Combining Sentences

Why combine sentences?

To make your writing smoother by

balancing short sentences with

longer, more detailed ones.

Sample Selection

He was stranded. He was on prehistoric Earth. He was stranded as the result of a sequence of events. The sequence was complex. It involved his being blown up. It involved his being insulted. These things had happened in bizarre regions of the Galaxy. There were more of these bizarre regions than he had ever dreamed existed. Life had now turned quiet. It was very, very, very quiet. He was still feeling jumpy.

He hadn’t been blown up now for a while. It had been five years.

Ways to Combine Sentences

Combine by Inserting Words or

Phrases

Combine by Coordinating Ideas

Combine by Subordinating Ideas

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Combine related sentences by taking a key word or phrase from one sentence and inserting it into another sentence.

By combining sentences with this technique, you can eliminate extra words and repeated ideas.

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Example

This simulator gives a realistic

experience of flight. It uses computer

graphics to do this. The experience is

so real it’s amazing.

Using computer graphics, this simulator

gives an amazingly realistic experience

of flight.

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Single-word modifiers

Sometimes you can take a word from one sentence and insert it directly into another sentence as a modifier. Other times you will need to change the word into an adjective or adverb before you can insert it.

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Single-word modifiers

Example (using the same form)

Timing is essential for performing magic

tricks. The magician’s timing must be

excellent.

Excellent timing is essential for performing

magic tricks.

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Single-word modifiers

Example (changing the form)

The famous magician, Harry Houdini,

performed impossible escapes. The

escapes only seemed impossible.

The famous magician, Harry Houdini,

performed seemingly impossible escapes.

(The verb “seemed” becomes the adverb

“seemingly”.)

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Prepositional Phrases

You can usually take a prepositional

phrase from one sentence and insert it

into another without any change in form.

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Prepositional Phrases

Example

Our English class is reading “Everyday Use”.

It is by Alice Walker.

Our English class is reading “Everyday Use”

by Alice Walker.

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Participial Phrase

A participial phrase contains a participle and

words related to it. The whole phrase acts as

an adjective. Like other modifiers, participial

phrases add details to sentences.

Sometimes you can lift a participial phrase

directly from one sentence and insert it into

another sentence. Other times you will need to

change a verb into a participle before you can

insert the idea into another sentence.

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Participial Phrase

Example 1

Ants smell, taste, touch, and hear with

antennae. The antennae are attached to

their heads.

Ants smell, taste, touch, and hear with

antennae attached to their heads.

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Participial Phrase

Example 2

Weaver ants bind leaves together for nests.

They use the silk from their silk-spinning

larvae.

Using the silk from their silk-spinning larvae,

weaver ants bind leaves together for nests.

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Appositive Phrases

An appositive phrase is made up of an appositive and its modifiers. This phrase identifies or explains a noun or pronoun in a sentence. Like a participial phrase, an appositive phrase should be placed directly before or after the noun or pronoun it modifies. It should be set of by a comma (or two commas if you place the phrase in the middle of the sentence.)

Combine by

Inserting Words or Phrases

Appositive Phrases

Example

Arna Bontemps wrote for the magazine

Opportunity. Arna Bontemps was a major

figure in the Harlem Renaissance.

Arna Bontemps, a major figure in the Harlem

Renaissance, wrote for the magazine

Opportunity.

Ways to Combine Sentences

Combine by Inserting Words or

Phrases

Single-word modifiers

Prepositional Phrases

Participial Phrases

Appositive Phrases

Combine by Coordinating Ideas

Combine by Subordinating Ideas