B3.1. Syntax and Sentence Structure
Syntax refers to the rules and principles that govern sentence structure in language. It determines how words are arranged to form coherent and meaningful sentences. Syntax allows students to understand and create sentences that are grammatically correct and convey clear meanings. In understanding syntax, readers can interpret written text accurately, while writers can effectively convey their ideas in a structured and organized manner. Additionally, syntax plays a vital role in reading comprehension by helping readers decode the meaning of sentences and understand how ideas are structured and connected within a text.
During Grade 1, the focus was on:
Simple sentences
- Declarative, providing information (e.g. The dog barks loudly all day.)
- Imperative, expressing directions (e.g. Please turn on the water.)
- Interrogative, asking for information (e.g. Where is the library book on structures?)
- Exclamatory, showing a strong feeling (e.g. I am excited and happy to see my friend!)
Compound sentences
- A sentence with two independent clauses (e.g. Sherice sings in a band and sometimes she plays drums.)
New for Grade 2:
- This year, students are working on consolidating the syntactical structures that were introduced in Grade 1.
- There are no new sentence types this year. However, as students begin to write with a broader range of grammatical structures, their sentences will become longer and more descriptive.
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of all expectations in this strand. For a more detailed view, please see the official Ontario curriculum.
Considerations for teaching syntax and sentence structure
There are many strategies to help build students’ awareness of syntax. Like many other reading and writing skills, syntax first starts to develop orally. Exposure to frequent models of complex sentence structures as well as opportunities for oral practice in conversations and practice situations will be fundamental to students being able to transfer these skills to reading and writing. The following are strategies that would be appropriate for Grade 2 students:
Sentence Scrambles: A simple way to help students develop syntactic awareness. The teacher gives students a set of words from a sentence that are out of order. Students must rearrange the words into a grammatically correct sentence without deleting or adding any words.
- Scaffold the task by providing a capital letter for the first word and including punctuation with the last word.
- Using sentences related to content instruction serves to reinforce what is being taught in different subjects.
- Have students work in small groups to complete the task and discuss how they determined the correct order.
- Put words on cards to make it easier for students to manipulate the order.
- Start with fairly brief sentences (3-4 words) and build from there.
Sentence Elaboration: These activities help students use and manipulate a growing number of words in sentences.
Using “W” Questions: This is the easiest way to help students grow their sentences. The teacher first provides a simple subject for a sentence, preferably a simple subject related to something students are reading or content they are learning. Next, the teacher asks a series of questions to prompt students to expand and elaborate.
Expanding Kernel Sentences: This more advanced activity gives students the opportunity to identify parts of speech. Think about kernel sentences as kernels of popcorn. One kernel of corn is very small, but when you add energy (heat), the kernel blows up into a larger piece of popcorn. Likewise, a kernel sentence is small, with just the basic sentence elements, a noun and a verb. When students put energy into adding information, this kernel sentence also blows up!
Sentence Combining: Students combine two or more short sentences into one longer grammatically correct sentence. To get students started with sentence combining, ask them to practice with combinations of just two sentences. Expand to multiple sentences as students’ sentence combining ability develops.
Elaborations of these teaching techniques can be found here.
Further Reading
- See Further Readings in B3. Language Conventions
Suggested Resources
See Suggested Resources in B3. Language Conventions
