Grammar Practice 1.4 The compound sentence
1.4 The compound sentence
1.4A The form of a compound sentence
Study:
1 When we join two or more simple sentences, we make a compound sentence:
Tom phoned. He left a message.
->Tom phoned and left a message.
2 The name we give to "joining words" is conjunctions.
These are the conjunctions we use to make compound sentences:
and, and then, but, for, nor, or, so, yet;
either ... or; neither ... nor ...; not only ... but ... (also/as well/too).
3 We can use conjunctions to show, for example:
- addition (and): He washed the car and polished it.
- continuation (and then): He washed the car and then polished it.
- contrast (but, yet): She sold her house, but/yet (she) can't help regretting it.
- choice (or): You can park your car on the drive or on the road.
- result (so): He couldn't find his pen, so he wrote in pencil.
- reason (for): We rarely stay in hotels, for we can't afford it.
4 We do not usually put a comma in front of and, but we often use one in front of other
Conjunctions: He washed the car and polished it. (no comma before and)
Compare: He washed the car, but didn't polish it. (comma before but)
5 We keep to the basic word order in a compound sentence:
subject verb object conjunction subject verb complement
Jimmy fell off his bike, but (he) was unhurt,
6 When the subject is the same in all parts of the sentence, we do not usually repeat it:
same subject: Tom phoned. He left a message. -> Tom phoned and (he) left a message.
different subjects: Tom phoned. Frank answered. -> Tom phoned and Frank answered.
7 We usually repeat the subject after so: He couldn't find his pen, so he wrote in pencil.
8 We always have to repeat the subject after for. For is more usual in the written language and we
cannot use it to begin a sentence:
We rarely stay at hotels, for we can't afford it.
Write 1 : Compound sentences with the same subject
Join these simple sentences to make compound sentences. Use the words in brackets.
1 I took the shoes back to
2 Your mother phoned this morning. She didn't leave a message. (but)
............................ ............................
3 1 can leave now. I can stay for another hour. (I can either ... or)
........................................................
4 Jim built his own house. He designed it himself.(Jim not only ... but ... as well)
........................................................
5 1 don't know what happened to him. I don't care. (I neither ... nor)
........................................................
6 My new assistant can type very well. He hasn't much experience with computers. (but)
............................ ............................
Write 2: Compound sentences with different subjects and with 'so/for'
Join these simple sentences to make compound sentences. Use the words in brackets.
1 The taxi stopped at the station. Two men got out of it. (and)
The taxi stopped at the station and two men got out of it.
2 You can give me some advice. Your colleague can. (Either you ... or)
............................................................................................
3 We got ready to get on the train. It didn't stop. (but)
............................................................................................
4 No one was in when we called. We left a message. (so)
...............................................................................................
5 We didn't want to get home late after the film. We went straight back. (so)
...............................................................................................
6 The old lady was nervous. She wasn't used to strangers calling late at night. (for)
.................................................................................................
7 I've always wanted to live in the country. My parents prefer to live in town. (but)
...............................................................................................
8 The letter has been lost. The postman has delivered it to the wrong address. (or)
...............................................................................................
9 For a moment the top of the mountain was visible. A cloud covered it. (and then)
...............................................................................................
10 Jane was a successful career woman. Her mother wanted her to be a housewife. (yet)
1.48 Context
Write: Put a circle round the correct words in brackets.
(NOT SO) MERRY-GO-ROUND!
The customers at the funfair. We're leaving (and/but) the lights were going out. The last two people on
dodgem cars paid (2.and/so) left. The big wheel stopped (3.for/and) the merry-go-round stopped (4.as
well/not only). The stalls closed down (5.so/and) the stall-owners went home. At 2 a.m. four
nightwatchmen walked round the funfair, (6.but/so) there was no one to be seen. "I'm fed up walking
round", one of them said, (7.yet/and) "what can we do?" "We can (8.or/either) play cards (9.either/or) sit
and talk." They were bored, (10.so/for) there was nothing to do on this quiet warm night. '"We can have a
ride on the merry-go-round!" one of them cried. "That'll be fun!" Three of them jumped on merry-goround
horses (11.yet/and) the fourth started the motor. Then he jumped on too (12.and/but) round they
went. They were having the time of their lives, (13.but/so) suddenly realized there was no one to stop
the machine. They weren't rescued till morning (14.and/but) by then they felt very sick indeed !
