Work on creating compound and complex sentences with this easy-to-use, systematic resource targeting sentence combining!
Sentence combining is a research-supported skill for improving writing skills and reading comprehension in speech and language therapy. I loved using sentence combining in my therapy sessions but wanted a way to progress through the different ways to combine sentences more systematically (and with more visuals!). So, I created this resource!
In this packet, I have included 5 levels to progress your students from simpler sentence combining work (e.g., using “and” to combine sentences or embedding of adjectives/adverbs) up to more difficult sentence combining work (e.g., using relative clauses or combining sentences to tell and improve a simple story).
The levels included are:
1 – Intro to sentence combining (using “and” to combine sentences)
2 – Add a detail (embed adjectives and adverbs)
3 – Connect the ideas. (conjunctions)
4 – Create complex sentences. (relative clauses)
5 – Mixed sentence combination. (improving stories and descriptions using sentence combining)
The conjunctions targeted in this resource are: and, or, if, but, so, before, because, while, unless, and until.
Within each level (1-4), I’ve included visuals, direct teaching pages, and worksheets for practice. Every worksheet has an example of the targeted skill on the top for explicit teaching made easy!
In addition, there are editable text boxes on the worksheets so that you can easily use this resource in teletherapy or distance learning by typing the answers directly onto the worksheets.
To learn more about sentence combining skills (including example goals!), click here.
Feel free to email the Speechy Musings team at hello@speechymusings.com with any questions!
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Natalie Q. –
This belongs in every SLP’s therapy bag.
Tammy S. –
I’ve been an SLP for 25 years and sentence combining is one of those skills I’ve always believed in but never had a great resource for until now. This packet gives me exactly what I need: a clear, leveled approach that moves students from basic combining all the way to incorporating sentence combining into story writing. Level 5 where students combine sentences to improve a simple story is particularly effective because it shows them the real-world purpose of the skill. The visuals throughout are clean and helpful, not cluttered. I’ve recommended this to multiple colleagues and they all agree it’s one of the best syntax resources available.
Jamie Jackson –
Bought this for my private practice and it’s been a hit with families. Parents can see the clear progression and understand what their child is working on. The systematic design makes it easy to track progress and show growth at each level.
Jenna K. –
I started using this with a small group of 3rd graders and within a month they were combining sentences using conjunctions beyond just ‘and.’ The visual cues at each level really helped them understand the mechanics of how sentences fit together. Will continue using for the rest of the year.
Amanda O. –
My go-to for sentence structure goals.
Patricia O. –
So glad I bought this!
Kathryn Turner –
Every SLP working on syntax goals needs this in their toolkit. The sentence combining format is research based, the levels are clear, and the printables are high quality. My students have genuinely improved their writing since I started using this in therapy.
Amanda A. –
I like the overall format and the leveled approach is smart. Some of my students needed extra scaffolding between Level 3 and Level 4, which was a bigger jump. I ended up creating some in-between activities to bridge the gap. Still a solid purchase that I use regularly.
Kristin M. –
I purchased this at the beginning of the year not knowing exactly what to expect and it quickly became one of my most-used resources. The systematic approach is what sets it apart from other sentence combining materials I’ve tried. Level 1 starts with something every student can access, using ‘and’ to combine two simple sentences. Then it gradually introduces embedding adjectives, using different conjunctions, incorporating relative clauses, and finally combining sentences within a story context. That final level is where my students really showed me what they’d learned. Being able to track their progress across levels has been great for IEP data too. Highly functional and well designed.
Lynn O. –
I work with students on reading comprehension and found that using sentence combining actually helped them understand complex sentence structures in their reading too. The research backs this up and this resource made it easy to implement. Really pleased with the results I’ve seen.
Cheryl M. –
Clear, effective, and easy to prep.
Katherine Lockwood –
This resource has been extremely valuable in working on syntax skills with upper elementary through high school students. The different levels allow me to customize across and within groups, based on each student’s needs. The explanations of each conjunction, along with the icon for each conjunction, are great visual supports for students who need that.
Janice G. –
Can’t say enough good things about this.
Kari Hall –
As a fellow TPT creator, I can see how much care went into designing this resource. The 5 levels are thoughtfully sequenced and the visuals genuinely help students grasp each new concept. The story-level combining at Level 5 is a brilliant culminating activity.
Tanya O. –
Truly, using this for all my sentence level IEP goals.
Christina A. –
I’ve tried several sentence combining resources and this is by far the most organized and systematic. The clear progression from simple to complex is logical and well-paced. My students actually understand why they’re combining sentences, not just how. That conceptual understanding makes a big difference.
Grace E. –
Such a needed resource for syntax goals!
Courtney U. –
My students love the combining activites!
Barbara Goldman –
Bought this on a whim. Best decision!
Anna I. –
Started using this in January and have already seen progress with several of my students. The visual supports at each level help them understand what they’re supposed to do without a lot of verbal explanation from me. The compound sentence work at the earlier levels built a nice foundation for the complex sentence work later on.
Caitlin G. –
Good packet, wish there were more pages at the higher levels.
Joy Sullivan –
Perfect for my caseload this year!
Frances –
Clean, clear, and easy to use.
Carla Q. –
The research-supported approach really shows in the design of this packet. Sentence combining has been shown to improve both writing and reading comprehension and this resource makes it accessible for therapy. I appreciate the thoughtful progression across all five levels.
Katie –
I’m a school-based SLP with a caseload of about 55 students and sentence combining comes up on so many of my IEPs. This resource has saved me hours of planning because the levels are already built out and the visuals support each new concept. I started using it in September and have worked through Levels 1-3 with most of my groups. The jump from using ‘and’ at Level 1 to embedding adjectives and adverbs at Level 2 felt natural for my students and they handled it well. Level 3 with more complex conjunctions pushed them but in a good way. I’m excited to tackle relative clauses next. The no print PDF format is also great for when I want to use it on the screen during mixed groups.
Joy Y. –
Used this with my language group targeting written expression and sentence structure goals. The progression from Level 1 to Level 5 is smooth and logical. My students especially liked the story improvement section at the higher level because it felt like a real writing task.
Sara M. –
One of my favorite syntax resources.
Caroline Brooks –
I teach a SPED writing class and this has been incredibly useful for my students who struggle with sentence variety. The systematic approach gives them confidence because each level builds on the last. They’ve gone from writing only simple sentences to combining them into compound and complex structures.
Christina I. –
My students are finally writing complex sentences!
Darlene O. –
Good resource with a clear progression. Could use more examples at Level 4.
Tammy X. –
I’m in my CF year and this is one of the first resources I bought. It’s made targeting sentence level goals so much less stressful because the structure is built in. I don’t have to figure out what to do next, I just follow the levels. Really thankful for this one.
Sharon E. –
After 10 years of using random sentence combining worksheets I finally found something with a real progression. Starting with ‘and’ and building up to relative clauses and story-level combining is exactly the trajectory my students need. The printable format is clean and easy to use.
Karen E. –
Wish I had found this sooner!
Tammy E. –
The higher levels with relative clauses and story improvement are where this resource really shines. My 5th graders are creating complex sentences that sound natural, not forced. The systematic progression gave them the foundation they needed to get there.
Jodie –
Easy to use and well organized.
The Language Lab –
Such a smart resource for SLPs!
Elena S. –
I work in a private practice and sentence combining is one of the most common goals I see. This resource has streamlined my therapy planning because the levels are already laid out for me. I just assess where a student is and start at the right level. Families appreciate seeing the clear progression too.
Kate K. –
Truly, i’ve been looking for a way to systematically teach sentence combining and this nailed it. The five levels are clear and well-paced. My students who started with simple conjunctions are now working on relative clauses and I can see the growth. The visuals make each level accessible even for students who struggle with grammar concepts.
Mandy O. –
Bought this for my 3rd-5th grade groups targeting sentence structure goals and it’s been perfect. The embedding of adjectives and adverbs at the earlier levels taught my students skills they transferred to their classroom writing almost immediately.
Kristen Q. –
So helpful for my writing groups.
Tiffany E. –
Every SLP needs this for syntax goals.
Melanie W. –
LOVE the visual supports in this!
Chelsea Y. –
Perfect for targeting complex sentences.
Jane I. –
Really like the systematic approach to sentence combining. The progression from Level 1 through Level 5 makes sense and the visuals help. I just wish there were a few more practice pages at each level before moving on. Overall still a great resource though.
Speech Room Solutions –
Fantastic sentence combining packet!
Robin I. –
My 4th graders are loving this!
The Fluency Coach –
Great sentence level resource.
The Grammar Guru –
Love the leveled approach to combining!
Ashley A. –
Using this for all my syntax goals now.
Theresa M. –
Such a well thought out resource.
Jessica C. –
My kids are writing better sentences already!
Victoria M. –
I love that sentence combining is research-supported for improving both writing and reading comprehension. This resource takes that research and puts it into a practical, easy to use format. My students have shown real improvement in their written expression since we started using it.
Julia Kelly –
The visuals in this are so helpful!
Talk Time Therapy –
Excellent syntax resource!
Brenda –
I use this with my writing groups and it has made such a difference. My students went from writing choppy simple sentences to creating compound sentences with conjunctions pretty quickly. The scaffolding across the 5 levels really works.
Stephanie –
This is the sentence combining resource I wish I’d had years ago. The systematic approach means I’m not just randomly assigning sentence combining tasks. There’s a clear progression from simple to complex and the visuals help my students understand the structure.
Debbie W. –
Great for compound and complex sentences.
Gina O. –
I’ve been looking for a structured way to teach sentence combining and this is exactly it. The 5 levels make it so easy to know where to start with each student and how to progress them. My 3rd graders started with Level 1 using ‘and’ and are already moving up!
Stacy –
Love the systematic progression!