Synthesis of Sentences: “Synthesis is the opposite of Analysis and means the combination of a number of simple sentences into one new sentence—Simple, Compound or Complex.” (Wren)

Synthesis has mainly three forms:

Combining of two or more Simple sentences into a single Simple Sentence.
Combining of two or more simple sentences into a single Complex Sentence.
Combining of two or more simple sentences into a single Compound Sentence.

Synthesis of Sentences

Combining of Two or More Simple Sentences into a Single Simple Sentence

The following are the six ways of combining two or more Simple sentences into a single Simple Sentence:

By using a Participle.
By using a Noun or a Phrase in Apposition
By using a Preposition with a Noun or Gerund
By using a Nominative Absolute
By using an Infinitive
By using an Adverb or Adverbial Phrase.

We give below the details of each way:

(1) By using a Participle

Separate : He saw a lion. He fled away.
Combined : Seeing a lion he fled away.

Separate : He jumped up. He ran away.
Combined : Jumping up he ran away.

Separate : He was tired of reading. He retired to bed.
Combined : Tired (Being tired) of reading he retired to bed.

Separate : Turn to the left. You will reach the hospital.
Combined : Turning to the left you will reach the hospital.

Separate : He sat on the sofa. He took his pen. He wrote a letter.
Combined : Sitting on the sofa and taking his pen, he wrote a letter.

(2) By using a Noun or a Phrase in Apposition

Separate : Shakespeare died in 1616. He was the greatest English poet and dramatist.
Combined : Shakespeare, the greatest English poet and dramatist, died in 1616.

Separate : Agra was once the capital of the Mughal Empire. It is now a very backward city.
Combined : Agra, once the capital of the Mughal Empire, is now a very backward city.

Separate : Subhashchandra Bose was killed in a plane-crash. He was one of the greatest fighters for India’s freedom.
Combined : Subhashchandra Bose, one of the greatest fighters for India’s freedom, was killed in a plane-crash.

Separate : I love Mohan very much. He is my friend.
Combined : I love my friend Mohan very much.

Separate : I saw the famous wrestler. His name was Dara Singh.
Combined : I saw the famous wrestler, Dara Singh.

(3) By using a Noun or a Gerund with a Preposition

Separate : We reached the station. The train had left by that time.
Combined : The train had left before our reaching the station. Or
Before our reaching the station, the train had left.

Separate : The Magistrate examined the statement. He found it full of gross errors.
Combined : On examining the statement, the Magistrate found it full of gross errors.

Separate : The servant swept the room. He found a rupee. The rupee was lying in the corner.
Combined : While sweeping the room, the servant found a rupee lying in the corner.

Separate : He saw an advertisement in the paper. He applied for the post. It was the post of an Accountant.
Combined : On seeing an advertisement for the post of an Accountant, he applied for it.

Separate : He has failed many times. He still hopes to get success at last.
Combined : In spite of many failures he still hopes to get success at last.

Separate : He failed at the examination. He heard the news. He disappeared.
Combined : On hearing the news of his failure at the examination, he disappeared.

(4) By using a Nominative Absolute

Separate : The house caught fire. All the furniture was burnt to ashes.
Combined : The house having caught fire, all the furniture was burnt to ashes.

Separate : The deer was caught in the net. He struggled hard for escape.
Combined : Having been caught in the net, the deer struggled hard for escape.

Separate : The thieves were caught by the police. They surrendered the stolen property.
Combined : Having been caught by the police, the thieves surrendered the stolen property.

Separate : Rains have been plentiful this year. The crop of sugarcane has been rich.
Combined : Rains having been plentiful this year, the crop of sugarcane has been rich.

(5) By using Infinitives

Separate : I am going to Delhi. I have to purchase a car.
Combined : I am going to Delhi to purchase a car.

Separate : He is very much tired. He cannot work.
Combined : He is too tired to work.

Separate : He is very weak. He cannot pass this year.
Combined : He is too weak to pass this year.

Separate : There are still three questions left. I have to solve them.
Combined : I have still three more questions to solve.

Separate : There are three prisoners in the jail. They are to be tried.
Combined : There are three prisoners in the jail to be tried.

Separate : I have only one servant. He cooks my food. He washes the utensils.
Combined : I have only one servant to cook my food and wash the utensils.

(6) (a) By using an Adverb or an Adverbial Phrase

Separate : He has been punished. The punishment was unjust.
Combined : He has been unjustly punished.

Separate : The thief was flogged by the police. The flogging was very severe.
Combined : The thief was very severely flogged by the police.

Separate : It was morning. The train had not reached by that time.
Combined : The train had not reached by morning.

Separate : He was dismissed from service. His dismissal was undeserved.
Combined : He was undeservedly dismissed from service.

Separate : He has passed in the first division. It was very creditable.
Combined : He has very creditably passed in the first division.

(6) (b) By using Too + Adjective/Adverb

Separate : He is tired. He cannot run.
Combined : He is too tired to run.

Separate : He is weak. He cannot stand.
Combined : He is too weak to stand.

Separate : She is poor. She cannot have a new dress.
Combined : She is too poor to have a new dress.

Separate : I am old. I cannot drive a car.
Combined : I am too old to drive a car.

Such sentences always express a negative sense.

(6) (c) Adjective / Adverb + Enough

Separate : He is rich. He can buy a car.
Combined : He is rich enough to buy a car.

Separate : He is intelligent. He can solve this problem.
Combined : He is intelligent enough to solve this problem.

Separate : This hall is large. Two hundred persons can sit in it.
Combined : This hall is large enough for two hundred persons to sit.

Separate : He has much time. He can complete the book.
Combined : He has time enough to complete the book.

Combining two or more Simple Sentences into a single Complex Sentence

(1) By using a Noun Clause

A noun clause performs five functions:-

Subject of a verb,
Object of a Transitive Verb,
Object of a Preposition,
Complement of a verb of Incomplete Predication (is, was, are, am, were), and
case in Apposition to a Noun.

We can do synthesis by using a Noun Clause in any one of these five forms. We give below examples of each form:

Separate : You are telling a lie. It is known to all.
Combined : That you are telling a lie is known to all. (Subject)

Separate : He is a thief. Everybody knows it.
Combined : Everybody knows that he is a thief. (Object)

Separate : I told you that yesterday. You must rely on it.
Combined : You must rely on what I told you yesterday. (Object to a preposition)

Separate : He has failed. The reason is his negligence.
Combined : The reason of his failure is that he is negligent. (Complement)

Separate : He was innocent. This was his statement. It was wrong.
Combined : His statement that he was innocent was wrong. (Case in apposition)

(2) By using an Adjective Clause: We can make an Adjective Clause beginning with a Relative Pronoun or a Relative Adverb.

Separate : I met an old man. He was very poor.
Combined : I met an old man who was very poor.

Separate : I saw a fountain-pen. It was black in colour.
Combined : I saw a fountain-pen which was black in colour.

Separate : I met your friend. His box was stolen in the train.
Combined : I met your friend whose box was stolen in the train.

Separate : I have seen the park. The murder was committed there.
Combined : I have seen the park where the murder was committed.

Separate : You went there yesterday. Tell me the hour.
Combined : Tell me the hour when you went there yesterday.

Separate : I have purchased a house. It has a big hall. The hall is well furnished.
Combined : The house that I have purchased has a big hall which is well furnished.

(3) By using an Adverb Clause: We have explained in the article on Clause Analysis that an Adverb Clause may point to Time, Place, Reason, Condition, Comparison, Contrast, Manner, or Result. A complex sentence can be made by using an Adverbial clause showing any one of these functions. As:

Separate : I could not come. I was tired.
Combined : I could not come because I was tired.

Separate : He committed the theft. He has been caught by the police.
Combined : He committed the theft, so he has been caught by the police.

Separate : He is poor. He is honest at the same time.
Combined : Though he is poor, he is honest.

Separate : Tell me the truth. I shall pardon you.
Combined : I shall pardon you if you tell me the truth.

Separate : America is a powerful country. Russia is not so powerful.
Combined : Russia is not so powerful as America (is).

Separate : He is intelligent. His brother is equally intelligent.
Combined : His brother is as intelligent as he (is).

Separate : My examination is about to be over. Thereafter I shall go to the hills.
Combined : I shall go to the hills after my examination is over.

Separate : He fled somewhere. The police could not pursue him.
Combined : He fled where the police could not pursue him.

Separate : The thief saw the police. He took to his heels.
Combined : As soon as the thief saw the police, he took to his heels.

Combining two or more Simple Sentences into a Compound Sentence

By using Coordinating Conjunctions: As we have explained in the article on Clause Analysis, Coordinate clauses can be made by using coordinating conjunctions such as and, but, either, or, neither, nor, too, also, so, therefore, likewise, either……or, neither…… nor.

Sometimes only a comma (,) or a Semicolon (;) can be used as a coordinating conjunction. A compound sentence can be made by using any one of these coordinating conjunctions. As:

Separate : I went to the market. I saw a beautiful watch. I could not, however, purchase it.
Combined : I went to the market and saw a beautiful watch but could not purchase it.

Separate : He is slow. He is regular.
Combined : He is slow but (he is) regular.

Separate : Do not be a borrower. Do not be a lender either.
Combined : Neither a lender (be) nor a borrower be.

Separate : Get in. You may catch cold.
Combined : Get in or you may catch cold.

Separate : Do not run so fast. You may fall.
Combined : Do not run so fast; you may fall.

Separate : I shall try to solve your problem. I cannot guarantee.
Combined : I shall try to solve your problem; I cannot, however, guarantee.

Separate : He is industrious. He is intelligent.
Combined : He is not only industrious but also intelligent.

Separate : It was very hot last night. I could not have a sound sleep.
Combined : It was very hot last night and therefore I could not have a sound sleep.

Separate : He was annoyed. Still he kept quiet.
Combined : He was annoyed, still he kept quiet.