There are very many ways to combine sentences. For example, we can use conjunctions or relative pronouns. Conjunctions merely connect two clauses. The relative pronoun also acts as the subject or object of the verb in the relative clause.
Participles and infinitives can also be used to connect clauses.
Fill in the blanks
1............... on tiptoe, he reached for the bunch of grapes.
Wrong!
"Standing" is correct because it introduces a participle phrase describing what he was doing as he reached.
2He works very hard ............... the first rank in the examination.
Wrong!
"To obtain" is correct because an infinitive of purpose explains why he works very hard.
3The boy ............... bicycle had been lost complained to the police.
Wrong!
"Whose" is correct because it is the relative word used to show possession.
4I prefer reading books to ............... television.
Wrong!
"Watching" is correct because the pattern is prefer doing something to doing something else.
5............... I was looking for a book, I came across this old photograph.
Wrong!
"While" is correct because it connects two actions happening at the same time.
6............... Susan got the telegram, she started for home.
Wrong!
"As soon as" is correct because it means Susan started for home immediately after getting the telegram.
7You should ............... go to his house nor talk to him.
Wrong!
"Neither" is correct because the correlative conjunction pair is neither nor.
8The house is ............... to accommodate us all.
Wrong!
"Spacious enough" is correct because enough comes after the adjective it modifies.
9The germ is ............... small to be seen with the naked eye.
Wrong!
"Too" is correct because the pattern too adjective to verb shows that something cannot happen because the degree is excessive.
Answers
- Standing on tiptoe, he reached for the bunch of grapes.
- He works very hard to obtain the first rank in the examination.
- The boy whose bicycle had been lost complained to the police.
- I prefer reading books to watching television.
- While I was looking for a book, I came across this old photograph.
- As soon as Susan got the telegram, she started for home.
- You should neither go to his house nor talk to him.
- The house is spacious enough to accommodate us all.
- The germ is too small to be seen with the naked eye.