Combining Sentences

1. Combining Sentences • When should you combine sentences? • How to combine sentences • Inserting words • Inserting phrases • Using and, but, or or • Using subordinate clauses • Review A • Review B

2. When should you combine sentences? Wouldn’t it be boring to have the exact same weather... every... single... day?

3. When should you combine sentences?Too many short sentences Reading the same type of sentence over and over again can also be boring. Notice how too many short sentences make this paragraph boring to read. Now see how sentence combining makes the paragraph shorter and more interesting. Thomas Edison created a talking doll in 1894. The doll would recite a nursery rhyme or poem when a crank in its back was turned. The talking doll was very popular, and Edison opened a factory. Thomas Edison created a talking doll. He created the talking doll in 1894. The doll would recite a nursery rhyme or poem. It said the words when a crank in its back was turned. The talking doll was very popular. Edison opened a factory. [End of Section]

4. How to combine sentencesInserting words Combine short sentences by taking a key word from one sentence and inserting it into the other. key word Ken gave me a beautiful Ken gave me a beautiful rose. The rose was pink. pink rose. pink. You may have to change the form of the word. Roses come from Roses come from shrubs. The shrubs have thorns. thorny shrubs. thorny thorns

5. How to combine sentencesInserting words On Your Own Combine each pair of sentences by inserting a word from the second sentence into the first sentence. Hints in parentheses tell how to change word forms. 1. Peanuts are a crop of many warm regions. They are a major crop. 2. The oil from peanuts is used in dressings. The dressings are for salads. 3. Peanuts are a food for snacking. Peanuts are good for your health. (Change health to healthful.) 4. Try some peanuts today. They taste good. (Change taste to tasty.) [End of Section]

6. How to combine sentencesInserting phrases You can also combine sentences by inserting a phrase from one sentence into another. Brown bears gather in groups. They gather near rivers. Brown bears gather in groups near rivers. near rivers. Tina spotted a snake. She spotted it during her hike. During her hike Tina spotted a snake. during her hike.

7. How to combine sentencesInserting phrases On Your Own Combine each pair of sentences by inserting a phrase from one sentence into the other sentence. Some sentences may be combined in different ways. Add commas where necessary. 1. The pony has brown spots. The spots are on its back. 2. We left for the movie theater. We left after dinner. 3. Enrique plays in the school orchestra. Enrique is a master of the violin. 4. The vines should be trimmed. These are the vines growing on the fence. [End of Section]

8. How to combine sentencesUsing and, but, or or You can combine sentences by using the coordinating conjunctions and, but, or or. And shows similarity. Katieand Tyrone both enjoy crossword puzzles. But shows a contrast. Katie likes crossword puzzles but hates word-find puzzles. Tyrone or Katie will help you solve that crossword puzzle. Or shows a choice.

9. How to combine sentencesUsing and, but, or or You can combine sentences by using and, but, or or to create a compound subject. Step 1. Look for sentences that have the same verb. Kangaroos havepouches. Kangaroos have pouches. Same verb Koalas have pouches. Koalas havepouches. Step 2. Join the subjects with a connecting word such as and, but, or or. Kangaroosand koalas have pouches.

10. How to combine sentencesUsing and, but, or or You can combine sentences by using and, but, or or to create a compound verb. Step 1. Look for sentences that have the same subject. Carlos will go to the movies. Carlos will go to the movies. Same subject Carloswill play soccer in the park. Carlos will play soccer in the park. Step 2. Join the verbs with a connecting word such as and, but, or or. Carlos will go to the movies or play soccer in the park.

11. How to combine sentencesUsing and, but, or or On Your Own • Combine each pair of sentences by forming a compound subject or a compound verb. • Parakeets make good pets. Gerbils make good pets. • 2. The question confused me. It did not trick me. • 3. Mara eats well every day. Mara exercises every day. • 4. Maples grow well in this area. Birches grow well too. • 5. Jason may bring the snacks. Heidi may bring them. [End of Section]

12. How to combine sentencesUsing and, but, or or If the two sentences are related and equally important, you can form a compound sentence. To make a compound sentence, join the two sentences with a comma and a coordinating conjunction. Jan sliced the bread. I made the soup. Jan sliced the bread, andI made the soup. Brett likes math. Bret likes math, butGreta prefers science. Greta prefers science.

13. How to combine sentencesUsing and, but, or or On Your Own Combine each pair of sentences by forming a compound sentence. 1. Nelia mowed the grass. Burt pulled the weeds. 2. The bakery has already closed. The café is still open. 3. Planets do not give off light of their own. Stars do. 4. We can keep the old system of measurement. We can switch to the metric system. [End of Section]

14. How to combine sentencesUsing subordinate clauses Another way to combine sentences is to turn one sentence into a subordinate clause and attach it to the other sentence, an independent clause. Subordinate clause Independent clause Amy painted the walls while I cleaned the floor. whileI cleaned the floor Amy painted the walls. I cleaned the floor. Attach the subordinate clause The subordinate clause adds information by telling what else was going on while Amy was painting. When you combine sentences this way, you get a complex sentence.

15. How to combine sentencesUsing subordinate clauses You can create a subordinate clause by replacing the subject of an independent clause with who, which, or that. Subject Mr. Garcia is a leader who has helped many people. Mr. Garcia is a leader. He has helped many people. whohas helped many people Attach the subordinate clause Subject He runs the local food bank, which feeds thousands. whichfeeds thousands. He runs the local food bank. It feeds thousands. Attach the subordinate clause

16. How to combine sentencesUsing subordinate clauses You can also make a subordinate clause by adding a word that indicates time, such as after, before, since, when, or while. The fans were happy when their team made a goal. whentheir team made a goal. Their team made a goal. The fans were happy. Attach the subordinate clause Sometimes you’ll have to change the other sentence slightly before inserting the subordinate clause. After we watched the match, we had lunch. afterwe watched the match We watched the match. Then we had lunch. Attach the subordinate clause

17. How to combine sentencesUsing subordinate clauses You can also make a subordinate clause by adding a word that indicates place, such as where. wherethe tree grew. A shed now stands on the spot where the tree grew. The tree grew there. A shed now stands on the spot. Attach the subordinate clause They went to Rome, where they saw the Vatican. They went to Rome. wherethey saw the Vatican. They saw the Vatican there. Attach the subordinate clause

18. How to combine sentencesUsing subordinate clauses On Your Own • Combine each pair of sentences by using a subordinate clause. The hints in parentheses tell you how to start the subordinate clause. • 1. Dee received pearls. She graduated. (Use when.) • 2. The pearl is a gem. It is made by certain kinds of oysters. (Use that.) • 3. A pearl becomes round. It is formed in the soft part of the oyster. (Use after.) • Beautiful pearls are found in tropical seas. The best pearl oysters live there. (Use where.) [End of Section]

19. Review A Combine each of the following pairs of sentences. The hints in parentheses will help you decide what combining method to use. • The baby gave me a smile. The smile was bright. (Insert a key word.) • Mother has installed new blinds. They block the bright afternoon sun. (Use which to begin a subordinate clause.) • Susie plays the drums. She plays in the school band. (Insert a phrase.) • The downpour began at midnight. It was still raining the next morning. (Make a compound sentence.) [End of Section]

20. Review B Using all of the sentence-combining skills you have learned, revise and rewrite the following paragraph without changing its original meaning. Dr. James Naismith invented the game of basketball. He invented it in the late 1800s. The first basketball teams started in 1891. They had nine players instead of five. The first basket was a peach basket. A player had to retrieve the ball. This happened when a score was made. [End of Section]

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