JOINING SENTENCESEffective Writing

AE 401Lecturer: HVL

Date: October 17th, 2010

PRACTICEThe events in these stories are not in chronological order. Decide on the correct order of events for each story and use “and, but, so or then to make longer sentences.

Ex: They managed to swim to a nearby island. Their ship went down in a typhoon. They wanted to attract the attention of passing ships. They lit a fire on the highest point of the island. They were rescued. A passing cruise liner spotted the smoke.

Their ship went down in a typhoon, but they managed to swim to a nearby island. They wanted to attract the attention of passing ships, so they lit a fire on the highest point of the island. A passing cruise liner spotted the smoke, and they were rescued.

2) I arrive late for work. I couldn’t get the car to start. It was a cold, damp morning. I had to push the car down the hill. I managed to start the engine. I jumped into the car. The car gathered speed.

It was a cold, damp morning, and I couldn’t get my car to start, so I knew that I would have to push it down the hill. The car gathered the speed, and then I jumped in and managed to start the engine, but I still arrived late for work.

3) Her interest in politics made her decide to stand for parliament. She won the by-election with a large majority. She gave up politics for good. She lost at the next general election.

Her interest in politics made her decide to stand for parliament, and she won the by-election with a large majority, but she lost at the next general election, so she gave up politics for good.

4) They got home very late. They spent a long time drinking coffee and talking. They went dancing together. They went to a café together.

They went dancing together, and then they went to a café. They spent a long time drinking coffee and talking, so they got home very late.

5) Our plane didn’t take off. The airport was close because of fog. Many flights were delayed. Inconvenience was caused to hundreds of passengers. We had to spend the night in the departure lounge.

The airport was closed because of fog, so many flights were delayed, and this caused inconvenience to hundreds of passengers. Our plane didn’t take off, and we had to spend the night in the departure lounge.

6) The kidnappers were caught by the police. All ports and airports were being watched. The kidnappers were trying to get out of the country. The hostages were released. The ransom money was paid.

The ransom money was paid, and then the hostages were released. The kidnappers were trying to get out of the country, but all the ports and airports were being watched, so the kidnappers were caught by the police.

Rewrite these notes in complete sentences, using suitable connecting words.

Suggested connecting words: after, although, and then, as, as soon as, because, before, but, by the time, finally, however, once, since, so, so that, until, when, while, etc.

Ex: ship went down – hurricane – nearly drownedThey were nearly drowned after their ship had gone down in a hurricane.

2) Found driftwood – built bonfire – beach – caught fish – grilled - fire

Once they had found some driftwood and built a bonfire on the beach, they caught some fish and grilled them over the fire.

3) Gathered palm leaves – built rough shelter

After they had gathered palm leaves, they built themselves a rough shelter.

4) Sleepless night – insects – began lose heart

After suffering a sleepless night because of all the insects, they began to lose heart.

5) Made mosquito nets – protect themselves – next night

They made mosquito nets because they wanted to protect themselves for the following night.

6) Found wild bananas, very glad – hillside – ate them – started look – drinking water

They were very glad when they found wild bananas growing on a hillside, and after eating them, they started to look for a supply of drinking water.

7) couldn’t find fresh water – afraid not survive on island

As they were unable to find any fresh water, they were afraid they would not be able to survive on the island.

8) Hoped collect rainwater – but so little rain – in despair

Although they hoped to collect some rainwater to drink, there was so little rain that they were in despair.

9) Build raft from remaining driftwood – set sail across ocean

After they had built a raft from the remaining driftwood, they set sail across ocean.

10) Raft started to sink – man-eating sharks began circle ominously round

In the end, as the raft started to sink, man-eating sharks began to circle ominously around them.

Writing: Think about one of your past life events, the one you can’t even forget, and write a paragraph by using as many connecting words as you can.