Combining Sentences Rules
Rule 1: Different Subjects - Same Predicate
When two people or things do the same thing, try to tell about it in one
sentence.
If you use I as part of a combined subject, put I last.
Rule 2: Different Predicates - Same Subject
If you have one person doing more than one thing, then place the verbs in a
string.
Rule 3: Repeated Words
Avoid writing sentences that repeat the same words again and again.
Rule 4: Sometimes one sentence will do in place of two.
Rule 5: Using phrases in sentences lets you say more - with less.
Rule 6: When sentences are related they may be turned into a compound sentence by adding a comma and a coordinating conjunction.
If you wanted to combine two sentences and show a cause and effect relationship, one way you could do it would be to use a coordinating conjunction. These are the connecting words for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. One way to remember all of them is to call them "FANBOYS." In most cases, they will be preceded by a comma.
Rule 7: Short choppy sentences may be turned into complex sentences by turning one sentence into a phrase or clause and adding a subordinating conjunction.
Try using some of these words when building complex sentences:
after before though when although if unless whenever because since until while
Rule 8: You may join two complete sentence with a semicolon when you want to keep two closely related ideas in one sentence. By using a semicolon instead of a period between two sentences, you show that those two sentences have a closer relationship to each other than they do to the sentences around them.
Note: Think of a comma as a brief pause, a semicolon as a more moderate pause, and a period as a stop.
Rule 9: You may join two sentences by using a semicolon with a transitional word and a comma. Some common transitional words are: