Access this exercise through the link to google doc below.
Note: Not only do you combine sentences using relative clauses, but also you can combine simple sentences taking the adjectives out of the sentence and adding them to another sentence.
For example:
The dog strayed away from home. The dog was old. The dog was shaggy.
The shaggy old dog strayed away from home.
Richard-Nordquist--About.com Guide
http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fgrammar.about.com%2Fbio%2FRichard-Nordquist-22176.htm&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE3123ZgDSevtTCf7UUJwgVJ1IclA
Consider how these two sentences can be combined:
My mp3 player fell apart after a few weeks.
My mp3 player cost over $200.
By substituting the relative pronoun which for the subject of the second sentence, we can create a single sentence containing an adjective clause:
My mp3 player, which cost over $200, fell apart after a few weeks.
Or we may choose to substitute which for the subject of the first sentence:
My mp3 player, which fell apart after a few weeks, cost over $200.
Put what you think is the main idea in the main clause, the secondary (or subordinate--less important) idea in the adjective clause. And keep in mind that an adjective clause usually appears after the noun it modifies.
Note: Sometimes the main clause and subordinate clause can be switched with each other and still mean the same. For example:
The man died of a heart attack. The man smoked forty cigarettes a day. -- can be changed to -- The man who died of a heart attack smoked forty cigarettes a day. OR The man who smoked forty cigarettes a day died of a heart attack.
PRACTICE: Building Sentences with Adjective Clauses
Combine the sentences in each set into a single, clear sentence with at least one adjective clause. Subordinate the information that you think is of secondary importance. When you are done, compare your new sentences with the sample combinations onpage two. Keep in mind that many combinations are possible, and in some cases you may prefer your own sentences to the original versions.
The first alarm clock woke the sleeper by gently rubbing his feet.
The first alarm clock was invented by Leonardo da Vinci.
Some children have not received flu shots.
These children must visit the school doctor.
Success encourages the repetition of old behavior.
Success is not nearly as good a teacher as failure.
I showed the arrowhead to Rachel.
Rachel's mother is an archaeologist.
Merdine was born in a boxcar.
Merdine was born somewhere in Arkansas.
Merdine gets homesick every time she hears the cry of a train whistle.
The space shuttle is a rocket.
The rocket is manned.
This rocket can be flown back to earth.
This rocket can be reused.
Henry Aaron played baseball.
Henry Aaron played with the Braves.
Henry Aaron played for 20 years.
Henry Aaron was voted into the Hall of Fame.
The vote was taken in 1982.
Oxygen is colorless.
Oxygen is tasteless.
Oxygen is odorless.
Oxygen is the chief life-supporting element of all plant life.
Oxygen is the chief life-supporting element of all animal life.
Bushido is the traditional code of honor of the samurai.
Bushido is based on the principle of simplicity.
Bushido is based on the principle of honesty.
Bushido is based on the principle of courage.
Bushido is based on the principle of justice.
Merdine danced on the roof.
It was the roof of her trailer.
Merdine danced during the thunderstorm.
The thunderstorm flooded the county.
The thunderstorm was last night.
Here are sample combinations for the 10 sets of sentence-building exercises onpage one. Keep in mind that in most cases more than one effective combination is possible.
- The first alarm clock, which woke the sleeper by gently rubbing his feet, was invented by Leonardo da Vinci.
- Children who have not received flu shots must visit the school doctor.
- Success, which encourages the repetition of old behavior, is not nearly as good a teacher as failure.
- I showed the arrowhead to Rachel, whose mother is an archaeologist.
- Merdine, who was born in a boxcar somewhere in Arkansas, gets homesick every time she hears the cry of a train whistle.
- The space shuttle is a manned rocket that can be flown back to earth and reused.
- Henry Aaron, who played baseball with the Braves for 20 years, was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
- Oxygen--which is colorless, tasteless, and odorless--is the chief life-supporting element of all plant and animal life.
- Bushido, which is the traditional code of honor of the samurai, is based on the principles of simplicity, honesty, courage, and justice.
- Merdine danced on the roof of her trailer during the thunderstorm that flooded the county last night.
Rolling Along With Mr. Bill
This exercise has been adapted from a student's description of her high school music teacher. Combine the sentences in each set into a single clear sentence, and arrange your new sentences into a coherent paragraph. Sentences that can be turned intoadjective clauses are in italics. After you have completed this exercise, compare your work with the original passage onpage two.
Mr. William Herring has been affectionately dubbed "Mr. Bill" by his music students.
Mr. William Herring is the jolliest man I know.
His outward features are often hidden behind a grand piano.
His outward features reflect the character within.
The character within is delightful.
His hair is red.
His hair is frizzy.
His hair is like Orphan Annie's.
His head is fat.
His head is round.
He has small eyes.
His eyes are dark.
His eyes are hamster-like.
His eyes peer inquisitively from behind metal-rimmed glasses.
His mouth is small.
His mouth is always formed into a grin.
The grin is friendly.
His neck is thick.
His neck connects this funny head to a torso.
The torso is egg-shaped.
From this torso stretch two fat arms with plump hands and fingers shaped like hot dogs.*
[* Begin this adjective clause with the phrase from which stretch . . ..]
On one of these fingers is a gold ring.
The ring is diamond-studded.
The gleam of this ring matches the brilliance of Mr. Bill's smile.
His Santa Claus belly, girded by a cowboy belt, hangs over baggy trousers.
These are the sort of trousers that went out with leisure suits and platform shoes.
Mr. Bill's shoes, however, are invisible beneath his trousers.
Yet his walk is distinctive.
In fact, he seems to roll rather than walk.
He rolls to the rhythm of his own laughter.
His students roll right along with him.
After you have completed this exercise, compare your work with the original passage onpage two.(below)
Here is the student paragraph that served as the basis for the sentence combining exercise onpage one.
Rolling Along with Mr. Bill (original paragraph)
Mr. William Herring, who has been affectionately dubbed "Mr. Bill" by his music students, is the jolliest man I know. His outward features, which are often hidden behind a grand piano, reflect the delightful character within. His hair is red and frizzy, like Orphan Annie's, and his head is fat and round. He has small, dark, hamster-like eyes, which peer inquisitively from behind metal-rimmed glasses. His small mouth is always formed into a friendly grin. His thick neck connects this funny head to an egg-shaped torso, from which stretch two fat arms with plump hands and fingers shaped like hot dogs. On one of these fingers is a diamond-studded gold ring, the gleam of which matches the brilliance of Mr. Bill's smile. His Santa Claus belly, girded by a cowboy belt, hangs over the sort of baggy trousers that went out with leisure suits and platform shoes. Mr. Bill's shoes, however, are invisible beneath his trousers, yet his walk is distinctive. In fact, he seems to roll rather than walk. He rolls to the rhythm of his own laughter, and his students roll right along with him.