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

When should you combine sentences?

Wouldnt it be boring to have the exact same
weather...
every...

single...

day?

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
Now see
how
sentence
combining
makes
the
this
paragraph
boring
read.
paragraph
shorter
andto
more
interesting.
Thomas Edison created a talking doll
doll.in
He1894.
created
The
doll would
a nursery
poema
the talking
doll recite
in 1894.
The dollrhyme
wouldorrecite
when
crank or
in poem.
its back
wasthe
turned.
nurserya rhyme
It said
wordsThe
when a
talking
andtalking
Edisondoll
opened
crank indoll
its was
backvery
was popular,
turned. The
was
a
factory.
very
popular. Edison opened a factory.
[End of Section]

How to combine sentences

Inserting words

Combine short sentences by taking a key

key word
word
from one sentence and inserting it into the other.
Ken
Ken gave
gave me
me aa beautiful
beautiful pink
rose. The
rose.
rose was pink.
pink.

You may have to change the form of the word.

Roses
Roses come
come from
from thorny
shrubs. shrubs.
The shrubs have thorns.
thorny
thorns

How to combine sentences

Inserting 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]

How to combine sentences

Inserting phrases

You can also combine sentences by inserting a

phrase from one sentence into another.
Brown bears gather in groups
groups. near
Theyrivers.
gather near
nearrivers.
rivers.
Tina spotted
During
her hike
a snake.
Tina spotted
She spotted
a snake.
it during
during her
her hike.
hike.

How to combine sentences

Inserting 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]

How to combine sentences

Using and, but, or or

You can combine sentences by using the

coordinating conjunctions and, but, or or.
And shows
similarity.

Katie and Tyrone both enjoy

crossword puzzles.

But shows a
contrast.

Katie likes crossword puzzles but

hates word-find puzzles.

Or shows a
choice.

Tyrone or Katie will help you solve

that crossword puzzle.

How to combine sentences

Using 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 have
have pouches.
pouches.
have pouches.
Koalas have
pouches.

Same verb

Step 2. Join the subjects with a

connecting word such as and, but, or
or.
Kangaroos and koalas have pouches.

How to combine sentences

Using 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
Carloswill
willgo
goto
tothe
themovies.
movies.

Same subject

Carlos
willplay
playsoccer
soccerin
inthe
thepark.
park.
Carlos will
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.

How to combine sentences

Using and, but, or or

On Your Own
Combine each pair of sentences by forming a compound
subject or a compound verb.
1. 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]

How to combine sentences

Using 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.
bread. and II made
Jan sliced the bread,
made the
the soup.
Brett
Bret likes
likesmath,
math.but Greta
Greta prefers
prefers science.
science.

How to combine sentences

Using 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 caf 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]

How to combine sentences

Using 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.
Independent clause

Subordinate clause

walls while
I cleaned
the
I cleaned
thefloor.
floor
Amy painted the walls.
Iwhile
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.

How to combine sentences

Using 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

hashas
helped
many
people.
leader.who who
He
many
people.
hashelped
helped
many
people
Attach the subordinate clause
Subject

bank, which
feeds
thousands.
which
feeds
thousands.
He runs the local food bank.
It feeds
thousands.
Attach the subordinate clause

How to combine sentences

Using 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
their
team
made
a agoal.
when
their
team
goal.
Their
team
made
amade
goal.
happy. when
Attach the subordinate clause

Sometimes youll have to change the other

sentence slightly before inserting the subordinate
clause.
After
wewatched
watched
the
match,Then
we had
lunch.
after
we
the
match
We watched
the match.
we had
lunch.
Attach the subordinate clause

How to combine sentences

Using subordinate clauses

You can also make a subordinate clause by adding

a word that indicates place, such as where.
A shed now stands on the spot.
spot where
where
the
the
tree
treegrew.
grew.
The tree
grew
there.
Attach the subordinate clause

Rome, where
theysaw
saw
the
Vatican.
They went to Rome.
where
theythe
saw
the Vatican.
They
Vatican
there.
Attach the subordinate clause

How to combine sentences

Using 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.)
4. Beautiful pearls are found in tropical seas. The best pearl
oysters live there. (Use where.)
[End of Section]

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

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]

The End