SENTENCE COMBINING: Part Two
Sentences can also be combined by using modifying words, prepositions and prepositional
phrases, infinitives or infinitive phrases, participial phrases, gerunds, appositives, and
absolute phrases.
A. Modifying words can combine sentences. Adjectives describe or modify nouns (the
new downtown, city government) or pronouns (thrifty one). Adverbs describe the actions
of verbs (almost mailed, carefully walked), modify adjectives (very thrifty) or other
adverbs (too carefully), and whole groups of words (Steadily, the nurse wheeled the
patient). Nouns and special forms of verbs may sometimes serve as modifiers of other
nouns. In combinations such as fire hazard, campus buildings, and Christmas holidays,
the first noun modifies the second. In combinations such as running horse, wrapped
presents, and broken finger, the first word is a verb form modifying the following noun.
Example:
San Antonio offers tourists food. San Antonio offers food proudly. The food is delicious.
San Antonio proudly offers tourists delicious food.
B. Prepositions are connecting words that can be used to combine sentences.
Prepositions express relationships—in space, time, or other senses—between nouns or
pronouns and other words in a sentence.
Common prepositions:
about, above, across, after, against, along, among, around, as, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside,
between, beyond, by, down, during, except, for, from, in, inside, into, like, near, of, off, on, onto, out, over,
past, regarding, since, through, toward, under, until, up, upon, with, without
Common Compound prepositions:
according to, as well as, because of, by way of, due to, except for, in addition to, in front of, in place of, in
spite of, instead of, next to, out of, with regard to
Example:
Women in some countries are not allowed in the streets. The countries have strong religious laws.
Women who walk in the streets must have a male chaperone.
Because of strong religious laws, women in some countries are not allowed in the streets without a
male chaperone.
The large dog chased the cat. The cat and dog ran across the street. The cat went over the fence.
The large dog chased the cat across the street and over the fence.
C. Sentences can be combined with infinitives or infinitive phrases. An infinitive is the
base form of a verb preceded by to (to walk, to sit, to talk). An infinitive can serve as a
noun, an adverb, or an adjective. An infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive together
with its modifiers, objects, or complements (to be sad, to go out to eat tonight).
Example:
Your purpose is becoming a liberated woman. You do not need to act as a man is supposed to act.
To become a liberated woman, you do not need to act as a man is supposed to act.
D. Sentences can be combined using participial phrases. A participial phrase is formed
of a present participle (the -ing form of the verb, for example, skating or running) or
past participle (for most verbs the form that ends in -ed, for example, walked or
buttoned, but for some verbs an irregular form like been, seen, hidden, slept, set) and any
modifiers, objects, or complements. Participial phrases always function as adjectives
