HFCC Learning Lab Sentence Structure, 4.71 Combining Sentences Many students have difficulty varying their sentence structure. That is, they often write either short sentences monotonous to them and the reader or long, difficult constructions that can confuse and even lose the reader. Variety and precision, two important aspects of style, can be achieved through the use of subordinating clauses and through the use of phrases as modifiers, which is the subject of this handout. By manipulating sentence structure, by finding clauses and reducing them to phrases, and by shifting clauses and phrases about in the sentence, students can attain great flexibility in the language. Having learned this lesson, students can begin to write with more style, greater variety, and real precision. Make yourself expert at using the following modifying phrases: Appositives, Adjectives with a Phrase, and Participial Phrases. A. The Appositive a. An appositive is a noun or noun phrase set right next to the noun it modifies. It renames the noun, as in Roland Regan, President of the United States. The pattern, an easy one to learn, is illustrated in the following sentence-combining examples. Not that the nouns renamed by the appositives and noun phrase are underlined. 1. The Green Knight intimidated dignitaries at the Christmas feast. 2. He was certainly an unexpected guest. Sentence 1 and 2 can be combined as follows: The Green Knight, an unexpected guest, intimidated the dignitaries at the Christmas feast. It is also possible to streamline sentences that begin with the subordinates which and who by turning the who or which clause into an appositive. crowd. The security guard, who must have been a very frightened man, fired point blank into the The security guard, a very frightened man, fired point blank into the crowd. Exercise A: In the following exercise, you will write the sentences using appositives. Before writing, find the noun phrases renamed and draw lines under them. 1. Professor Stanley, who is now associate vice-president and director of business operations, has been named a vice-president at the University of Nebraska. 2. William Godwin was an optimistic philosopher. He believed in the perfectibility of man. 3. Rip Van Winkle, who was a henpecked husband, happily escaped from his wife.
4. Art and Life in America, which was one of the books on the list, won a Pulitzer prize. 5. The driving public will probably not accept the all-electric car, which is often seen as the answer to pollution, because it will prove expensive and troublesome. 6. The Globe Theatre was complete in 1599. Without a doubt, it was the best designed and appointed playhouse in London. 7. His home, which was only a shack, did not sell. B. He Adjective with a Phrase a. An adjective with a phrase, like an appositive, can be set right next to the noun it modifies. The descriptive information is provided concisely. Consider the following example, linking the noun ping pong with he adjective difficult : 1. (Adj. with phrase) (Noun) Difficult to master at first, ping pong is a sport that demands agility, quickness, and finesse. Note how the phrases can be shifted about in the sentence: (Noun) (Adj. with phrase) Ping pong, difficult to master at first, is a sport that demands agility, quickness, and finesse. In the following examples, nouns will be linked to their adjectives by underlining, and two sentences will be combined into one. 1. I saw a Doberman pincher being walker by an elderly lady. 2. The dog was mean to look at, dangerous to cross. Sentence 1 and 2 can be combined as follows: I saw a Doberman pincher, mean to look at, dangerous to cross, and being walked by an elderly lady. Exercise B: Combine the following sentences, placing the modifiers, adjectives with a phrase, next to the nouns they modify. Before writing, underline the noun and its adjective (s). 1. The team was good only on certain days. It was unable to put together a winning season. 2. The pantomime, which was excellent in its execution, upset many people because of its subject matter. 3. Holden Caulfield seems irresponsible and cynical to many people; perhaps he is simply too intelligent for his own good. 4. The old gentleman looked seedy in appearance. He wore shabby clothing and smelled faintly of liquor. 5. The artist s health was dismal after a bout of tuberculosis. It remained poor for the rest of his life.
6. Amanda felt encouraged and hopeful when she learned of Laura s gentleman caller. Amanda was eager to retreat into her world of romance and illusion. 7. The glider seems to hang motionlessly in the air, as if it were free of the laws of gravity, immune to the drag of the earth. C. The Participial Phrase Participial phrases provide an easy method of compressing much information into a single sentence. The present participial phrase, derived from a sentence written in the simple past tense, is marked by its use of the ending ING. For example: 1. The citizen lounged in the smoking car. 2. He grumbled about his taxes, and he blamed the congressmen. Sentence 1 and 2 can be combined as follows: The citizen lounged in the smoking car, grumbling about his taxes, blaming his congressmen. The past participial phrase, on the other hand, follows a helping verb and can be combined in the following manner: 1. The protagonist was driven by ambition and jealousy. 2. He eventually met a tragic end. Sentence 1 and 2 can be combined as follows: Driven by ambition and jealousy, the protagonist eventually met a tragic end. Exercise C: Identify participial phrases in the following sentences. Splice the phrases into the middle sentences when possible or next to the subjects as interrupters. Try positioning them at the beginning and end of the sentence. 1. Fred extolled Hemingway s novel. He defended its skimpy characterization. And he praised its verse style. 2. The first job applicants were interviewed before the pay was so attractive. They still showed considerable interest in the position. 3. The car ahead careened around the sharp curve. It hit the safety posts and bounced into the other lane. 4. Marvin smiled at the stewardess. He asked for a newspaper. He pretended not to be nervous, 5. Albert stumbled into the dark laboratory. He knocked over a rack of test tubes and made excuses for his behavior. 6. The man helped the woman over the ice. He grasped her arm firmly. He stole her purse. 7. The patient did not look like he would recover. He has been bitten by a highly poisonous spider.
8. He searched for the extra car keys. He took them out of the desk drawer. And he hid them behind Dad s picture. 9. Henry strutted across the stage. He hummed, Show me the Way to Go Home. He looked in blank dismay at the laughing audience. 10. Many of the Christmas gifts were inexpensive. They were still opened with great enthusiasm.
Answer Key Exercise A: 1. Professor Stanley, associate vice-president and director of business operations, has been named a vice-president at the University of Nebraska. 2. William Godwin, an optimistic philosopher believed in the perfectibility of man. 3. Rip Van Winkle, a henpecked husband, happily escaped from his wife. 4. One of the books on the list, Art and Life in America, won a Pulitzer Prize. 5. The driving public will probably not accept the all-electric car, the answer to pollution, because it will prove expensive and troublesome. 6. The Globe Theatre, the best designed and appointed playhouse in London, was complete in 1599 7. His home, which was only a shack, did not sell. Exercise B: 1. Good only on certain days, the team was unable to put together a winning season. 2. The pantomime, excellent in its execution, upset many people because of the subject matter. 3. Holden Caufield, seemingly irresponsible and cynical to many people; is simply too intelligent for his own good. 4. The old gentleman, seedy in appearance, wore shabby clothing and smelled faintly of liquor. 5. The artist s health, dismal after a bout of tuberculosis, remained poor for the rest of his life. 6. Eager to retreat into her world of romance and illusion, Amanda felt encouraged and hopeful when she learned of Laura s gentleman caller. 7. The glider, free of the laws of gravity, immune to the drag of the earth, seemed to hang motionlessly in the air. Exercise C: 1. Fred extolled Hemingway s novel, defended its skimpy characterization, praising its verse style. 2. Interviewed before the pay was so attractive, the first job applicants showed considerable interest in the position. 3. The car ahead careened around the sharp curve, hitting the safety posts and bouncing into the other lane. 4. Marvin smiled at the stewardess, asking for a newspaper, pretending not to be nervous,
5. Albert stumbled into the dark laboratory, knocking over a rack of test tubes and making excuses for his behavior. 6. Helping her over the ice, grasping her arm firmly, the man stole her purse. 7. Bitten by a highly poisonous spider, the patient did not look like he would recover. 8. He searched for the extra car keys, taking them out of the desk drawer, hiding them behind Dad s picture. 9. Henry strutted across the stage, humming, Show me the Way to Go Home, looking in blank dismay at the laughing audience. 10. Many of the Christmas gifts, opened with great enthusiasm, were inexpensive