Combining Sentences

1. Why Combine Sentences?

• Helps improve writing fluency in essays, reports, and exam answers.
• Prevents short, choppy sentences by creating more complex sentence structures.

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2. Methods for Combining Sentences

✔ Using 'but'

• When combining two sentences, use pronouns instead of repeating the subject.
• Example:
  • The mother loved her child dearly. Poverty forced the mother to give the child up for adoption.
  • ✅ Combined: The mother loved her child dearly, but poverty forced her to give him/her up for adoption.

✔ Using 'who'

• The word 'who' helps join two sentences that describe a person.
• Example:
  • Miriam Makeba was one of the greatest performers South Africa has ever produced. Miriam Makeba spent many years in exile.
  • ✅ Combined: Miriam Makeba, who was one of the greatest performers South Africa has ever produced, spent many years in exile.

✔ Understanding Complex Sentences

• A complex sentence has two clauses:

• Main clause – Can stand alone.

• Subordinate clause – Cannot stand alone.

• Example:

• Miriam Makeba, who was one of the greatest performers South Africa has ever produced, spent many years in exile.

  

• The main clause: Miriam Makeba was one of the greatest performers South Africa has ever produced.

• The subordinate clause: who spent many years in exile.

✔ Using 'when'

• The word 'when' joins sentences related to time.
• Example:
  • I saw Mark again after his graduation. Mark was feeling great.
  • ✅ Combined: When I saw Mark again after his graduation, he was feeling great.

✔ Using 'if'

• The word 'if' joins sentences to show a condition.
• Example:
  • Your health improves. You stop eating junk food.
  • ✅ Combined: If you stop eating junk food, your health will improve.