Introduction to Sentence Combining

Grammar Scheme for ESOL 100 – College Reading and Writing Skills
Purpose

 Throughout this course, you will practice a number of strategies to

help you become a better writer by being able to connect ideas in
effective and creative ways.

 Knowing how to use these strategies will help you:

 Become a better writer
 Avoid common sentence structure errors such as fragments and run-ons
 Add variety to your writing
 Become a more creative writer
 Have a deeper understanding of how good sentences are crafted
Strategies

 Here is a list of the strategies we will cover over the term:

 (coordinating) Conjunctions
 Paired Conjunctions
 Subordinating conjunctions
 Prepositional Phrases
 Transitions
 Adjective clauses
 Appositives
 The gerund modifier
Starting Point

We will look at and practice one or two of the strategies each week.

For now, you just need to know the kinds of connecting words that are
used to combine sentences.

In order to complete Quiz 1, you will need to know these words.

The following slides give examples of each of the strategies and the kinds
of connecting words they use.

As you go through the slides, make a chart which shows the strategy and
examples of the connecting words. Look at the examples to see how the
grammar works.
Strategy #1 Conjunctions

These are the four main conjunctions we will look at:

1. and

2. but

3. or

4. so
Conjunctions

and, but, or, so

Example:

The winter started out cold. The winter started out snowy.

The winter started out cold and snowy.

Conjunctions

and, but, or, so

It was raining hard. The rain felt good.

It was raining hard, but it felt good.

Conjunctions

and, but, or, so

It was raining hard. I took my umbrella.

It was raining hard, so I took my umbrella.

Conjunctions

and, but, or, so

We could stay in cold house. We could enjoy the hard rain.

We could stay in cold house, or we could enjoy the hard rain.

Strategy #2 Paired Conjunctions

Here are the connecting words for paired conjunctions we will look
at:

1. both + and

2. not only + but also

3. either + or,

4. neither + nor
Strategy #2 Paired Conjunctions

Example:

The restaurant did not have good service. The restaurant did not have
good food.

The restaurant had neither good service nor good food.

Paired Conjunctions

both + and, not only + but also, either + or, neither + nor

Your brother is filthy rich. Your brother is super handsome.

Your brother is both filthy rich and super handsome.

Paired Conjunctions

both + and, not only + but also, either + or, neither + nor

We can stay home and watch a movie. We can go to the theatre.

We can either stay home and watch a movie or go to the theatre.

Paired Conjunctions

both + and, not only + but also, either + or, neither + nor

He is not a good speaker. He not a good listener.

He is neither a good speaker nor a good listener.

Strategy # 3 Subordinating Conjunctions

Here are some examples of the subordinating conjunctions used in

this strategy (there are many others):

 if

 because

 even though

 whereas

 when
Strategy # 3 Subordinating Conjunctions

Example:

ESOL 100 focuses on essay writing. ESOL 200 focuses on workplace writing.

Whereas ESOL 100 focuses on essays writing, ESOL 200 focuses on

workplace writing.

OR

ESOL 100 focuses on essay writing whereas ESOL 200 focuses on

workplace writing.
Subordinating Conjunctions

Example

I am not a big fan of English courses. I think they are important.

Even though I’m not a big fan of English courses, I think they are
important.
Subordinating Conjunctions

Example:

The winter storm came suddenly. No one had time to prepare for it.

Because the winter storm came suddenly, no one had time to prepare for
it.

OR

No one had time to prepare for the winter storm because It came
suddenly.
Subordinating Conjunctions

Example:

It starts to snow. The city begins to salt the roads.

When it starts to snow, the city begins to salt the roads.

OR

The city begins to salt the roads when it starts to snow.

Strategy # 4 Preposition Phrases

Here are the three preposition phrases will look at:

1. because of

2. due to

3. despite
Strategy # 4 Preposition Phrases

Example:

They cancelled the parade. There was a severe thunderstorm.

They cancelled the parade because of the severe thunderstorm.

OR

Because of the severe thunderstorm, they cancelled the parade.

Preposition Phrases

Example:

It is becoming very difficult to live in Toronto. The cost of housing is

increasing every year.

It is becoming very difficult to live in Toronto due to the increasing cost

of housing every year.

Due to the increasing cost of housing every year, it is becoming very

difficult to live in Toronto.
Preposition Phrases

Example:

The premier is not very popular. He was re-elected.

Despite his lack of popularity the premier was re-elected.

OR

The premier was re-elected despite his lack of popularity.

Strategy # 5 Transitions

Here are some examples of transitions:

 However

 Therefore

 Consequently

 As a result

 Furthermore
Strategy # 5 Transitions

Example

Many companies demand Canadian experience. It is hard for

newcomers to get their first job in Canada.

Many companies demand Canadian experience. Therefore, it is

hard for newcomers to get their first job in Canada.
Transitions

Example:

International students pay more tuition than domestic students. They are
only allowed to work 20 hours a week.

International students pay more tuition than domestic students.

However, they are only allowed to work 20 hours a week.
Transitions

Example:

There has been a lot of unrest in the middle east recently. The price of
oil is rapidly increasing.

There has been a lot of unrest in the middle east recently. As a result,
the price of oil is rapidly increasing.
Strategy # 6 Adjective Clauses

These are the connecting words (pronouns) we will look at:

 who

 whom

 whose

 that

 which
Strategy # 6 Adjective Clauses

Example:

The device is faulty. James bought the device at Best Buy.

The device that James bought at Best Buy is faulty.

Adjective Clauses

who, whom, whose, that, which

Marina scored 95 percent in her English course. Her father is an English

professor.

Marina, whose father is an English professor, scored 95 percent in her

English course.
Adjective Clauses

who, whom, whose, that, which

Example:

The Academic Word List has 6500 words. The Academic Word List
contains the words college students need to know to succeed in their
studies.

The Academic Word List, which contains the words college students
need to know to succeed in their studies, has 6500 words.
Strategy # 7 Appositives

This strategy OMITS the use of connecting words to make the sentence
more concise:

Example

James Horton was a world famous potter. He passed away yesterday at

the age of 97.

James Horton, a world famous potter, passed away yesterday at the

age of 97.
Appositives

Example:

Babe Ruth hit 976 home runs. He was a pitcher for the New York
Yankees.

Babe Ruth, a pitcher for the New York Yankees, hit 976 home runs.
Appositives

Example:

Colin Whitehead won the Pulitzer Prize. His novel was called “The
Underground Railroad”.

Colin Whitehead, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, wrote the novel called
“The Underground Railroad”.
Strategy # 8 Using the gerund modifier

This strategy uses the –ing form of a verb to modify a sentence:

Example:

James didn’t know what to expect. He expected the worst.

Not knowing what to expect, James prepared for the worst.

Strategy # 7 Using the gerund modifier

Example:

Turn off the lights when you are not using them. This can save you $100
a year.

Turning off the lights when you are not using them can save you $100 a
year.