Combining Sentences

Coordinating ideas
Subordinating ideas
 How to combine sentences
Compound sentences

If two sentences are related and equally

important, you can form a compound sentence.
A compound sentence is made by joining the two
sentences with
• a comma and a coordinating
conjunction
• or a semicolon
• or a semicolon and a conjunctive
adverb
The phone rang;
rang. but
rang, no one
however,
No
noone
one
answered
no
answered
answered
oneit.
answered
it.
it. it.
 How to combine sentences
Subordinating ideas

When two related sentences contain ideas of

unequal importance, you can make one idea
subordinate to the other in a complex sentence.

Independent Clause Independent Clause

The band played. The whole team left the field.

Independent Clause Subordinate Clause

The band played while the whole team left the field.
Subordinate Clause Independent Clause
While the band played, the whole team left the field.
 How to combine sentences
Subordinating ideas

Make one sentence into an adjective clause by

replacing the subject with who, which, or that.
The lighthouse is perched on a cliff.
which
It has stood for more than a century.
^
Then use the adjective clause to provide
information about a preceding noun or pronoun.

The lighthouse, which has stood for more than a

century, is perched on a cliff.
 How to combine sentences
Subordinating ideas

Turn one sentence into an adverb clause by

adding a subordinating conjunction, such as
after, although, because, if, when, or where.
II didn’t
didn’t really
really understand
understand the
the movie.
movie
until I finished
I finished the book.
the book.

If the adverb clause begins a

sentence, place a comma after it.

Until I finished the book, I didn’t

really understand the movie.
 How to combine sentences
Subordinating conjunctions

Common Subordinating Conjunctions

as before since when

as if if so that whenever

as long as once unless while

A subordinating conjunction shows a

relationship between an adverb clause and the
word(s) that it modifies. For example, before,
once, since, when, and while indicate time.
 How to combine sentences
Subordinating ideas
Turn a sentence into a noun clause by adding a
word like that, how, what, who, or whoever to
the beginning of the sentence.
Noun clause
The doctor told him. that
Hehehad
hadbroken
brokenhis
hiswrist.
wrist.

Insert the clause into another sentence just as

you would an ordinary noun.
Ordinary
The doctor told him the results.
noun

Noun clause The doctor told him that the

results showed he had a broken
wrist.
How to combine sentences
Subordinating ideas

When you place the noun clause in

another sentence, you may have to
change or remove some words.

That
Three inchesinches
That three of rain of
fellrain
yesterday.
fell
^
yesterday does not mean the drought
is over.
This does not mean the drought is over.
 How to combine sentences
Subordinating ideas

Combine the following short sentences by

turning one of the sentences into an adjective clause,
adverb clause, or noun clause, as indicated in
parentheses.
1. The man lives in this apartment building. He
drives our bus. (adjective clause)

2. I print out my final draft. I will proofread it.

(adverb clause)

3. The players were notified. The game had

been cancelled. (noun clause)
 How to combine sentences
Subordinating ideas

Combine the following short sentences by

turning one of the sentences into an adjective clause,
adverb clause, or noun clause, as indicated in
parentheses.
Possible Answer

1. The man who drives our bus lives in this

apartment building.

The sentences have been combined so that the clause

who drives our bus modifies the noun man.
 How to combine sentences
Subordinating ideas

Combine the following short sentences by

turning one of the sentences into an adjective clause,
adverb clause, or noun clause, as indicated in
parentheses.
Possible Answer

2. Before I print out my final draft, I will

proofread it.

The sentences have been combined so that the clause

before I print out my final draft modifies will
proofread.
 How to combine sentences
Subordinating ideas

Combine the following short sentences by

turning one of the sentences into an adjective clause,
adverb clause, or noun clause, as indicated in
parentheses.
Possible Answer

3. The players were notified that the game had

been canceled.

The sentences have been combined so that the clause

that the game had been canceled is the direct object
of the sentence.
The End