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Developing Relationships between Ideas

Developing the Relationship Between Ideas Activity

Practice 1: Copy the following paragraph and then use a highlighter to mark all of the words that indicate a relationship. You can check your answers below.

Jamal is good at math and chemistry (1). However, he is not good at history (2). Yesterday some of his friends came over to help him find a job (3). Because Jamal is good at math, Lee thought he should apply to be a cashier at a coffee shop (4). However, Jamal really hates the smell of coffee, so he thought he'd rather work at the hot dog stand (5). In the end, they agreed that it would be best to apply to many stores to increase his chances of getting hired (6).

 

Practice 2: Here is another example. Use a highlighter to mark all of the words that indicate a relationship. You can check your answer below.

Sherlock Holmes solved the mystery of 'The Red-Headed League' by using deductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning is when you take pieces of information and then draw a conclusion from that information. His friend, Dr. Watson, has the same information, yet he cannot solve the mysteries. He is smart; however, Sherlock Holmes has a unique talent. Another way Holmes can solve mysteries is through the notes and journals he keeps to track information. In the end, it is clear that Sherlock Holmes is the best crime solver.

 

Practice 3: Create a paragraph from the sentences listed below, using one of each type of relationship word from the chart shown earlier (example, cause/effect, contrast, conclusion). You may need to rewrite the sentences for them to make sense, and feel free to combine two sentences to make one longer sentence. You can find sample responses using these sentences below.

  1. The Sherlock Holmes stories take place in the late 1800s in England.
  2. People then had to do things differently than we do today.
  3. They used horse-drawn cabs instead of cars.
  4. The streets were narrow and it took longer to get around.
  5. Few people had access to electricity and telephones.
  6. Holmes kept journals to track information.
  7. It would have been fun to live at that time.