Because, but and so can send the same sentence in three different directions. Because gives a reason, but introduces a contrast and so gives a result. To teach them in your homeschool, start with a short reading, model one ending and ask your child to explain how the two parts connect.
This activity is associated with The Writing Revolution. Teacher Tom Needham describes using it for vocabulary practice in his classroom account. Our reading and examples below are original and designed for you to try together at home.
Read this short story together
Sam's afternoon
Sam hoped to fly his kite after lunch. By noon, the wind was bending the branches outside his window. His father said it was too strong to play outdoors. Sam stayed inside and asked his sister to play a board game with him. She brought their favourite game to the table.
Before writing, check three things: what Sam wanted, why he stayed inside and what he did instead. Leave the story in view. The exercise asks your child to connect ideas from the reading.
Three worked examples
Because: give a reason
Sam stayed indoors because the wind was too strong to play outside.
The second part explains why Sam stayed in. Ask: “What made that happen?”
But: show a contrast
Sam stayed indoors, but he had hoped to fly his kite.
What Sam did contrasts with what he wanted. Ask: “What was different from his plan?”
So: give a result
Sam stayed indoors, so he asked his sister to play a board game.
The second part tells us what Sam did as a result of staying in. Ask: “What happened because of that?”
Model one sentence by saying your thinking aloud. Then read the whole sentence, including the joining word. In these examples, a comma comes before but and so because each joins two complete clauses. There is no comma before because in the first example.
Let your child try
Use these starts with the same story. Say a possible answer together first if your child needs help getting started. You can do one sentence today and return to the others later.
- Sam could not fly his kite because...
- Sam could not fly his kite, but...
- Sam could not fly his kite, so...
Show suggested answers
- Sam could not fly his kite because the wind was too strong.
- Sam could not fly his kite, but he could play a game with his sister.
- Sam could not fly his kite, so he chose an indoor activity.
These are examples. Accept another ending if the whole sentence makes sense and agrees with the story.
When the ending does not quite work
Suppose your child writes, Sam stayed indoors because he stayed inside. The sentence repeats the action without explaining it. Ask what was happening outside, then try the ending again.
Or they write, Sam stayed indoors, but he played a board game. Both things happened, but the contrast is unclear: playing a board game is an ordinary indoor activity. Point back to his plan to fly the kite. That gives you something useful to contrast with staying in.
A sentence can also be well formed but disagree with the story: Sam stayed indoors because he had lost his kite. Ask your child to find that reason in the reading. If it is not there, choose an explanation the passage supports.
Try the pattern with your own reading
Pick one action or fact from a passage your child understands. Before handing over three stems, try completing them yourself. Some starting points make one connection easy and another awkward. Change the stem if you have to invent facts to make it work.
For an older child studying literature, Doug Lemov's post on extending the activity with quotations shows a more demanding classroom use. Treat that as a possible later step. A clear sentence about today's reading is a useful task in its own right.
For prepared practice, look inside our Sentence Craft sample, including the worked examples and suggested answers. Our guide to getting started with The Writing Revolution at home explains how to choose a manageable first lesson.
Zigzag & And is an independent publisher. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by The Writing Revolution. The examples in this guide are our own.