Technical Communication 6e Usage Handbook

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When combining sentences, skillful writers often use deletion to eliminate redundant words or phrases. Pronouns are sometimes substituted for deleted elements. The remaining parts are combined into a series or a compound element:

The skull of the Peking man was much thicker. (and)
The skull of the Peking man was much flatter. (and)
The skull of the Peking man had protruding brows. (and)
The skull of the Peking man had a marked angle at the rear.

By deleting the repetitious "The skull of the Peking man," the writers have produced a clear sentence that is easier to read.

The skull of the Peking man was much thicker and flatter and had protruding brows and a marked angle at the rear.

A more sophisticated method of sentence combining involves embedding—placing elements of one sentence into another sentence. The following example of embedding takes the key concept in the first sentence and places it in apposition within the second sentence:

One technique was called anvil percussion. In the technique a large flat stone (the anvil) was placed on the ground and forcefully struck with a piece of sandstone.

One technique was called anvil percussion. In the technique a large flat stone (the anvil) was placed on the ground and forcefully struck with a piece of sandstone.

In the technique called anvil percussion a large flat stone (the anvil) was placed on the ground and forcefully struck with a piece of sandstone.

By deleting repetitious phrases and combining the two sentences into one, the writers have produced a smoother, more effective sentence.