How to Connect Sentences
1. Pronouns & Pointer Words (Reference)
Good writers do not repeat the same words over and over. They use words like he, she, it, this, that, a, and the to point to things.
- Pointing Back: Most pronouns point to something mentioned earlier.
Example: “I bought a book. It is very interesting.” (It = the book)
- Pointing Forward: Sometimes a pronoun comes first for surprise or drama.
Example: “When he won the match, Ronaldo was very happy.”
- Pointing to Whole Ideas: Words like this or that can point to a whole sentence.
Example: “The weather is bad and traffic is slow. This makes me late.”
- Pointing Outside: Words like me, us, or you point to people in the real world.
Example: “Please send us an email.”
Using “A” and “The”
Use “a” the first time you talk about something. Use “the” when the reader already knows what you mean.
2. Linking Words (Conjuncts)
Linking words connect two ideas. They show how sentences relate to each other.
| Type | What it does | Simple Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Adding | Gives more information or examples | and, also, for example, in addition |
| Contrasting | Shows a different or opposite idea | but, however, on the other hand |
| Cause & Effect | Explains why something happens | so, because, therefore, as a result |
| Time & Order | Shows when or what order | first, then, next, after that, finally |
Some words mean the same thing, but go in different places in a sentence:
❌ Jenny is too a vegetarian. (Incorrect!)
✔️ Jenny is a vegetarian, too.
3. Word Swapping (Substitution)
Instead of repeating a noun or verb, you can swap it for words like one, ones, do, so, or not.
Swapping a Noun:
A: “Which apple do you want?”
B: “I want the red one.” (one = apple)
Swapping a Verb / Action:
A: “Are you going to the party?”
B: “I think so.” (so = I am going to the party)
4. Leaving Words Out (Ellipsis)
Sometimes you can leave words out completely because the listener already understands the context. This stops your writing from being repetitive.
Full Sentence: “A: Where are you going? B: I am going to the library.”
With Ellipsis: “A: Where are you going? B: The library.”
| Technique | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Repetition (Wordy) | Studying makes John tired. Studying makes John smart. |
| Pronoun | Studying makes John tired. It also makes him smart. |
| Substitution | My phone is old, so I bought a new one. |
| Ellipsis | Tom ordered coffee, and Sarah [ordered] tea. |
5. Practice Exercises
Change the underlined words to better linking words (because, however, also):
- I come from a small family. There are four of us. We have a cat too.
- Hiccups can be annoying. Therefore, some people hiccup for days.
Combine these short sentences into one smooth story. Use pronouns (he, it) and linking words (so, but, then):
2. He went out the door.
3. He saw heavy rain outside.
4. He decided not to go to class.
5. He sat down to watch TV.
6. He remembered an assignment was due.
7. He took an umbrella and went to the bus stop.