How to Join Short, Choppy Sentences

Short, choppy sentences annoy the reader with their endless start...stop, start...stop pattern. The sentences seem disconnected and reveal an immature writing style. The reader becomes so annoyed that he forgets what he is reading about and focuses on the annoyance. Joining sentences with a comma and a coordinating conjunction such as "and" works well sometimes, but there are other, more interesting ways to join them.

Things You'll Need

  • Grammar handbook
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Instructions

  1. Ways to Join Simple Sentences

    • 1

      Join two simple sentences into a compound sentence:

      Money can buy a bed. It cannot buy a good night's sleep.

      Money can buy a bed, but it cannot buy a good night's sleep

      OR

      Remove the pronoun and make the direct objects the objects of the same verb:

      Money can buy a bed but not a good night's sleep.

    • 2

      Use a semicolon in place of the comma and coordinating conjunction:

      The happiest people do not have the best of everything. They make the best of everything they have.

      The happiest people do not have the best of everything; they make the best of everything they have.

    • 3

      Use a semicolon with a conjunctive adverb to show the relationship between the two sentences:

      His jeans were three sizes too big. They fell down when he tried to run away.

      His jeans were three sizes too big; consequently, they fell down when he tried to run away.

    • 4

      Use a subordinating conjunction between the sentences:

      I'm not going to the theater tonight. I have a splitting headache.

      I'm not going to the theater tonight because I have a splitting headache.

      OR

      Reverse the sentence:

      Because I have a splitting headache, I'm not going to the theater tonight.

    • 5

      Change one sentence into a participial phrase:

      I heard the church bells. They pealed throughout the village.

      I heard the church bells pealing throughout the village.

    • 6

      Change one sentence into a relative clause or an appositive:

      My mother was well-known in our community. She often coordinated social events.

      My mother, who was well-known in our community, often coordinated social events.

      My mother, well-known in our community, often coordinated social events.

    • 7

      Integrate minor details:

      My nephew is three years old. He is the most hyperactive child I have ever met.

      My three-year-old nephew is the most hyperactive child I have ever met.

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