In a blended sentence, the author makes the quotation a part
of their own sentence without any punctuation between their own words and the
words they are quoting. The author
frequently shortens quotes and retains only the most relevant phrases.
Example:
In "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," Thoreau
states directly his purpose for going into the woods. "I went to the woods
because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of
life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came
to die, discover that I had not lived."
Though there isn’t anything grammatically incorrect about
these sentences, the writing is wordy, lacks transitions, and includes a long
quote that may distract attention from the key ideas the author seeks to
emphasize.
Transition Word:
In "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," Thoreau
states directly his purpose for going into the woods. He says, "I went to
the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential
facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when
I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
Still too long – but at least there’s a transition word
connecting the ideas to each other
Blended Sentence:
In "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," Thoreau
states that his retreat to the woods around Walden Pond was motivated by his
desire "to live deliberately" and to face only "the essential
facts of life."
Blending your quotes also helps with sentence combination –
a common strategy used to concisely provide an abundance of information .
Ex. Four sentences become one sentence.
Paine uses figurative language. “The period of debate is
closed. Arms as the last resource decide the contest; the appeal was the choice
of the king, and the continent hath accepted the challenge.” In this sentence,
Paine claims that the king’s actions have challenged our honor and demanded a
violent response, like when someone challenges someone else to a duel.
Paine metaphorically compares the current conflict to a
duel, alleging that the conflict “was the choice of the king,” and that the
continent has “accepted the challenge” to its honor.
This strategy can also be used to combine evidence selected
from several different parts of a source into one sentence.
My claim: The chorus repeatedly refers to Antigone’s atê in
several different places in the text, all for essentially the same purpose.
My quotes:
“Like father like daughter, passionate, wild…she hasn’t
learned to bend before adversity.”
You went too far, the last limits of daring – smashing
against the high throne of justice!”
“Your own blind will, your passion has destroyed you.”
“Still the rough winds, the wild passion raging through the
girl.”
My sentence:
The Chorus repeatedly addresses Antigone’s atê, labeling her
as a “passionate, wild,” “daring,” daughter who, like her father, is destroyed
by her “blind will” (Sophocles 525, 943, 962, 1022)
In some cases these words are directly quotes; in others, I
paraphrase. However, my wording preserves the meaning of the original quotes
and shows the repetition of the idea at four different parts of the play.
(remember to cite all of the line numbers)
v Blended
sentences help quotes become a natural part of your discussion, rather than an
extra piece of information tacked on to the end of your claim.
v They
just sound better. The sentence flows. There is a smooth transition between
parts of grammar that reflects the logical relationship between the ideas you
express.
v It
allows you to focus on the key ideas or word choices in your quoted evidence,
rather than having to write out the entire sentence.
v It
allows you to present more ideas in a smaller space. When you express complex
ideas or relationships between many pieces of information, an economy of words
become extremely important. Otherwise
you get either a bunch of chopped-up, unrelated fragments of information or
huge, wordy, confusing 97 word sentences.
Today, we will practice this using our three-column notes on
theme.
A. Combine the quoted
passage and the discussion of context into a single blended sentence.
B. Then, write your analysis sentence, making
sure to refer to specific elements of the quote or context that support your
conclusions. This may require the use of a blended sentence as well.
Example”
Column 1: 622-626
Ismene: Tell me dear one, what can I do to help you, even
now?
Antigone: Save yourself. I don’t grudge your survival.
Ismene: Oh no, no, denied my portion in your death?
Antigone: You chose to live, I chose to die.
Column 2: At this point, Antigone and Ismene both stand
accused of treason. In despair, Ismene claims she helped bury Polynices so that
she can join her sister in death. Antigone, however, exposes this lie and refuses
Ismene’s offer, reminding her that the choices they made in the Prologue determines
their individual outcomes.
Column 3: This quote reminds the reader of the balance
between free will and fate in these tragedies. Though burdened by the curses of
Laios and Oedipus, Antigone asserts the power of choice and argues that she and
Ismene face outcomes determined not by the Gods but by what they “chose.” In
addition, Antigone’s statement that she will not “grudge [Ismene’s] survival
whows that her character can change in the face of adversity, another example
of free will.
