This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Synthesis of Sentences – Combination of Two or More Simple Sentences into a Single Simple Sentence using a Nominative Absolute Construction”.
1. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
The rain stopped. I was relieved.
a) I was relieved when it stopped raining
b) I was relieved because it stopped raining
c) The rain having stopped, I was relieved
d) I was relieved by the stoppage of rain
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Explanation: The two sentences given in this question statement are combined together into a single simple sentence by the use of nominative absolute construction. In the answer statement ‘The rain having stopped’ is in the nominative absolute construction with the participle ‘having’ and ‘I’ is the subject of the verb ‘relieved’.
2. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
He whistled. The dog stood up.
a) The dog stood up as he whistled
b) Him having whistled; the dog stood up
c) He whistled and the dog stood up
d) The dog stood up when he whistled
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Explanation: The nominative absolute in the correct option given is ‘Him having whistled’. It is also known as the absolute phrase. The participle in this sentence is ‘having’ with the verb ‘whistled’ and ‘dog’ is the subject of the verb ‘stood up’.
3. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
The parcel arrived. I took out the cash.
a) The parcel having arrived; I took out the cash
b) After the parcel arrived, I took out the cash
c) The parcel arrived so I took out the cash
d) I took out the cash for the parcel which arrived
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Explanation: The two sentences given in this question are merged together into a single simple sentence by the use of the nominative absolute construction of the phrase ‘The parcel having arrived’. In this statement ‘having’ is the participle of the subject ‘parcel’ with verb ‘arrived’.
4. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
My food was cold. I had to put it in the microwave.
a) My food was cold so I had to put it in the microwave
b) My food having been cold, I had to put it in the microwave
c) I had to put the food in the microwave as it was cold
d) My food was cold hence I had to put it in the microwave
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Explanation: In this question statement nominative absolute construction is used to compress two sentences into one and also to vary sentence structure as a means of holding reader’s interest. In the answer statement, the perfect participle form ‘having been’ is used.
5. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
I lost my pen. I borrowed one.
a) I borrowed a pen as I lost mine
b) I had to borrow a pen after losing mine
c) My pen having lost, I borrowed one
d) I borrowed a pen because I lost mine
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Explanation: The given question statement is converted into one simple sentence by using the nominative absolute phrase ‘My pen having lost’ in the answer statement. The participle in this phrase is ‘having’ with the verb ‘lost’. And the subject the verb ‘borrowed’ is ‘I’.
6. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
I was told to cut the grass. I trimmed them.
a) Having been told to cut the grass, I trimmed them
b) I was told to cut the grass so I trimmed them
c) The grass was trimmed by me after I was told to cut them
d) I trimmed the grass as I was told to do so
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Explanation: The normative absolute construction in the answer statement is ‘Having been told’. The perfect participle form of verb ‘having been’ is used and the verb is ‘told’. The absolute construction is a phrase because it cannot stand alone as a sentence.
7. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
The workplace was closed. We had to return.
a) The workplace being closed, we had to return
b) The workplace was closed so we had to return
c) We had to return since the workplace was closed
d) The workplace was closed thus we returned
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Explanation: In the answer statement the present participle form of the verb is used which is ‘being closed’. The two sentences given in this question are combined together to form a single sentence by the use of this nominative absolute phrase.
8. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
The door was opened. No one was found. They went away.
a) The door was opened and no one was found so they went away
b) They went away after the door was opened and no one was found
c) No one was found when they opened the door so they went away
d) The door having been opened and no one being found, they went away
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Explanation: There are set of simple sentences given in this question statement consists of three simple sentences. These three simple sentences are compressed together into one sentence by using the nominative absolute construction ‘The door having been opened’.
9. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
She survived. Everyone rejoiced.
a) Everyone rejoiced because she survived
b) Her survival was rejoiced at by everyone
c) She having survived, everyone rejoiced
d) Everyone rejoiced at her survival
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Explanation: The set of simple sentences given in this question statement are joined together into a single simple sentence by using the nominative absolute ‘She having survived’. A nominative absolute is a special phrase that consists of a noun or pronoun followed or modified by some kind of modifier usually a participle.
10. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
The captain waved. The ship sailed.
a) The captain having waved, the ship sailed
b) The ship sailed as soon as the captain waved
c) The captain waved and the ship sailed
d) The ship sailed when the captain waved
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Explanation: The past participle used in the answer statement is ‘having’ with the verb ‘waved’ with the subject ‘captain’. And the subject of the verb ‘sailed’ is ‘ship’. These together form the nominative absolute construction which helps to bind two or more sentences together.
11. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
The man restrained the horses. They stopped.
a) The horses stopped after they were restrained by the man
b) The man restrained the horses to stop them
c) The horses were stopped by the man on restraining
d) Having been restrained by the man, the horses stopped
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Explanation: The following set of sentences given in this question statement are converted into one simple sentence by the use of the perfect participle ‘Having been’ with the verb ‘restrained’ and ‘horses’ is the subject of the verb ‘stopped’.
12. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
The clouds clashed. It made a harsh noise. It scared me.
a) The clouds having clashed making a harsh noise, scared me
b) I was scared by the harsh noise when the clouds clashed
c) The clouds clashed which made a harsh noise and made me scared
d) The clouds clashed making a hash noise and I was scared
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Explanation: There are three simple sentences given in this question statement which are converted into a single sentence by the use of the nominative absolute phrase ‘The clouds having clashed making a harsh noise’. We cans see that present participle form of verb ‘having clashed’ is used.
13. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
His parents died. His uncle adopted him.
a) His uncle adopted him as his parents died
b) His parents being dead, his uncle adopted him
c) His uncle adopted him because his parents died
d) His parents died so his uncle adopted him
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Explanation: The following question statement consists of two simple sentences which are merged together into a single simple statement using the absolute construction ‘His parents being dead’. The ‘being verb’ is used as the participle in the answer statement which is the present participle.
14. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
She resigned. Her position was declared vacant.
a) She having resigned, her position was declared vacant
b) She resigned and her position was declared vacant
c) Her position was declared vacant as she resigned
d) She resigned therefore her position was declared vacant
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Explanation: The answer statement of this question contains the participle ‘having’ with verb resigned. They together form a nominative absolute construction. It is absolute because it modifies no single word in the main sentence. In other words, it modifies the rest of the sentence, not the subject of the sentence as opposed to the participial phrase.
15. Combine the following set of sentences into one simple sentence.
He was caught. All evidences were against him. He surrendered.
a) He was caught with all evidences against him so he surrendered
b) He surrendered after being caught and all evidences were against him
c) Having been caught and all evidences being against him, he surrendered
d) He was caught and all evidences were against him that is why he surrendered
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Explanation: The three simple sentences given in this question statement are linked together into a single simple sentence by placing the absolute construction ‘Having been caught’ in the beginning of the answer statement. When the nominative absolute is placed in the beginning of the sentence, it must be carefully distinguished from a noun used as the subject of the verb.
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