Download Combining Sentences and Inserting Phrases

Combining
Sentences and
Inserting Phrases
Combining Sentences
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Short sentences are often effective; however, a
long, unbroken series of them can sound choppy.
For example, notice how dull the following
paragraph sounds:

I have seen a lot of earthling-meets-alien movies. I have
seen The Last Starfighter. I have seen all the Star Trek
movies. I have noticed something about these movies. I
have noticed that there are good humans and bad
humans in these movies. I have noticed there are good
and bad aliens in these movies.
Combining Sentences #2

Paragraphs sound much more interesting when
the short, choppy sentences are combined into
longer, smoother sentences.
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For Example:
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I have seen a lot of earthling-meets-alien movies,
including The Last Starfighter and all of the Star Trek
movies. I have noticed that there are good and bad
humans in these movies as well as good and bad aliens.
Inserting Words
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You can combine short sentences by inserting a
key word from one sentence into another. You
usually need to eliminate some words in sentences
that are combined. You may also need to change
the form of the key word.
Example:
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Original: Edgar Allan Poe led a short life. His life was
tragic.
Combined: Edgar Allan Poe led a short, tragic life.
Inserting Words #2
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You may also need to change the form of the
word when combining your sentences.
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Original: Edgar Allan Poe wrote strange stories. He
wrote horror stories.
Combined: Edgar Allan Poe wrote strange, horrifying
stories.
Inserting Phrases

You can also combine
closely related sentences
by taking a phrase from
one sentence and
inserting it into another
sentence.
Prepositional Phrases

Has a preposition as its object and any modifiers
of that object can usually be inserted into another
sentence with no changes. You must simply omit
some of the words in one of the sentences.
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Example:
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Original: Twelve million immigrants came to the shores
of the U.S. They came through Ellis Island.
Revised: Twelve million immigrants came to the shores
of the U.S. through Ellis Island.
Participial Phrases


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Contains a verb form that usually ends in –ing or
–ed.
Participial phrases act in the same way as an
adjective (they modify a noun or a pronoun)
You can change the verb from one sentence into
a participle by adding –ing or –ed or by dropping
the helping verb if the main verb already ends in
–ing or –ed.
Participial Phrases 2

Example combination sentences using participial
phrases:
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Original: Many immigrants faced long months of
waiting at Ellis Island. They were weakened by their
journeys.
Revised: Many immigrants, weakened by their journeys,
faced long months of waiting at Ellis Island.
Appositive Phrases

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Usually follows a noun or
pronoun and helps to
identify it.
Sometimes you can
combine sentences that
have nouns or pronouns
referring to the same
thing by changing one of
the sentences to an
appositive phrase.
Appositive Phrases 2

Example combination sentences using appositive
phrases:

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Original: My grandfather was an immigrant. My
grandfather brought with him photographs that are now
souvenirs.
Revised: My grandfather, an immigrant, brought with
him photographs that are now souvenirs.