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TRANSCRIPT
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