From the Purdue Owl (2010)

Combining Sentences Exercise

Conjunctions: and, but, nor, or, so, yet, for
Example: Maria created a rsum. She copied it on expensive, high-quality paper. Her
prospective employer was not accepting resums.
Revision: Maria created a rsum, and she copied it on expensive, high-quality paper, but her
prospective employer was not accepting rsums.
Directions: Use conjunctions to combine these sentences.
1. The president failed to explain the cause of the crisis. He did not offer any solutions.

2. Akiras wife was due to give birth to their first child in the next several days. He still worked
overtime.

3. Rekha had an intense headache all morning. She smiled and remained alert throughout the
entire meeting.

4. The last storm to come through the area ripped some of the siding off Georges garage. He
visited the hardware store and invested in storm-proofing materials.

5. Enrollment in the university has been dropping in recent years. Its facilites have been lacking
proper maintenance.

From the Purdue Owl (2010)

Coordination:

consequently, therefore (Something happened or something is true because of

something preceding it.)


Example: Jonathan read the company website and articles about the company


before his interview; therefore, he was able to ask very good questions during his


interview.

Then: Something happening in sequence, after a previous event.

Example: Wenyu carefully reviewed the credit card offers she had received this


month; then, she chose the one with the best terms and completed the application.

furthermore, in addition, moreover (Similar to the word and, but with more of a
relationship to the first part of the sentence.)


Example: Soo-yeon checked the grammar in her college application essay


twice; in addition, she asked her neighbor to check the grammar one more time.
However (Just like the word but, only for longer sentences.)


Example: Miguels car didnt start this morning; however, he got a jump start


from his neighbor and was able to make it to his appointment on time.
Indeed, in fact (Similar to the word and, but there is a closer relationship to the first
part of the sentence, and it extends the information in the first part of the sentence.)


Example: Priya seems to be a workaholic; in fact, she spent the holiday in her


office finishing the report.
Nevertheless: (Very similar to the word but, but the truth of what comes before
nevertheless is emphasized.


Example: All his friends have been praising the high quality of service in the


new coffee shop for months; nevertheless, when he went there, the server was


quite rude.

Directions: Use coordinating words (from above) to combine these sentences.

1. Plans for renovating downtown into an upscale shopping center were finalized. Discussions
began on budgeting city funds for the project.

2. The nearest supermarket started to carry produce and spices that specifically matched the diets
of many people in the community. Shoppers continued to be lured to the big-box store out on
the highway.

From the Purdue Owl (2010)

3. The main office has cut our printing and copying budget. We will need to rely more heavily on
e-mail, Skype, and instant messaging.

4. The professor suspected that the student was plagiarizing on the final paper. The student may
have been plagiarizing since the beginning of the semester.

5. Please respond to this e-mail at your earliest convenience, so that I can get started here.
Include your notes as an attachment.

From the Purdue Owl (2010)

Subordination:

after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, for, if, if
only, rather than, since, that, though, unless, until, when, where, whereas, wherever, whether,
which, while
Unlike the conjunction and coordination examples above, subordination changes one of the two
sentences so that it becomes dependent upon the other sentenceit is subordinated to the other
sentence (made dependent). Unlike the conjunctions and coordinators above, subordination
words and clauses do not always go between sentences.


Example 1: More students at the college are biking, walking, or carpooling because the


price of gasoline is continuing to rise.


Example 2: Because the price of gasoline is continuing to rise, more students at the


college are biking, walking, or carpooling.
1. I had to hand the project over to Max. You didnt respond to any of my e-mails.

2. Another candidate with more qualifications applies in the next forty-eight hours. You should
get the position without any difficulties.

3. Viktor had prepared and practiced for the presentation thoroughly. The projector died and the
presentation was not successful.

4. Keep calling our customers from last year. You make your sales quota.

5. The instructor copies his lesson directly from the textbook. The students lose interest and doze
off.