Sentence+Combining

=** Exercise #1 ** =


 * Revise these paragraphs using compound and complex sentences.**

Paragraph 1: It was a dark and stormy night, the wind was high. The trees waved and crashed against the barn. I looked around me and saw that I wasn’t alone; a man stood behind me. He was tall, and mean. He had a knife, and it was shining in the moonlight. It was long and slender. He reached back, and stabbed with it. I jumped out of the way, and ran away.

Paragraph 2: Tom prefers baseball to basketball. Baseball seems more interesting to Tom. Tom feels baseball is a gentleman’s sport. Baseball is more structured than basketball. Baseball requires athletes to use more skill than aggression when playing. Tom respects baseball players the most because of this.

Tom prefers baseball to basketball, because baseball seems more interesting to Tom. Tom feels baseball is a gentleman's sport, because baseball is more structured than basketball. Baseball requires athletes to use more skill than aggression when playing, and Tom respects baseball players the most because of this.

key in downloads = Exercise #2 =

1. I always order cheese fries. The reason why is because they're my favorite. I always order cheese fries, because they're my favorite.
 * Combine each set of short sentences and fragments into one sentence.**

2. Bob was my boyfriend. That was in high school. We dated for about eight months. Before I met Mike. Bob was my boyfriend in high school, we dated for about eight months, but that was before I met Mike.

3. The tree fell on the house. This was a sycamore. Because of the high winds. But my grandmother wasn't hurt. The sycamore tree fell on the house because of high winds, but my grandmother wasn't hurt.

4. My dog's name is George. He is a Golden Retriever. He loves to play Frisbee. Loves to swim, too. My dog's name is George, he is a Golden Retriever who loves to play Frisbee, and swim, too.

5. My parents gave me a car. That is why I'm able to afford to go to college. Still, I work part-time. I work at Wal-Mart. I'm a cashier. My parents gave me a car, that's why I'm able to afford to go to college, but I still work part time at Wal-Mart as a cashier.

//and, but, or, so, yet, nor// 6. Some students stay on the sidewalks. Some students cut across the grass. Some students stay on the sidewalks, and some students cut across the grass.
 * Combine these six pairs of sentences using the coordinating conjunctions listed below. Use each conjunction only one time.**

7. Students have to park far from their classrooms. They are often late for class. Students have to park far from their classrooms, so they are often late for class.

8. Trash cans have been placed all over campus. Students still throw garbage on the ground. Trash cans have been placed all over campus, but students still throw garbage on the ground.

9. The administration promised to improve dining hall service. The quality of the food is actually worse this year. The administration promised to improve dining hall service, yet the quality of the food is actually worse this year.

10. These students do not respect the feelings of others. They don't seem to respect themselves. These students do not respect the feelings of others, nor seem to respect themselves.

11. We must stand up for our rights today. We may find ourselves with no rights at all. We must stand up for our rights today, or we may find ourselves with no rights at all.

//unless, because, even though, while, although, though// 12. Some students stay on the sidewalks. Some students cut across the grass. Some students stay on the sidewalks, while some students cut across the grass.
 * Combine the same sentences above using the subordinating conjunctions listed below. Again, use each conjunction only one time.**

13. Students have to park far from their classrooms. They are often late for class. Students have to park far from their classrooms, unless they are often late for class.

14. Trash cans have been placed all over campus. Students still throw garbage on the ground. Trash cans have been placed all over campus, although students still throw garbage on the ground.

15. The administration promised to improve dining hall service. The quality of the food is actually worse this year. The administration promised to improve dining hall service, though the quality of the food is actually worse this year.

16. These students do not respect the feelings of others. They do seem to respect themselves. These students do not respect the feelings of others, even though they seem to respect themselves.

17.We must stand up for our rights today. We may find ourselves with no rights at all. We must stand up for our rights today, because we may find ourselves with no rights at all.

key in downloads

=** Exercise #7 ** = =**Sentence Combining Worksheets** = Knowing how to combine sentences is essential when writing. If you were unable to properly combine sentences, each sentence would be very short, simple and boring. Unfortunately, the rules for combining sentences can be somewhat complex. This worksheet helps with some examples of sentences to combine so you can get lots of practice combining sentences.

==**Simple Sentence Combining Worksheet** == Combine the following sentences with a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). 1) She went to work. She did not want to go. She went to work, but she did not want to go.

2) The scientists trained him well. They helped him find a job when his training was through. The scientists trained him well, and they helped him find a job when his training was through.

3) Polar bears are fierce, territorial animals. Grizzly bears are the same. Polar bears are fierce, territorial animals, and Grizzly beard are the same.

4) Mark told me not to come with him. He looked longingly at me as I left. Mark told me not to come with him, yet he looked longingly at me as I left.

5) I will not give in to you. I will not let you push me around. I will not give in to you, so I will not let you push me around.

6) He loves to drive during the day. They will let him drive before 9pm. He loves to drive during the day, so they will let him drive before 9pm.

7) My cat was hungry. It had not eaten since breakfast. My cat was hungry, for it had not eaten since breakfast.

8) They couldn’t think of anything better to do. They decided to baby-sit for the family. They couldn't think of anything better to do, so they decided to baby-sit for the family.

9) A book can be a lot of fun to read. A book can be boring. A book can be a lot of fun to read, or a book can be boring.

10) That movie looks great! I would love to come see it with you. That movie looks great, so I would love to come see it with you!

==**Sentence Combining Using Subordinating Conjunctions** == Combine the following sentences with a subordinating conjunction (after all, although, because, before, however, therefore). This may require a semicolon! 11) They made plans to go. They ended up not being able to make it. They made plans to go, however they ended up not being able to make it.

12) Some say that dogs are friendlier than cats. Cats can also be extremely loving. Some say that dogs are friendlier than cats, although cats can also be extremely loving.

13) What we’ve accomplished is a milestone. Let’s raise our glasses for a toast. What we've accomplished is a milestone; therefore, let's raise our glasses for a toast.

14) Dr. Johnson ate a big meal. He went to work afterward. Dr. Johnson ate a big meal, because he went to work afterward.

15) I simply cannot get out of bed. I am too tired. I simply cannot get out of bed, because I am too tired.

16) Don’t give me a hard time. We’ve been close friends for so long. Don't give me a hard time, after all we've been close friends for so long.

17) We don’t believe the way you do. Our culture is very different from yours. We don't believe the way you do, because our culture is very different from yours.

18) I can’t believe that you would do something so crazy. If I were you I might do the same. I can't believe that you would do something so crazy, although if I were you I might do the same.

19) The two weren’t always this close. When she died, they became closer. The two weren't always this close, however when she died they became closer.

20) I refused to talk about it. I was put in jail. I refused to talk about it, because I was put in jail.

==**Sentence Combining with Subjects and Verbs** == The following sentences share either the same subject or the same verb. Combine the sentences however you can. 21) Mr. Brown walked to the store. His pet monkey Ralph walked along with him. Mr. Brown walked to the store, and his pet monkey Ralph walked along with him.

22) The cactus is thirsty. The cactus is not getting enough sunlight. The cactus is thirsty, because the cactus is not getting enough sunlight.

23) My mug was in the cupboard. My mug is no longer in the cupboard. My mug was in the cupboard, but now my mug is no longer in the cupboard.

24) Drew’s dog jumped into the air. Janine’s dog jumped into the air as well. Drew and Janine's dogs jumped into the air.

25) The book fell to the floor. It opened to a page I had never read before. The book fell to the floor, and opened to a page I had never read before.

26) Your face has scars on it. Your face looks friendly. Your face has scars on it, although your face looks friendly.

27) Why did you say that word? It was extremely rude. Why did you say that extremely rude word?

28) Everyone is lying to me! They’re trying to keep me from learning what they know. Everyone is lying to me, and trying to keep me from learning what they know.

29) Stop dancing like that. Sit back down in your chair. Stop dancing like that, and sit back down in your chair.

30) Thomas’ friends seemed so strange. They were hanging up every time they called. Thomas' friends seemed so strange, because they were hanging up every time they called.

==**Sentence Combining in Paragraphs** == Combine as many sentences as you can in the following paragraph, using the above examples to guide you. The Boston Red Sox were three games down. The Red Sox had to win the next four games to advance. Fans were worried. Boston had not won a World Series since 1918. No team had ever come back in the playoffs from a three-game deficit. All of the fans knew this. Red Sox fans watched anxiously as the fourth game of the ALCS began. Yankees fans watched confidently. They also knew that anything could happen. People wanted to watch a good series. They did not expect it to be such a nail-biter! David Roberts stole second base. This move would be remembered as the turning point of the series. Nobody believed the Red Sox would win that year. The Red Sox won that year. The Yankees would not win the World Series for another five years. In 2009, the Yankees won the World Series.

The Boston Red Sox were three games down, and had to win the next four games to advance. Fans were worried because Boston had not won a World Series since 1918. No team had ever come back in the playoffs from a three-game deficit, all of the fans knew this. Red Sox fans watched anxiously as the fourth game of the ALCS began and Yankees fans watched confidently although they also know that anything could happen. People wanted to watch a good series, but they did not expect it to be such a nail-biter! David Roberts stole second base, afterwards this move would be known as the turning point of the series. Nobody believed the Red Sox would win that year, but they did. The Yankees would not win the World Series for another five years, until 2009.