Combining Sentences

Combining sentences means joining two or more sentences into one to make the writing clearer and more concise.

A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

A coordinating conjunction is a word that connects two independent clauses. Examples include 'and', 'but', and 'or'.

You can combine sentences by using 'and' to connect two related ideas. For example, 'I like apples. I like oranges.' becomes 'I like apples and oranges.'

A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

A dependent clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.

You can combine sentences by using 'because' to show cause and effect. For example, 'He was late. He missed the bus.' becomes 'He was late because he missed the bus.'

A semicolon can be used to connect two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction.

An example is: 'I wanted to go for a walk; it was raining outside.'

A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation or conjunction.