Master the art of sentence deconstruction by learning how to split up a long, complex sentence into short, simple sentences with our expert English grammar guide.
Questions may also be asked to split up a long, complex sentence into short, simple sentences. This process is known as Deconstruction or Splitting up Sentences, and it is the exact opposite of Synthesis of Sentences.
Here are a few solved examples to help you master this essential English grammar skill:
Solved Examples for Splitting Sentences
1. Everybody knows that the boy who came to me for help is a liar and a cheat.
Answer: A boy came to me for help. He is a liar. He is a cheat. Everybody knows this.
2. Napoleon, the greatest of French soldiers, Wellington, the greatest of English generals, and Nelson, the greatest of English admirals, all heroes of their respective countries, were contemporaries.
Answer: Napoleon was the greatest of French soldiers. Wellington was the greatest of English generals. Nelson was the greatest of English admirals. They were heroes of their respective countries. They were contemporaries.
3. Bassanio told Antonio that he wished to repair his fortune by marrying a lady whom he dearly loved and whose father, who was lately dead, had left her sole heiress to a large estate.
Answer: Bassanio wished to repair his fortune by marrying a lady. He loved her dearly. Her father was lately dead. He had left her heiress to a large estate. Bassanio said all this to Antonio.
4. A band of well-armed ruffians, some of whom were escaped convicts, entered the village at midnight and stole the cattle of the villagers who were asleep.
Answer: A band of ruffians entered the village at midnight. They were well-armed. Some of them were escaped convicts. They stole the cattle of the villagers. The villagers were asleep.
5. He was now full of gravity, and instead of answering in fun, he took the case seriously, and gave an answer which in that particular case was perhaps the wisest that man had ever heard.
Answer: He was now full of gravity. He did not answer in fun. Instead, he took the case seriously. He gave an answer. In that particular case, it was perhaps the wisest answer man had ever heard.
6. One cowherd stands and calls at the edge of the pasture and another goes around behind the cattle, to drive them towards him, and so they come quietly forward from here and there, sometimes breaking down the brushwood in their path.
Answer: One cowherd stands at the edge of the pasture. He calls from there. Another goes around behind the cattle to drive them towards him. The cows come quietly forward from here and there. Sometimes they break down the brushwood in their path.
7. Mounted on a beautiful steed his father had given him, and accompanied by five men to act as his bodyguards, he set out for Agra to see the Taj Mahal there.
Answer: He was mounted on a beautiful steed. His father had given it to him. Five men accompanied him to act as his bodyguards. He set out for Agra. He intended to see the Taj Mahal there.
8. Everybody admires the man who passed all the University examinations as a private student while working as an humble railway pointsman at a lonely station.
Answer: Everybody admires a certain man. He passed all the University examinations. He did this as a private student. All this time, he worked as a humble railway pointsman. He worked at a lonely station.
9. When Newton was fourteen years old, his mother's second husband being now dead, she wished her son to leave school and assist her in managing the farm at Woolsthorpe.
Answer: Newton was fourteen years old. The second husband of Newton's mother was dead. She wished her son to leave school. She had a farm at Woolsthorpe. She wished him to help her manage it.
10. I seem to myself like a child, playing on the sea-shore, and picking up here and there a curious shell or a pretty pebble, while the boundless ocean of Truth lies undiscovered before me.
Answer: A child often plays on the sea-shore. He picks up a curious shell or a pretty pebble here and there. I seem to myself like such a child. The ocean of Truth lies before me. It is boundless. It lies undiscovered.
11. When Newton was fifty years old and had been hard at work more than twenty years studying the theory of light, he one day went out of his chamber leaving his little dog asleep before the fire.
Answer: Newton was fifty years old. He had been hard at work for more than twenty years. He had been studying the theory of light. One day, he went out of his chamber. He left his little dog asleep before the fire.
12. Little did his mother think, when she beheld her new-born babe, that he was destined to explain many matters which had been a mystery since the creation of the world.
Answer: His mother beheld her new-born babe. He was destined to explain many matters. These matters had been a mystery since the creation of the world. Little did she think this at the time.
13. A right-minded man will have the courage to live honestly within his means; for he who incurs debts is in spirit as dishonest as the man who openly picks your pocket.
Answer: A man may incur debts. Another man may openly pick your pocket. The former is as dishonest in spirit as the latter. Therefore, a right-minded man will have the courage to live within his means.
14. So hot is Egypt and so little rain falls there that the valley would be a desert if the Nile did not overflow its banks every autumn in a mighty flood.
Answer: Egypt is very hot. Very little rain falls there. The Nile overflows its banks in a mighty flood every autumn. But for this, the valley would be a desert.
15. For long before the birth of Dhruba, the son of one of the younger queens had been promised the throne, and the coming of the new child would undo this claim, since the son of the principal queen was undoubtedly the king's true heir.
Answer: Long before the birth of Dhruba, the son of one of the younger queens had been promised the throne. The son of the principal queen was undoubtedly the king's true heir. The coming of the new child would therefore undo the earlier claim.
16. As he came to where they had stopped to wait for him, he could not suppress the desire of his heart, even though he well knew the old, cold stare of refusal in their eyes.
Answer: They had stopped to wait for him. He came to them. There was an old, cold stare of refusal in their eyes. He knew it well. Yet, he could not suppress the desire of his heart.
17. My first application was to a city-scrivener, who had frequently offered to lend me money when he knew I did not want it.
Answer: A city-scrivener had frequently offered to lend me money. He did this when he knew I did not want it. My first application was to him.
18. Some astronomers think that the bright rays that may be seen in the Moon mark cracks in the surface which were formed in her early days when she was still very hot.
Answer: Bright rays may be seen on the Moon. They mark cracks in her surface. These cracks were formed in her early days. The Moon was still very hot then. Some astronomers think this.
19. I could not but feel sorry for the old man who, once very rich, was now deserted by all and was lying on a sick-bed in his lonely hut.
Answer: The old man had once been very rich. He was now deserted by all. He was lying on a sick-bed in his lonely hut. I could not but feel sorry for him.
🎉 Exercise: Practice Time
Now, try splitting the following complex sentences into short, simple sentences on your own:
- The followers of Shiraj who had often praised him to his face now deserted him, for they hated his cruelty and also his vices.
- The dead body of a man, with a faithful dog seated beside it, lay in the cave I entered.
- The lion was let out of the cage for the amusement of the spectators, but instead of running at Androcles to devour him, it fawned upon him.
- The faithful dog began to keep guard over a treasure which his absent master had left behind him in a hurry through mistake.
- The examinations will commence next week and will be held in the Town Hall, which is the most convenient place and where they have always been held because no other hall would contain so many candidates.
- One morning the Giant was lying awake in bed when he heard some lovely music, which sounded so sweet to his ears that he thought it to be the king's musicians passing by.
- But when the children saw him, they were so frightened that they all ran away, and the garden became winter again.
- The ship which was driven ashore by the strong wind struck against the sand and remained fixed there for some days.
- He taught us that it is the duty of every man to love his neighbours and help them to the best of his power.
- When I was in my native village during the summer vacation, I often went to the houses of the poor people to understand the difficulties they suffered from.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is splitting up sentences in English grammar?
Splitting up sentences, also known as deconstruction, is the process of breaking down a long, complex, or compound sentence into multiple short, independent simple sentences without changing the original meaning.
How is splitting up sentences different from synthesis?
While synthesis involves combining two or more simple sentences into a single complex or compound sentence, splitting does the exact opposite by turning a complex sentence into distinct simple sentences.
Why is sentence deconstruction important for students?
Practicing sentence deconstruction improves your reading comprehension, enhances structural clarity, and helps you master English punctuation and grammar rules effectively.