view_quiltComplex SentenceBuilder?
You can use the tools on this page to create a complex SentenceBuilder resource using your own content!
What do we mean by “complex”? Well, unlike the simpler “column-based” format previously available for users to generate their own content, a complex SentenceBuilder is just like the ones featured in the premium resources on SentenceBuilders. It has the following characteristics:
- Columns and rows, with cell content that can span multiple rows / columns.
- Works from left to right, crossing vertical lines but never crossing horizontal ones.
- All combinations are presumed to be viable, so you need to use the fine-tuning tools to make exclusions and transformations where necessary.
Please have a quick read through our short pop-up tutorial on SentenceBuilder design and “flow”, especially if you are new to creating resources on SentenceBuilders.
See also the very detailed post on the SentenceBuilders blog, full of all sorts advice, recommendations, tips and tricks for Creating [complex] SentenceBuilder “machines” that worklaunch
IMPORTANT: some of the functionality of this page uses your device’s “Local Storage” (part of the browser cache) to manage the content. If Local Storage is functioning correctly on your device, the content of this page will be remembered, and it will only be lost if (a) you begin a new resource, (b) you open an existing resource, or (c) you delete the resource on which this content is based.
createSentenceBuilder Content
Editing resource:
Type or paste the content for your SentenceBuilder resource into the constructor table below.
- Use the “+ Row” button to add a new row to the bottom of the table, and the “− Row” button to remove rows from the bottom of the table.
- Use the “+ Column” button to add a new column to the right of the table, and the “− Column” button to remove columns from the right of the table.
- To merge 2 or more cells, select the checkboxes for those cells, then click on the “Merge” button.
- To split a cell in two, select the checkbox for the cell that you wish to split, then click the “Split —” button to split the cell into top and bottom, or “Split |” button to split the cell into left and right.
- Use the color selector at the bottom of each cell to set the background color for that cell in the table. (N.B. Colors are only intended as a guide for students. They don’t affect outputs or routes. Please use the “SB Routes / Cell Combos” pop-up to do this.)
- You can use the “undoUndo” and “Redoredo” buttons to undo (a) structural changes to your SB table, and (b) changes to the content of the SB table. Please use sparingly, as there are a maximum of 10 restore points available. N.B.: You will almost certainly need to re-check the Sentence & Chunk data further down the page if you use this undo and redo functionality.
monitorSentenceBuilder Display
Once you have some content in your SentenceBuilder constructor above, a preview of your table will appear below. This is exactly as it will appear to your students on the resource page.
view_column Use the "column view" control (only visible on cells which have 2 or more items of content) to set the default number of display columns within a cell.
swap_horizswap_vertUse the "translation toggle" controls (visible on all cells with content as long as translations are visible) to set the default position of the translations in each cell: side by side, or stacked.
view_quiltSB Sentences + Activities
By default, sentences are automatically generated based on all of the content of your SentenceBuilder table. Each SB table contains one or more “routes”, which are defined by moving from left to right and crossing only vertical lines (i.e. between columns). Sentences are generated by following these “SB Routes” and adding together the content of each cell.
This section offers you various options for modifying the raw sentences / activity content generated by your SB Table:
- exclude sentences based on certain “SB Routes” or combinations of cells
- exclude sentences based on certain word combinations
- transform sentences in some way
- exclude certain words or chunks from gap-fill activities
N.B.: To view the sentences currently generated by your SB resource, see the “Verify Content” section below.
i. alt_routeSB Routes /filter_noneCell combos…
ii. blockExcluded word combinations
iii. auto_fix_highTransformations
iv. font_download_offGap-fill exclusions
local_pizzaVocab Chunks Activities
By default, the vocab chunks that are used for the vocab chunk games and activities are automatically generated based on all of the content of your SentenceBuilder table, and they are defined by the L2 / L1 items as they appear within each cell.
This section allows you to over-ride these defaults in the following 2 ways:
- by defining custom vocab chunks based on combinations of cells
- by excluding certain cells so that their content is never used for vocab chunks
filter_noneCustom vocab chunks /blockBlocked vocab cells
commentText-To-Speech (TTS)
Roughly half of the activities generated by SentenceBuilders use audio, and this audio is generated automatically from your content using text-to-speech (TTS).
The selector below lists the TTS languages supported by SentenceBuilders. If your resource is for a different language, or you prefer not to enable TTS for your resource, leave this selector blank.
If you do include TTS, you can also use the TTS transformations tool below to do things like add pauses or correct punctuation errors. You can hear what your TTS sounds like in the SB by clicking on the L2 items in the pop-up itself, or in the SB Display section above.
commentlanguageTTS language
commentauto_fix_highTTS transformations
verified_userVerify Content
Once you are happy with the content of your SentenceBuilder, you need to verify the content before you can save the resource.