COMBINING
SENTENCES
We can combine two or more sentences into a
single sentence. We may do this because sentences are closely related in
meaning and belong together, and because it is boring to read a series of short
sentences that have a similar structure. (The preceding sentence, by the way,
is a combination of 4 sentences -- can you find them?) When we talk about
combining sentences, we will often use the word clause which is a
group of words containing a subject and a verb. So, we will say that the
sentence I know you and you know me. contains two clauses rather than
saying that it contains two sentences. A sentence that contains only one clause
is called a simple sentence.
There are a number of different ways to combine
sentences: punctuation coordination subordination reduction apposition
PUNCTUATION: Sentences can
be combined by using special punctuation marks. We know that a period [ . ] question
mark [ ? ] and exclamation point [ ! ]
are used at the end of a sentence, so they cannot be used for combining
sentences. We also know that a comma [ , ] is not strong
enough to connect 2 sentences. (If you use a comma to try to connect 2
sentences you will have a type of run-on sentence called a comma
splice, which is not acceptable.)So what kinds of punctuation marks can be used
to connect sentences? There are 3 punctuation marks that are stronger than a
comma but weaker than a period, question mark, or exclamation point. These are
the dash [ -- ] colon [ : ]
and semi-colon [ ; ].
A dash is used to add more information about
some part of your sentence. It is rather informal and although you may see it
when you read, it is better to avoid this punctuation in your writing.
A colon is also used to add more information
and especially to give examples of something in the sentence. What follows a
colon may be a clause He is a great athlete: he plays soccer, baseball and
basketball. or a group of words that cannot stand by themselves He
plays many sports: soccer, baseball and basketball.
A semi-colon is used to connect clauses and is
the most important punctuation mark for combining sentences. It can be used
alone to connect clauses He's not heavy; he's my brother. It can also
be used to connect clauses together with special linking words such as however, morover, therefore which
grammar books call conjunctive adverbs I think; therefore, I am. Remember,
it is the semi-colon and not the conjunctive adverb that connects the clauses.
Quotation
marks [ " " ] and parentheses [ ( ) ] are used to
insert one sentence inside of another sentence, but this is not really sentence
combination and will not be discussed here.
COORDINATION: Coordination
is a way of adding sentences together. In this type of sentence (grammar books
call it a compound sentence) the 2 or more sentences (clauses) which are
combined are equal partners. One clause is not more important than the other
grammatically. Words that connect clauses in this way are called coordinating
conjunctions and the most common ones are: and, or, but, so.
And is used to join clauses that contain
additional information I bought a ticket and I
got on the bus.
Or is
used to join clauses that contain choices or alternatives Write me a letter or send an e-mail message.
But is used to join clauses that contain
opposing ideas I arrived early but no one was
there.
So is used to join clauses that contain
ideas of cause and effect The jacket didn't fit
so I took it back to the store.
SUBORDINATION: Subordination
is a way of combining sentences that makes one sentence more important than the
other. One sentence is under the other sentence (submeans under). Sentences
that use subordination (grammar books call them complex sentences) have a
main clause or independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses or dependent
clauses).
One or more of when, although, if(called subordinating
conjunctions) or such words as who, what, that (called relative
pronouns). Depending on its function, a subordinate clause can be classified as
a:
noun clause --
a subordinate clause used like a noun (it can be a subject or object) I
don't know what you are talking about
adjective
clause a subordinate clause that modifies or gives information about a noun I
read the letter that was on your desk
adverb clause a
subordinate clause that functions like an adverb I will call you after
I get back from the movie
REDUCTION: We can go one step beyond reducing one of the
sentences to a subordinate clause. We can reduce it to less than clause. We can
reduce it to a phrase (a group of words without both a subject and
verb). A sentence may be reduced to a:
participial phrase The boy, scared
by the movie, began to cry. The boy was scared by the movie. The boy began
to cry
gerund phrase Studying
for the test increased his confidence. He studied for the
test. He felt confident
infinitive
phrase She was excited to see the movie star in the
restaurant. She saw the movie star in the restaurant. She was excited
prepositional
phrase The story in the newspaper was interesting. There
was a story in the newspaper. The story was interesting
APPOSITION: In apposition, we take a word or phrase and
place it in a parallel position to a noun in the sentence. An appositive is
like a
parenthetical
statement surrounded not by parentheses but by commas
Sara, the
most serious student in the class, always did her homework. Sara was the
most serious student in the class. Sara always did her homework.
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น