Edith, Can you give me the references to the research you referred to on sentence combining? O'Hare, whose study was most influential in promoting it, abandoned it and wrote a very traditional grammar text. Strong, to my knowledge, wrote texts that use it, but he never provided research to support it. All the studies that I remember seeing showed that the effects of "pure" combining exercises disappeared within two years. Perhaps I should note that I am not arguing against all combining exercises. In fact, I suggest using them --at the right levels of natural development, and when used as part of instruction. for example, students who are studying clauses can justifiably be given combining exercises in which a main clause is made subordinate. On the other hand, combining exercises which require sixth graders to reduce a main clause to an appositive are harmful. Ed V. To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/