Sentence Combining — Combine sentences to improve...

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Why Sentence Combining Matters

Have you ever read a paragraph that felt like a robot wrote it? Short, choppy sentences can make even an exciting topic sound boring. For centuries, teachers and writers have worked on ways to make writing flow better. Sentence combining is one of the most powerful tools for turning awkward, repetitive writing into clear, enjoyable prose.

On the SHSAT, Part B of the ELA section tests your ability to revise and edit passages. You will often see questions that ask you to choose the best way to combine two or more sentences. Understanding how sentence combining works will help you pick the right answer quickly and confidently.

1960s

Research Begins

Researchers like Kellogg Hunt studied how students' writing improves as they learn to write longer, more complex sentences.

1970s

Classroom Practice

Frank O'Hare proved that sentence-combining exercises helped students write better without memorizing grammar rules.

1980s

Widespread Adoption

Schools across the country added sentence combining to their writing programs. Textbooks began featuring these exercises regularly.

2000s–Today

Standardized Testing

Tests like the SHSAT now include sentence-combining questions in their revising and editing sections, making this skill essential for test success.

The big question is: how do you take two or more short sentences and join them into one smooth, clear sentence? That is exactly what this lesson will teach you.

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Core Principles of Sentence Combining

Before you start combining sentences, you need to understand a few key ideas. These principles will guide every combining decision you make, whether on the SHSAT or in your own writing.

Eliminate Repetition

When two sentences share the same subject or idea, combining them removes the repeated words. This makes writing tighter and cleaner.

Show Relationships

Combining sentences lets you show how ideas connect. You can show cause and effect, contrast, addition, or time order using connecting words (conjunctions and transitions).

Improve Flow

A paragraph with sentences of different lengths sounds more natural. Combining helps you create a mix of short and long sentences for better rhythm.

Keep the Meaning

A combined sentence must mean the same thing as the original sentences. Never change the author's meaning or leave out important details.

Use Correct Grammar

The new sentence must follow standard English rules. Check for proper punctuation, subject-verb agreement, and parallel structure.

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of sentence combining like building with LEGO bricks. You have small pieces (short sentences) that work on their own, but when you snap them together the right way, you build something bigger, stronger, and way more impressive.

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Seeing Sentence Combining in Action

The diagram below shows how three choppy sentences can be combined into one smooth sentence using different strategies. Notice how each method uses a different connecting tool to join the ideas.

This diagram shows three original sentences at the top and three different ways to combine them. Strategy 1 uses adjectives, Strategy 2 uses a conjunction, and Strategy 3 uses a relative clause.

As you can see, there is often more than one correct way to combine sentences. On the SHSAT, your job is to pick the answer choice that sounds the smoothest, keeps the original meaning, and uses correct grammar.

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How Sentence Combining Works: The Toolbox

Think of sentence combining as a toolbox. Each tool is a different way to join ideas. You pick the right tool based on the relationship between the ideas you want to combine. Let's look at the six main tools.

Tool 1: Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS)

The seven coordinating conjunctions are For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So (remember them as FANBOYS). Use these when the two ideas are equally important. Place a comma before the conjunction when joining two complete sentences.

Before: Maria studied all night. She earned an A on the test. → After: Maria studied all night, so she earned an A on the test.

Tool 2: Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions (words like because, although, when, if, since, while, after, before) make one idea depend on the other. Use these when one idea is more important than the other.

Before: The game was canceled. It started to rain. → After: The game was canceled because it started to rain.

Tool 3: Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns (who, which, that, whose, whom) let you embed one sentence inside another. Use who for people and which or that for things.

Before: Dr. Patel is a scientist. She discovered a new species. → After: Dr. Patel is a scientist who discovered a new species.

Tool 4: Appositives

An appositive is a noun phrase placed next to another noun to rename or describe it. It is set off by commas.

Before: My brother is a talented musician. He plays the guitar. → After: My brother, a talented musician, plays the guitar.

Tool 5: Participial Phrases

A participial phrase starts with a verb form ending in -ing or -ed. It adds detail about the subject.

Before: The dog wagged its tail. It greeted its owner. → After:Wagging its tail, the dog greeted its owner.

Tool 6: Semicolons

A semicolon (;) joins two closely related complete sentences without a conjunction. It shows that the two ideas belong together.

Before: The library closes at 8 PM. We need to leave soon. → After: The library closes at 8 PM; we need to leave soon.

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Choosing the Right Strategy

Now that you know the six tools, how do you decide which one to use? The key is to figure out the relationship between the ideas in the original sentences. The chart below shows you which tool fits which relationship.

This flowchart walks you through the decision-making process. Start at the top, identify the relationship, then pick the matching tool. Always finish by checking meaning and grammar.

Common relationships and the tools that match them

Relationship	Signal Words	Combining Tool	Example
Addition	also, too, in addition	and (FANBOYS)	She sings and dances.
Contrast	however, on the other hand	but, yet (FANBOYS)	He tried hard, but he failed.
Cause/Effect	as a result, therefore	because, so, since	Because it rained, the event moved indoors.
Time	then, next, meanwhile	when, after, before, while	After she finished, she relaxed.
Description	namely, specifically	who, which, that, appositive	The book, which was old, fell apart.

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Worked Example: SHSAT-Style Question

Let's walk through a full SHSAT-style question step by step. Read the original sentences and then follow the process to find the best combined version.

📝 ORIGINAL SENTENCES

Sentence 1: The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France. Sentence 2: It was dedicated in 1886. Sentence 3: It has become a symbol of freedom.

Step-by-Step Combining Process

Step 1 — Identify the Shared SubjectAll three sentences talk about the same thing: the Statue of Liberty. This tells us we can combine them by removing the repeated subject.

Shared subject: The Statue of Liberty

Step 2 — Determine RelationshipsSentence 1 gives background info (a gift from France). Sentence 2 adds a time detail (1886). Sentence 3 gives a result or significance (symbol of freedom). The first two add description; the third shows a result.

Description + Result

Step 3 — Choose ToolsFor the description (Sentences 1 & 2), we can use an appositive or a participial phrase. For the result (Sentence 3), we can add it with a conjunction or a relative clause. Let's try an appositive for Sentence 1 and a simple continuation for Sentences 2 and 3.

Appositive + conjunction

Step 4 — Combine and CheckDraft: "The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, was dedicated in 1886 and has become a symbol of freedom." Let's check: Does it keep all three ideas? Yes. Is the grammar correct? Yes. Does it flow smoothly? Yes!

The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, was dedicated in 1886 and has become a symbol of freedom.

💡 SHSAT TIP

On test day, read each answer choice out loud in your head. The correct answer should sound like something a good writer would actually write. If it sounds awkward, wordy, or changes the meaning, cross it out.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Knowing how to combine sentences is only half the battle. You also need to know the traps that the SHSAT sets. Here are the most common mistakes students make and how to avoid them.

Five common sentence-combining errors on the SHSAT

Mistake	What It Looks Like	How to Fix It
Run-on sentence	"She ran fast she won the race." Two complete sentences with no punctuation or conjunction between them.	Add a comma + conjunction ("She ran fast, so she won") or use a semicolon.
Comma splice	"She ran fast, she won the race." A comma alone cannot join two complete sentences.	Add a conjunction after the comma, or replace the comma with a semicolon.
Dangling modifier	"Running quickly, the finish line appeared." It sounds like the finish line was running!	Make sure the subject right after the comma is the one doing the action: "Running quickly, she saw the finish line."
Changed meaning	Leaving out an important detail or changing the relationship (e.g., using "but" when the original shows "because").	Always compare your combined sentence to the originals. Every idea must still be there.
Wordiness	"The reason why the game was canceled was due to the fact that it rained."	Keep it simple: "The game was canceled because it rained."

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Imagine you are packing a suitcase. Combining sentences is like neatly folding and organizing your clothes so everything fits. A run-on is like stuffing everything in without folding. A comma splice is like putting a thin piece of tape on an overflowing suitcase. You need the right tool (zipper, strap, or divider) to keep everything secure and tidy.

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Sentence Combining and Advanced Writing

Sentence combining is not just a test skill — it is the foundation of strong writing. As you get more comfortable with these tools, you will naturally use them in essays, reports, and creative writing. Here is how the skill grows as you advance.

How sentence combining skills grow over time

Basic Level (This Lesson)	Advanced Level (High School & Beyond)
Combine 2–3 short sentences	Combine ideas across paragraphs to create cohesive essays
Use one combining tool at a time	Layer multiple tools in a single sentence for sophisticated style
Focus on keeping the original meaning	Emphasize specific ideas by choosing which clause is main vs. subordinate
Recognize correct answers on multiple choice	Write your own combined sentences from scratch in essays
Vary sentence length for flow	Control tone and pacing through deliberate sentence structure choices

Professional writers use these exact tools every day. The difference is that they do it automatically, without thinking about the grammar names. The more you practice now, the more natural it will feel later.

🔭 LOOKING AHEAD

In high school, you will learn about rhetorical strategies — the art of choosing sentence structures to persuade, inform, or entertain your reader. Sentence combining is the first step on that journey.

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Practice Problems

Try these five problems on your own. Each one gets a little harder. After you choose your answer, check the explanation to see how the combining works.

PROBLEM 1 — CONCEPTUAL

Which of the following is the BEST reason to combine short sentences into a longer one? (A) To make the paragraph longer. (B) To improve the flow and show how ideas connect. (C) To use bigger vocabulary words. (D) To remove details that are not important.

PROBLEM 2 — BASIC CALCULATION

Combine the following sentences into one: "The cat climbed the tree. The cat was gray. The tree was in the backyard." Which is the best combined version? (A) The gray cat climbed the tree in the backyard. (B) The cat climbed the tree and the cat was gray and the tree was in the backyard. (C) The cat, the tree was in the backyard, climbed it gray. (D) Gray, the cat, climbed the backyard tree it was.

PROBLEM 3 — INTERMEDIATE

Choose the best way to combine these sentences: "Maya Angelou was an acclaimed poet. She was also a civil rights activist. She wrote the autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." (A) Maya Angelou was an acclaimed poet and civil rights activist who wrote the autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. (B) Maya Angelou was an acclaimed poet, she was a civil rights activist, she wrote I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. (C) Being an acclaimed poet, also a civil rights activist, Maya Angelou wrote I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, an autobiography. (D) Maya Angelou wrote an autobiography, and she was a poet, and she was a civil rights activist.

PROBLEM 4 — APPLIED

Read the following passage from a student essay: "The school cafeteria serves healthy lunches. The lunches include salads and whole grains. Many students still bring their own food. They prefer snacks from home." Which revision best combines the underlined sentences to improve the passage? (A) The school cafeteria serves healthy lunches that include salads and whole grains, but many students still bring their own food because they prefer snacks from home. (B) The school cafeteria serves healthy lunches, salads and whole grains, many students bring their own food, preferring snacks from home. (C) Serving healthy lunches including salads and whole grains, students bring their own food because of preferring snacks from home. (D) The school cafeteria serves healthy lunches; the lunches include salads and whole grains; many students still bring their own food; they prefer snacks from home.

PROBLEM 5 — CRITICAL THINKING

A student wrote: "The inventor Thomas Edison failed many times. He never gave up. He eventually created a working light bulb. The light bulb changed the world." Write TWO different combined versions of these four sentences. For each version, name the combining tools you used and explain why your version works.

SUMMARY

Lesson Summary

Sentence combining is the skill of joining short, choppy sentences into smooth, clear writing. You learned six main tools: coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) for equal ideas, subordinating conjunctions for cause, condition, and time, relative pronouns (who, which, that) for description, appositives for renaming nouns, participial phrases for adding action details, and semicolons for closely related thoughts.

When tackling SHSAT Part B questions, always follow three steps: first, identify the relationship between the ideas; second, choose the right combining tool; and third, check that your combined sentence keeps the original meaning and uses correct grammar. Watch out for run-ons, comma splices, and dangling modifiers — these are the most common traps on the test.