Transcript Chapter 3: Combining Sentences

CHAPTER 3
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
• A compound sentence contains two
independent clauses joined by a coordinating
conjunction.
• A clause is a group of words that contains
both a subject and a verb.
• An independent clause can stand alone as a
complete sentence.
• Coordinating conjunctions (like and, but,
yet, so, or, nor, and for) join elements of
equal rank.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
(Continued)
• The coordinating conjunction must show the
correct relationship between the two clauses
and should be preceded by a comma.
Tina scored 23 points, and Pat hit a basket from
half-court.
Tina scored 23 points, but her team lost
anyway.
Tina scored 23 points, so she was named MVP.
Tina may play basketball next year, or she may
play soccer.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
• A run-on sentence contains too many
thoughts or strings together too many clauses
without conjunctions.
I usually ride the bus to work today it was
late I had to take a cab.
• To fix a run-on, break it up into two or more
sentences and/or add a comma and a
conjunction.
I usually ride the bus to work. Today it
was late, so I had to take a cab.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
• Use a comma before and if it connects two
independent clauses.
Nate plays the guitar, and Andrea plays the
piano.
• Use a comma before and in a series of three or
more compound elements.
Singing, dancing, and clowning are all
classes offered at the drama school.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
(Continued)
• DO NOT use a comma with and if it connects
only two compound elements.
Nate plays the guitar and the piano.
Singing and dancing are classes offered at
the drama school.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
• A complex sentence contains a dependent
clause connected to an independent clause by a
subordinating conjunction.
• An independent clause can stand alone as a
complete sentence, but a dependent clause
cannot.
• If the dependent clause comes before the
independent clause, place a comma before the
independent clause.
Even though the sun is shining brightly, it’s
very cold out.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
(Continued)
• If the independent clause comes before the
dependent clause, do not use a comma.
It’s very cold out even though the sun is
shining brightly.
• The conjunction must show the correct
relationship between the two clauses:
Time relationship: before, while, as soon as
Cause and effect: because, since, so that
Condition: if, unless, whether
Comparison/contrast: as if, although, whereas
Place: wherever
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
Sentence fragments are often dependent
clauses standing alone. In a paragraph,
you can fix such a fragment by connecting
it to an independent clause. Any clause
that begins with a subordinating
conjunction must be attached to an
independent clause.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
(Continued)
Find and correct the sentence fragments in
the following paragraph:
Before there was Star Wars or E.T. There
were books about distant civilizations and extra
terrestrial beings. Many people act as if science
fiction movies are incredibly original, yet they
draw on a long tradition of books and short
stories. No one believed humans would ever walk
on the Moon. When Jules Verne first wrote about
a trip there.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
(Continued)
Here is the same paragraph written
correctly:
Before there was Star Wars or E.T., there
were books about distant civilizations and extra
terrestrial beings. Many people act as if science
fiction movies are incredibly original, yet they
draw on a long tradition of books and short
stories. No one believed humans would ever walk
on the Moon when Jules Verne first wrote about
a trip there.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
• A comma splice is an error in which two
clauses are incorrectly joined by a comma
without a conjunction.
Incorrect: Lin painted the living room today,
she will do the hallway tomorrow.
Correct: Lin painted the living room today, and
she will do the hallway tomorrow.
Correct: Lin painted the living room today. She
will do the hallway tomorrow.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
(Continued)
• Make sure the linking word you use is really a
conjunction. For example, the word however is
not a conjunction.
Incorrect: Jane gave up candy, however she
still eats cookies.
Correct: Jane gave up candy, but she still eats
cookies.
Correct: Jane gave up candy although she still
eats cookies.
Correct: Jane gave up candy. However, she
still eats cookies.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
Guidelines for writing sentences with more
than one clause:
• They can be less choppy and more interesting
than short, one-clause sentences.
• They must contain a conjunction to join the two
clauses.
• Never use a comma by itself to join two clauses.
• The meaning of the conjunction must accurately
represent the relationship between the clauses.
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CHAPTER 3: Combining Sentences
(Continued)
Once you know these guidelines, you can
rewrite sentences correctly in different ways:
Unless Jared maintains a C average, we won’t let
him use the car.
If Jared doesn’t maintain a C average, we won’t
let him use the car.
We will let Jared use the car as long as he
maintains a C average.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
CHAPTER 3: Sentence Combining
Choose the one best answer to the question below.
Sentences 1 and 2: Daylight Savings Time started last week.
It’s still dark when I get up.
The most effective combination of these sentences would include
which group of words?
(1) Because Daylight Savings Time
(2) Unless Daylight Savings Time
(3) Yet Daylight Savings Time
 (4) Although Daylight Savings Time
(5) When Daylight Savings Time
Answer choice (4) is correct. It shows the correct
relationship between the two clauses.
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CHAPTER 3: Sentence Combining
When there are two clauses in a sentence, the
tense of each verb must work logically (in
sequence) with the tense of the other verb.
When the rains come, Maria’s basement will be
flooded.
The present tense come with the conjunction
when indicates that the action will take place
in the near future. Therefore, the future tense
will be flooded makes sense.
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CHAPTER 3: Sentence Combining
Guidelines for tightening up wordy sentences:
• Change verbs from passive to active. With an
active verb, the subject is doing the acting.
With a passive verb, the subject is acted upon.
Passive: The dinner was cooked by Javier.
Active: Javier cooked the dinner.
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CHAPTER 3: Sentence Combining
(Continued)
Guidelines for tightening up wordy sentences:
• Look for repeated words or phrases and try to
combine ideas.
Wordy: The salesclerks are responsible for
ringing up the purchases of customers, and
the salesclerks are also responsible for
keeping the store looking clean and neat as
a pin.
Clearer: The salesclerks are responsible for
ringing up customers’ purchases and keeping
the store as neat as a pin.
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CHAPTER 3: Sentence Combining
(Continued)
Guidelines for tightening up wordy sentences:
• Remember that run-on sentences are too wordy.
Wordy: I want to find a job where I can
use my computer skills. And I want to find
a job where I get to do something creative
I get so tired of being told to keyboard
and not to think.
Clearer: I want a job where I can use my
computer skills and get to be creative. I
get tired of being told to keyboard and not
to think.
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CHAPTER 3: Sentence Combining
THE END
Practice the skills you learned in this chapter by taking
the Chapter Review Quiz or the GED Practice Quiz.
Copyright © 2002 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.