EXERCISE 11. IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING, SUBSTITUTE AN APPOSITIVE FOR A...

10. Edward Jenner was an English physician. He introduced the practice of vaccination.

Compound Subjects and Predicates

We studied compound subjects and verbs (predicates) in Part One, pages 38 to 44.

Using compound subjects or predicates can help streamline writing. The following exam-

ples show how.

When possible, combine two separate sentences into a single sentence with a com-

pound subject.

TWO SENTENCES

: Leah supported the new cafeteria regulations.

The twins also supported them.

COMPOUND SUBJECT

: Leah and the twins supported the new cafete-

ria regulations.

Another way to make your writing flow is to avoid the and I, and we, and they habit.

For instance, read the following sentence:

They saw the laptop computer, and they borrowed it without asking

permission.

You can avoid needless repetition by getting rid of the second “they”:

They saw the laptop computer and borrowed it without asking permission.

Use an occasional compound predicate instead of a compound sentence or two sepa-

rate sentences.

COMPOUND SENTENCE

: I visited the local library and I found the

latest mystery by Janet Evanovich.

COMPOUND PREDICATE

: I visited the local library and found the latest

mystery by Janet Evanovich.

TWO SENTENCES

: Gone with the Wind was rejected many times.

It was finally published.

COMPOUND PREDICATE

: Gone with the Wind was rejected many times

but was finally published.