commas.

Ask after playing

• What goes at the end of a sentence that asks something?
• Can you say a sentence with a naming word and a doing word about your pet or toy?
• Which joining word would you use: I wanted to play outside ___ it was raining?