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Contemporary's GED Language Arts, Writing
Ellen Carley Frechette
Tim Collins

Combining Sentences

Chapter Outline

Study the chapter outline below. Use the page numbers below each topic to refer to the corresponding section in Contemporary's GED Language Arts, Writing. When you are finished, go to the Flashcards or choose a different activity or chapter from the menu on the left.

Compound Sentences

(See pages 83–85)
  • A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.
  • A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb.
  • An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.
  • Coordinating conjunctions (like and, but, yet, so, or, nor, and for) join elements of equal rank. The conjunction must show the correct relationship between the two clauses and should be preceded by a comma.

Run-on Sentences

(See page 86)
  • A run-on sentence contains too many thoughts or strings together too many clauses without conjunctions.
  • To fix a run-on, break it up into two or more sentences or add a comma and a conjunction.

Commas with "and"

(See pages 87 and 88)
  • Use a comma before and if it connects two independent clauses.
  • Use a comma before and in a series of three or more compound elements.
  • DO NOT use a comma with and if it connects only two compound elements.

Complex Sentences

(See pages 89–93)
  • A complex sentence contains a dependent clause connected to an independent clause by a subordinating conjunction.
  • An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence, but a dependent clause cannot.
  • The conjunction must show the correct relationship between the two clauses:

    • Time relationship: before, while, as soon as
    • Cause and effect or purpose: because, since, so that
    • Condition: if, unless, whether
    • Contrast: although, whereas
    • Similarity: as if
    • Place: wherever

  • If the dependent clause comes before the independent clause, place a comma before the independent clause.
  • If the independent clause comes before the dependent clause, do not use a comma.

Dependent Clauses in a Paragraph

(See page 94 and 95)
  • Sentence fragments are often dependent clauses standing alone.
  • In a paragraph you can fix such a fragment by connecting it to an independent clause.
  • Any clause that begins with a subordinating conjunction must be attached to an independent clause.

Comma Splices

(See page 96)
  • A comma splice is an error in which two clauses are incorrectly joined by a comma without a conjunction.
  • Make sure the linking word you use is really a conjunction. For example, the word however is not a conjunction.

Rewriting Sentences

(See pages 97 and 98)

Here are guidelines for writing sentences with more than one clause:

  • They can be less choppy and more interesting than short, one-clause sentences.
  • They must contain a conjunction (either coordinating or subordinating) to join the two clauses.
  • Never use a comma by itself to join two clauses (but do use it after a dependent clause that precedes an independent clause).
  • The meaning of the conjunction used must accurately represent the relationship between the clauses.

Sentence Construction on the GED Test

(See pages 99 and 100)

In one type of question on Part I of the Language Arts, Writing Test, you must change the pattern of a sentence or combine two sentences while keeping the meaning of the original.

Sequence of Tenses

(See pages 101 and 102)

When there are two clauses in a sentence, the tense of each verb must work logically (in sequence) with the tense of the other verb.

Effective Revisions

(See pages 103 and 104)

Some items on the GED Test require you to choose an effective revision of a sentence that doesn't have a specific error in grammar or usage but is too wordy. Here are some guidelines for tightening up wordy sentences:

  • Change verbs from passive to active. With an active verb, the subject is doing the acting. With a passive verb, the subject is acted upon.
  • Look for repeated words or phrases and try to combine ideas.
  • Remember that run-on sentences are too wordy.