Five Sentence Combining Options 5
TLC/College of the Canyons
A simple sentence may be defined as a subject, a verb, and one complete idea. A subject names who (John) or
what (traveling in Europe) the sentence is about. A verb expresses an action (swim, worry) or a state of being (is,
become).
SUBJECT
VERB
(other elements in the predicate)
Jose
swims
with Joan every day.
Traveling in Europe
is
difficult during the summer.
Students
worry
about grades.
Global warming
will become
worse in the future.
Simple sentences like the ones above can be useful, and even powerful, but overuse of simple sentences leads to
a choppy, repetitive style. To achieve greater sentence variety, students at the college level can combine simple
sentences using the five methods listed below. See the reverse side for the key words that can link sentences
together.
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Option 1: Simple Sentence + Comma + Key Word + Simple Sentence.
For this option, the key words (coordinating conjunctions) are and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet.
(S)
(V)
(S) (V)
Example: John made a basket, and he is a good basketball player.
Option 2: Simple Sentence + Semicolon (;) + Simple Sentence.
(S)
(V)
(S) (V)
Example: John made a basket; he is a good basketball player.
Option 3: Simple Sentence + Semicolon + Key Word + Comma + Simple Sentence.
For this option, the key words (conjunctive adverbs) include consequently, furthermore, however,
indeed, moreover, nevertheless, therefore. See reverse side for additional conjunctive adverbs.
(S)
(V)
(S) (V)
Example: John made a basket; indeed, he is a good basketball player.
Option 4: Simple Sentence + Key Word + Simple Sentence.
For this option, the key words (subordinating conjunctions) include after, although, because, if,
since, unless, when, whereas, while. See reverse side for additional subordinating conjunctions.
(S)
(V)
(S) (V)
Example: John made a basket because he is a good basketball player.
Option 5: Key Word + Simple Sentence + Comma + Simple Sentence.
For this option, the key words (subordinating conjunctions) are the same as those in Option 4.
(S) (V)
(S) (V)
Example: Because John is a good basketball player, he made a basket.
Option 1:
,
Option 2:
;
Option 3:
;
,
Option 4:
Option 5:
,
Updated September 2016
Student Resources by The Learning Center, College of the Canyons is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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