The Accidental Tourist: Grammar

Grammar

a.  Transformation of Sentences

Sentences can be of three types – Simple, Compound, Complex. A simple sentence has one independent clause (A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb). A Compound sentence joins two or more number of independent clauses. A Complex sentence has one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

Subordinate conjunctions such as ‘because, since, although, when, while, where, which, that, after etc.’ are used to connect Independent Clauses with the Dependent Clauses in Complex sentences. 

Coordinate conjunctions such as ‘but, and, or, yet, so etc.’ are used to connect the Independent Clauses in Compound sentences.

Now complete the following.

a. Do as directed.

1.        Dinesh and Prabhu wanted to meet Varsha at the bus stop. They went to the bus stop. (Change into a compound sentence)

Dinesh and Prabhu wanted to meet Varsha at the bus stop and so they went there.

2.        Varsha reached the railway station. She was waiting for them there. (Change into a compound sentence)

Varsha reached the railway station and she was waiting for them there.

3.        While she waited at the train station, Varsha realized that the train was late. (change into a simple sentence)

While waiting at the train station, Varsha realized that the train was late.

4.        Dinesh and Prabhu left the bus stop. Varsha rang them. (change into a complex sentence)

When Dinesh and Prabhu left the bus stop, Varsha rang them.

5.        The trio met at the station. Varsha left for Madurai. (change into a complex sentence)

As soon as the trio met at the station, Varsha left for Madurai.

b. This paragraph has only simple sentences. Combine them into compound and complex sentences. The first one is done for you.

One day Ajay and Tijo went to the canal. They wanted to catch some fish. Some people were playing nearby. They chose a better place. They took out the fishing rods. Suddenly there was a loud splash. They also heard a loud scream. Both Ajay and Tijo looked up. They saw something moving in the water. Then they saw a hand waving. Someone had fallen in the water. It was Yusuf. He had jumped into the water. He wanted to swim.

One day Ajay and Tijo went to the canal to catch some fish.....

One day Ajay and Tijo -went to the canal to eaten some fish .. .. 

As some people were playing nearby, they chose a better place. When they took out the fishing rods, there was a loud splash and immediately they heard a loud scream. Both Ajay and Tijo looked up and they saw something moving in the water. They saw a hand waving and someone had fallen into water. It was Yusuf who had jumped into the water since he wanted to swim.

c. Here is one long sentence. Split them into smaller sentences.

Like all living things, human beings also need food in order to live as every part of the body must get a steady supply of food so that it can work properly, but first the food eaten has to be broken down through a process called digestion so that it can dissolve in the blood and carried to all parts of the body.

All living things need food. Human being also need food to live. Every part of the body must get steady supply of food to work properly. At first the eaten food has to be broken down. This process is called digestion. It can dissolve food in the blood. The dissolved food is taken to all parts of the body.