The compound sentence

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 the shop. I complained about them. (and)

…….I took the shoes back to the shop and complained about them…..

   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)

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   4)       Jim built his own house. He designed it himself. (Jim not only ... but ... as well)

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   5)       I don't know what happened to him. I don't care. (I neither ... nor)

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   6)       My new assistant can type very well. He hasn't much experience with computers. (but)

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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)

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   3)       We got ready to get on the train. It didn't stop. (but)

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   4)       No one was in when we called. We left a message. (so)

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   5)       We didn't want to get home late after the film. We went straight back. (so)

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   6)       The old lady was nervous. She wasn't used to strangers calling late at night. (for)

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   7)       I've always wanted to live in the country. My parents prefer to live in town. (but)

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   8)       The letter has been lost. The postman has delivered it to the wrong address. (or)

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   9)       For a moment the top of the mountain was visible. A cloud covered it. (and then)

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   10)   Jane was a successful career woman. Her mother wanted her to be a housewife. (yet)

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