Combining Sentences and Editing Paragraphs

• Author: Edwin Scott Fruehwald
• Profession: Law Professor at the University of Alabama
• Pages: 75-101

Chapter Goals

1.

To help you understand the different types of sentence patterns so

that you can learn how to use them.

2.

To show you how to combine sentences for variety, coherence, and

ow.

3. To make you aware of redundant sentences.

4. To help you recognize empty sentences.

5. To help you avoid overusing a particular word within a paragraph.

6. To help you recognize and avoid abrupt changes of verb tense.

7.

To help you to consider the paragraph level, not just the word and

sentence levels.

8.

To help you develop your “ear” for ow within and between sentences.

Consider the following paragraphs:

Martin Smith argued the appellant’s case in front of the court. Smith

is a Harvard professor. He contended that the police’s actions consti-

tuted an illegal search under the 4th Amendment. He contended that

this illegal search made all evidence found during the search inad-

missible at trial. Smith argued eloquently. However, the court upheld

the lower court’s decision. It did so based on Rodgers v. State. This

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Chapter 5

Combining Sentences and

Editing Paragraphs

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case had recently been decided by the Supreme Court. It held that a

similar search was constitutional. It was constitutional because the

defendant’s rights were protected.

Martin Smith, a Harvard professor, argued the appellant’s case before

the court. He contended that the police’s actions constituted an illegal

search under the 4th Amendment and that this illegal search made all

evidence found during the search inadmissible at trial. Although Smith

argued eloquently, the court upheld the lower court’s decision based

on Rodgers v. State, which the Supreme Court had recently decided.

That case held that a similar search was constitutional because the

defendant’s rights were protected.

The rst version seems choppy; the second version reads much better because

short sentences are combined and there is greater variety in sentence struc-

ture. This chapter will examine sentence types and how to combine sentences,

as well as other aspects of editing paragraphs.

Recognizing Sentence Patterns and Combining Sentences

Many sentence patterns exist in the English language, ranging from simple

sentences to complex sentences with several dependent clauses. A simple

sentence consists of a noun and a verb with or without additional modify-

ing words and a direct and/or indirect object.

John laughed.

John laughed loudly.

Jackie went to the store.

Martin wore a red shirt to the party.

Alberto gave him the book.

While simple sentences are common, your writing will be choppy and unin-

teresting if you only use short, simple sentences. Moreover, a series of simple

sentences lacks ow. One way to create longer sentences is to combine two

CHAPTER 576

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