Download 20 UNIT Sentence

UNIT
20
Sentence
Combining
Lesson
20.1
Compound Sentences
517
Lesson
20.2
Compound Elements
519
Lesson
20.3
Prepositional Phrases
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Compound Sentences
When you have written a few simple sentences that are closely
related in meaning, try combining them to form compound sentences.
A compound sentence often states your meaning more clearly than a
group of simple sentences does. Also, by using compound sentences,
you can vary the lengths of your sentences.
EXAMPLE
a. The boy wanted a black leather jacket.
b. His mother bought a green vinyl one instead.
[ , but]
The boy wanted a black leather jacket, but his mother
bought a green vinyl one instead.
Exercise 1
Sentence Combining
In this example, simple sentence a is joined to simple sentence b
with the coordinating conjunction but. Note that a comma is used
before the conjunction.
■ A compound sentence contains two or more simple sentences.
You can combine two or more related simple sentences into a
compound sentence by using the conjunctions and, but, or or.
Combining Simple Sentences
The sentences below are based on the story “The Jacket” by Gary Soto,
which you can find on pages 172–177. Combine the sentences in each
numbered item into one new sentence by using a comma plus a coordinating
conjunction. In the first few items, the coordinating conjunction you should
use is in brackets.
1. a.
b.
2. a.
b.
3. a.
b.
The boy had outgrown his old jacket.
His mother wanted to buy him a new one. [, and]
The boy thanked his mother for the jacket.
He actually hated it. [, but]
His mother did not understand her son’s feelings.
Perhaps she simply could not afford a leather jacket. [, or]
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4. a.
b.
c.
5. a.
b.
6. a.
b.
7. a.
b.
c.
8. a.
b.
9. a.
b.
10. a.
b.
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The boy teased his dog, Brownie.
The animal tore a gash in the jacket’s sleeve. [, and]
The boy wore his jacket anyway. [, but]
The next day the boy wore his jacket to school.
His best friend seemed rude to him.
He got lower grades in school.
Girls seemed to lose interest in him.
One day he decided to throw the jacket away.
He pitched it over a fence.
Something made him pick it up again.
The boy finished dinner.
He went outside with his jacket over his arm.
The night was cold.
The boy soon slipped into his jacket.
He never liked the ugly green jacket.
He had to wear it for three long years.
Exercise 2
Sentence Combining
8:52 PM
Combining Simple Sentences
Rewrite the following paragraphs, combining sentences as you think
necessary.
The boy wore the jacket for three long years. He was unhappy for most of
that time. He wished for a jacket of a different color. His family could not afford a
black leather jacket. This was America. Children in America did not wear jackets
like this. He wanted another jacket badly. He wore the ugly one.
The boy began to develop muscles. His arms stuck out of the jacket. He
repaired the old rip in the sleeve. The gash widened. Stuffing came out of it. Still
he kept the jacket. Perhaps he could not afford another one. Perhaps he had
grown attached to his guacamole jacket. The jacket cast a shadow over his life.
He would not get rid of it. He called it his “ugly brother.” In a sense, the jacket
had become part of him.
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Compound Elements
Sometimes several sentences contain the same information—for
example, the same subject or verb. By combining such sentences and
using compound elements, you can avoid repetition and make your
writing more concise. Sentences with compound elements also add
variety to your writing.
EXAMPLE
a. Morning Girl looked in the water.
b. Morning Girl tried to see her own face
clearly. [and]
Morning Girl looked in the water and tried to see her own
face clearly.
Exercise 3
Sentence Combining
Sentences a and b share information about Morning Girl. The
combined version takes the new information from sentence b, tried
to see her own face clearly, and joins it to sentence a, using the
coordinating conjunction and. The balanced, parallel structure of the
verbs looked and tried makes this sentence effective.
■ You can avoid repeating shared information by combining and
using compound elements. Join compound elements with the
conjunctions and, but, or or. A comma is not needed after the
conjunction.
Combining Sentences with Compound Elements
The sentences below are based on a passage from Morning Girl by Michael
Dorris, which you can find on pages 134–139. Combine the sentences in
each numbered item, using compound elements joined by the conjunctions
and, but, and or. As you build on the first sentence in each item, include only
the new information from the following sentence(s). In the first few items,
the new information is in dark type and the conjunctions you should use are
in brackets.
1. a.
b.
2. a.
b.
Morning Girl could not see her ears in the water.
She could not see her mouth. [or]
Morning Girl knew the color of her arms.
She did not know the color of her eyes. [but]
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Sentence Combining
3. a.
b.
4. a.
b.
5. a.
b.
6. a.
b.
c.
7. a.
b.
8. a.
b.
c.
9. a.
b.
10. a.
b.
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Morning Girl asked her mother about her eyes.
She asked about her teeth. [and]
Under her mother’s direction, Morning Girl touched her own chin.
She touched her own mouth.
Morning Girl and her mother had different eyebrows.
Morning Girl and her mother had the same ears.
Morning Girl’s brother laughed at her.
Her brother teased her.
He compared her face to a pointed rock.
She looked into her father’s eyes.
She saw two tiny girls looking back.
Each girl had a clear face.
Each girl had a face with a narrow chin.
Each had a face with a wide mouth.
Her father stood up.
Her father went back to his work.
The girl’s mother taught her something about her appearance.
The girl’s father taught her something about her appearance.
Exercise 4
Combining Sentences with Compound Elements
Rewrite the following paragraphs by combining elements. Make any other
changes in wording you think necessary.
Morning Girl found her father outside. She asked him about her face. He was
playful. He was also sympathetic. He told her to look into his eyes. Morning Girl
stood still. She gazed deep into her father’s eyes. She saw two very small girls.
They had straight brows. They had pointed chins. They had smiling mouths.
Morning Girl found the two strangers fascinating. She found them pretty.
Morning Girl was actually looking at herself. She did not know it.
Her father showed her the answer to her question. Her father said the answer
would always be there. Afterwards she always remembered the two girls in her
father’s eyes. Afterwards she always remembered the pretty girls. Afterwards she
always remembered the friendly girls.
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Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional phrases are effective tools for sentence combining.
They help you present more information about a noun or verb just as
adjectives and adverbs do.
EXAMPLE
a. The elephants are being bathed.
b. They live at the zoo.
c. They are bathed by keepers.
The elephants at the zoo are being bathed by keepers.
Exercise 5
Sentence Combining
New information from sentences b and c is added to sentence a
in the form of prepositional phrases. In the new sentence, the
prepositional phrase at the zoo describes the noun elephants. The
phrase by keepers describes the verb are being bathed. Notice that
prepositional phrases that describe nouns follow the nouns they
describe. Prepositional phrases that describe verbs can occupy
different places in the sentence.
■ A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with
a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun. Prepositional
phrases describe nouns and verbs. (For a list of common
prepositions, see page 415.)
Combining Sentences with Prepositional Phrases
The following sentences are based on “Bathing Elephants” by Peggy
Thomson, which you can find on pages 210–213. Combine each numbered
group of sentences by adding the new information as prepositional phrases
in the first sentence. For the first few items, the new information is in dark
type.
1. a.
b.
2. a.
b.
3. a.
b.
Elephants in the wild normally bathe themselves.
They bathe in rivers.
Elephant baths at the zoo are fun.
They are fun for the keepers and the elephants.
Elephants live in herds, or social groups.
These elephants are in the wild.
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Sentence Combining
4. a.
b.
5. a.
b.
6. a.
b.
7. a.
b.
c.
8. a.
b.
c.
9. a.
b.
c.
10. a.
b.
c.
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Hay protects the elephants.
It protects them from sunburn.
The veterinarians check the elephants’ backs.
They check the elephants’ backs before the baths.
The keeper sprays water.
She sprays water on the elephants’ foreheads and feet.
The elephants’ backs are soaked and carefully scrubbed.
They are soaked with green oil soap.
They are scrubbed with brushes.
Scrapes are treated.
The scrapes are on the elephants’ backs.
The scrapes are treated with soothing salve.
The elephants’ feet are examined.
Their feet are examined in the last part of the bath.
Their feet are examined for pebbles and other irritants.
The keeper has the special ankus stick nearby at all times.
The keeper has the ankus as a sign of authority.
The ankus is a sign of authority to the elephants.
Exercise 6
Combining Sentences with Prepositional Phrases
Rewrite the following paragraphs, combining sentences with prepositional
phrases. Make any other changes in wording that you feel are necessary.
One of the Washington Zoo’s most colorful elephants is named Shanthi.
Shanthi was rescued and raised in an elephant orphanage. She was raised with
twenty-one other elephants. At the age of one, she was sent from Sri Lanka. She
was sent to Washington. She was a gift. The gift was to the children of the United
States. Her keeper, Sam, came with Shanthi. He came to the United States. Sam
slept near his young charge. He slept in the Elephant House. He slept on a cot.
Before going back to Sri Lanka, Sam gave a tape recording to the zoo. The
recording was of his special commands. If the zoo-keepers used the commands,
they would have no trouble with Shanthi. This was according to Sam. However,
the young elephant turned out to be quite a handful. This is in spite of Sam’s
assurances. She probably misbehaves to get special attention. She wants attention
from her keepers.
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Exercise 7
Mixed Review
The sentences below are based on a passage from Coast to Coast by
Betsy Byars, which you can find on pages 82–86. Combine the sentences from each numbered item into one new sentence. Combine
sentences and compound elements by using a coordinating conjunction; add new information as prepositional phrases.
Birch wanted to take a ride in the plane.
She knew this was her last chance.
Her grandfather seemed to have lost his desire for fun.
Perhaps he did not want to take any chances.
Her grandfather glanced at the sky.
Her grandfather decided to fly.
Birch grinned with delight.
Her grandfather smiled for the first time that afternoon.
It was a beautiful day for a flight.
Birch knew it.
Her grandfather knew it.
Birch wanted to go right away.
Her grandfather needed to perform a preflight inspection.
Her grandfather found no problems with the tires.
Her grandfather found no problems with the gas.
Her grandfather found no problems with the oil.
The old plane sat on the pavement.
The pavement was in front of the hangar.
Pop steered the plane off the ramp.
He steered it down the taxiway.
He steered the plane onto the runway.
The wind rushed through the open window.
The wind blew on Birch’s face.
Sentence Combining
1. a.
b.
2. a.
b.
3. a.
b.
4. a.
b.
5. a.
b.
c.
6. a.
b.
7. a.
b.
c.
8. a.
b.
9. a.
b.
c.
10. a.
b.
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