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Sentence Meaning and Combining: Intermediate Guide

This guide will help you tackle sentence meaning and combining questions, which test your understanding of sentence structure, relationships between ideas, and ability to express ideas concisely and accurately.

1. Understanding Sentence Relationships

Recognizing the relationship between sentences is crucial for effective combining and accurate paraphrase. Here are some common relationships:

• Cause and Effect: One event leads to another. Keywords: because, since, therefore, consequently, as a result.


• Contrast: Two ideas are opposed. Keywords: but, although, however, despite, whereas, while.


• Addition/Emphasis: Adding information or stressing a point. Keywords: and, also, moreover, furthermore, in addition, indeed.


• Time: Events occurring sequentially. Keywords: after, before, while, when, until, as soon as, subsequently.


• Condition: One event depends on another. Keywords: if, unless, provided that, as long as.


• Purpose: Stating the reason for an action. Keywords: in order to, so that, to.

2. Combining Sentences: Techniques and Considerations

• Using Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS): $for$, $and$, $nor$, $but$, $or$, $yet$, $so$. Combine independent clauses.
  
  
  
  • Example: Peter moved abroad for a fresh start, but he regrets it now.
  
  
  
  


• Using Subordinating Conjunctions: Create complex sentences (one independent and one or more dependent clauses).
  
  
  
  • Example: Because smartphones are becoming reasonably priced, new applications make them more appealing.
  
  
  
  


• Using Relative Pronouns (who, whom, which, that, whose): Connect a relative clause to a noun.
  
  
  
  • Example: Mary left home to start an independent life, which made her realize how much her family meant to her.
  
  
  
  


• Using Participles (V-ing, V-ed): Reduce clauses to phrases for conciseness.
  
  
  
  • Example: Kate completed her higher education, deciding then to travel the world before getting a job.
  
  
  
  


• Using Appositives: Rename or describe a noun.

3. Paraphrasing and Identifying Sentence Meaning

• Focus on the Core Meaning: Identify the subject, verb, and object. What is the central idea being conveyed?


• Synonyms and Rephrasing: Use synonyms to change words without changing meaning. Alter the sentence structure.


• Understanding Implied Meaning: Sometimes, the meaning isn't directly stated but is implied by the context.


• Beware of Distractors: Answer choices that change the meaning, misinterpret the relationship between ideas, or are grammatically incorrect.

4. Common Grammatical Structures and Transformations

• Passive Voice: Transforms $Subject-Verb-Object$ to $Object-Verb-by Subject$.
  
  
  
  • Active: It is believed that modern farming methods have greatly improved farmers' lives.
  
  
  • Passive: Modern farming methods are believed to have greatly improved farmers' lives.
  
  
  
  


• Reported Speech: Converting direct speech into indirect speech. Remember to adjust tense and pronouns.
  
  
  
  • Direct: "How long have you lived here, Lucy?" asked Jack.
  
  
  • Reported: Jack asked Lucy how long she had lived there.
  
  
  • Direct: "Would you like to go to the show with me?" Anna said to Bella.
  
  
  • Reported: Anna invited Bella to go to the show with her. or Anna asked Bella if she would like to go to the show with her.
  
  
  
  


• Infinitive Phrases: Used to express purpose, result, or as nouns/adjectives/adverbs.
  
  
  
  • Example: I find it useful to join the sports club. (To join the sports club is useful to me).
  
  
  
  


• Gerunds: Verb forms ending in '-ing' that function as nouns.

5. Advanced Techniques and Tips

• Identifying the Main Idea: Before combining or paraphrasing, pinpoint the most important information.


• Maintaining Logical Flow: Ensure the combined sentence or paraphrase makes sense and preserves the original relationship between ideas.


• Conciseness: Aim for the most concise and grammatically correct option.


• Eliminating Redundancy: Avoid unnecessary repetition of words or ideas.


• Pay Attention to Nuance: Subtle differences in wording can significantly alter the meaning. Choose the option that best captures the original intent.


• Recognizing Idioms and Figurative Language: Understand common idioms and figurative expressions to interpret meaning accurately.

6. Practice Problems with Detailed Solutions

Problem 1:

Peter moved abroad for a fresh start. He regrets it now.

Which of the following best combines these sentences?

A) Peter moved abroad for a fresh start; therefore, he regrets it now.
B) Peter regrets moving abroad for a fresh start.
C) Peter moved abroad for a fresh start, but he regrets it now.
D) Although Peter moved abroad for a fresh start, he regrets it now.

Solution:

The correct answer is (C) Peter moved abroad for a fresh start, but he regrets it now. This option accurately reflects the contrasting relationship between Peter's initial intention and his current feeling. Option (A) implies cause/effect, which is incorrect. (B) simplifies the sentence and does not maintain the two original clauses. (D) implies more contradiction/surprise than is present in the original.

Problem 2:

Smartphones are becoming reasonably priced. New applications make them more appealing.

Which sentence is closest in meaning to the sentences above?

A) As smartphones get reasonably priced, new applications make them more appealing.
B) Reasonably priced smartphones are making new applications more appealing.
C) Although smartphones are becoming reasonably priced, new applications make them more appealing.
D) Because smartphones are reasonably priced, it is impossible to make new applications more appealing.

Solution:

The correct answer is (A) As smartphones get reasonably priced, new applications make them more appealing. This option accurately reflects the increasing popularity of smartphones because of the two features given in the prompt. Options (B), (C), and (D) all alter the relationships between the ideas in the prompt and are therefore incorrect.

Problem 3:

"You should take better care of your health," said Tom's mother.

Choose the best reported speech version of this sentence.

A) Tom's mother told him to take better care of his health.
B) Tom's mother asked him to take better care of his health.
C) Tom's mother said that he should take better care of his health.
D) Tom's mother advised him to take better care of his health.

Solution:

The correct answer is (D) Tom's mother advised him to take better care of his health. "Advised" accurately reflects the nature of the original statement which is advice. The other options do not fully express this.

7. Practice Exercise

Combine or paraphrase the following sentences, choosing the best option:

1. Mary left home to start an independent life. She realised how much her family meant to her.


2. Kate completed her higher education. She then decided to travel the world before getting a job.


3. It was wrong of you to criticize your son in front of his friends.

8. Visual Aids

Image 1: Sentence Combining Flowchart

This flowchart illustrates the decision-making process for combining sentences using different grammatical structures.