Joining Sentences: Rules & Examples Edit

Mastering how to combine sentences is essential for improving your English writing, sentence flow, and grammar. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore various grammatical structures used to join sentences, complete with clear rules, examples, and practice exercises designed for English learners on english-grammarblog.blogspot.com.

Here are the most common rules and structures for joining sentences effectively to enhance your overall writing style.

1. Using So — That to Join Sentences

Use "so ... that" to show cause and effect, especially when dealing with extremes that lead to a specific result in your sentence structure.

• Question: The man is very fat. He cannot move.
  Answer: The man is so fat that he cannot move.
• Question: Rana was a very honest boy. He could never tell a lie.
  Answer: Rana was so honest a boy that he could never tell a lie.

2. Using Too — To for Sentence Combination

Use "too ... to" to indicate an excess that prevents something from happening in complex or simple sentences.

• Question: The boy is very small. He cannot do the work.
  Answer: The boy is too small to do the work.
• Question: Jerry was very honest. He did not show any excuse.
  Answer: Jerry was too honest to show any excuse.
• Question: Mr. Rahim is very honest. The villagers cannot disobey him.
  Answer: Mr. Rahim is too honest for the villagers to disobey.
• Question: It is a very interesting matter. We cannot overlook it.
  Answer: It is too interesting a matter for us to overlook.

3. Using Present Participle (Verb + ing)

Combine two simultaneous actions performed by the same subject using a present participle grammar rule.

• Question: Jerry sat by the fire. He told a series of lies.
  Answer: Sitting by the fire, Jerry told a series of lies.
• Question: The old sailor left the marriage guest. He went away.
  Answer: Leaving the marriage guest, the old sailor went away.

4. Using Because of / On Account Of

Use these prepositional phrases to link a cause directly to its resulting action when joining sentences.

• Question: I was weak. I could not work.
  Answer: Because of my being weak, I could not work.
• Question: I was careful. I escaped the danger.
  Answer: Because of my being careful, I escaped the danger.
• Question: Everybody loves Jasim. He is very honest.
  Answer: Everybody loves Jasim because of his being very honest.
• Question: There was dense fog. They could not go out.
  Answer: Because of dense fog, they could not go out.

5. Using Not Only — But Also

Use this correlative conjunction structure to link two related facts or actions smoothly.

• Question: They cursed him. They hung the dead albatross.
  Answer: They not only cursed him but also hung the dead albatross.
• Question: He rebuked me. He helped me too.
  Answer: He not only rebuked me but also helped me.

6. Using Relative Pronouns (Who, Which, That, Whose)

Connect clauses effectively by replacing a repeating pronoun or noun with a relative pronoun.

• Question: I met a boy yesterday. He is my brother.
  Answer: Yesterday I met a boy who is my brother.
• Question: The old sailor saw an albatross. It made the wind blow.
  Answer: The old sailor saw an albatross which made the wind blow.
• Question: I met a boy. His father is a teacher.
  Answer: I met a boy whose father is a teacher.

7. Using Since / As / Because / For

Use these explanatory conjunctions to introduce the reason or cause for an action when combining English sentences.

• Question: Jim was poor. That is why he could not buy a pen.
  Answer: As / Since Jim was poor, he could not buy a pen.
• Question: The prices of things were much higher. So the writer was startled.
  Answer: The writer was startled because / as / since the prices of things were much higher.

8. Using Infinitives (To + Verb) / In Order To

Use an infinitive phrase to express purpose clearly within your sentence structures.

• Question: I have some duties. I must perform them.
  Answer: I have some duties to perform.
• Question: I shall never do it again, I am determined.
  Answer: I am determined never to do it again.
• Question: The dog lay close to him. It wanted to find comfort there.
  Answer: The dog lay close to him to / in order to find comfort there.

9. Using Though / Although

Use these transition words to join contrasting ideas together in a single sentence.

• Question: They will come. They have no car.
  Answer: They will come though / although they have no car.
• Question: It is difficult to explain. But it exists.
  Answer: Although / Though it is difficult to explain, it exists.
• Question: Her eyes were shining brilliantly. But her face had lost its colour.
  Answer: Though her eyes were shining brilliantly, her face had lost its colour.

10. Using In Spite Of

Use "in spite of" or "despite" to show contrast despite a specific existing condition.

• Question: The old sailor killed a bird. Yet, he got relief.
  Answer: In spite of his killing a bird, the old sailor got relief.
• Question: He was unhappy. He had vast wealth.
  Answer: He was unhappy in spite of his having vast wealth.
• Question: I was busy. Yet, I met him yesterday.
  Answer: In spite of my being busy, I met him yesterday.

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Practice Exercises & Solutions for Joining Sentences

Exercise 1: Too — To Practice

Questions:

1. I am extremely tired. I cannot help him.
2. I was very young. I had not learned to say 'no' to a woman.
3. He played very well. He got the prize.
4. They are very nice. They cannot be used.
5. The parcel is very heavy. It cannot be sent by post.
6. Jerry was very honest. He was liked by the authoress.
7. The load is very heavy. I cannot carry it.

Answers:

1. I am too tired to help him.
2. I was too young to have learned to say 'no' to a woman.
3. He played too well to get the prize.
4. They are too nice to be used.
5. The parcel is too heavy to be sent by post.
6. Jerry was too honest to be liked by the authoress.
7. The load is too heavy for me to carry.

Exercise 2: Present Participle Practice

Questions:

1. I had finished my work. Then I left the room.
2. I answered. I thanked her.
3. The old sailor went away. He left the marriage guest.
4. The sun has set. We went outside.
5. The tea is very hot. I cannot drink it.
6. Della was slender. She mastered the art.

Answers:

1. Having finished my work, I left the room.
2. I answered thanking her.
3. The old sailor went away leaving the marriage guest.
4. The sun having set, we went outside.
5. The tea being very hot, I cannot drink it.
6. Della being slender, mastered the art.

Exercise 3: Because Of Practice

Questions:

1. He had experience. He was appointed Headmaster.
2. He behaved badly. He was punished.
3. I worked hard. I earned much money.
4. They played well. They won the prize.

Answers:

1. Because of his having experience, he was appointed Headmaster.
2. Because of his behaving badly, he was punished.
3. Because of my working hard, I earned much money.
4. Because of their playing well, they won the prize.

Exercise 4: Not Only — But Also Practice

Questions:

1. The lady ate caviare. She also drank coffee.
2. Jerry is honest. He is industrious too.
3. We are poor. We are also unwilling to work hard.
4. Foreign travel is pleasant. It is also instructive.

Answers:

1. The lady not only ate caviare but also drank coffee.
2. Jerry is not only honest but also industrious.
3. We are not only poor but also unwilling to work hard.
4. Foreign travel is not only pleasant but also instructive.

Exercise 5: Relative Pronoun Practice

Questions:

1. Jerry had an imaginary mother. She lived in Mannville.
2. I read David Copperfield. It is a very interesting book.
3. She is a beautiful girl. Her sister is a nurse.
4. He is a teacher. I saw him writing.

Answers:

1. Jerry had an imaginary mother who lived in Mannville.
2. I read David Copperfield which is a very interesting book.
3. She is a beautiful girl whose sister is a nurse.
4. He is a teacher whom I saw writing.

Exercise 6: Since / As Practice

Questions:

1. God forgave the old sailor. He showed love to all creatures.
2. Della sold her hair. She wanted to buy a gift for Jim.

Answers:

1. God forgave the old sailor since he showed love to all creatures.
2. Della sold her hair since she wanted to buy a gift for Jim.

Exercise 7: Infinitive Practice

Questions:

1. People at school read books. They want to please their teacher.
2. We gain knowledge. We go to school.
3. He buys vegetables. He goes to market.
4. I shall never do it. I am determined.

Answers:

1. People at school read books to please their teacher.
2. We go to school to gain knowledge.
3. He goes to market to buy vegetables.
4. I am determined never to do it.

Frequently Asked Questions on Joining Sentences

What is joining sentences in English grammar?

Joining sentences involves combining two or more simple sentences into a single, cohesive compound or complex sentence using conjunctions, participles, or prepositional phrases to improve writing flow.

How can I practice sentence combination effectively?

You can practice by learning grammatical rules like "so ... that", "too ... to", and relative pronouns, then solving structured transformation exercises regularly found on english-grammarblog.blogspot.com.

What are the best words to join contrasting sentences?

Contrasting sentences are best joined using transitional words and phrases such as although, though, and in spite of.