The capital of Syria is Damascus. Damascus is probably the oldest city in the world. => Being the capital of Syria, Damascus is probably the oldest city in the world. OR The capital of Syria is Damascus, probably the oldest city in the world. OR The capital of Syria is Damascus which is probably the oldest city in the world.
4. Do not overdo with so:
His parents were poor, so they couldn’t afford to send him to college => Being very poor, his parents couldn’t afford to send him to college OR His parents, who were very poor, couldn’t afford to send him to college.
5. Do not overdo with pronouns:
After lunch our friends walked around the garden, and they left in an hour. => After lunch our friends walked around the garden and left in an hour.
Exercise 1.6
Rewrite sentences using parallel constructions:
Example: Don’t go too close to that dog: it may attack you and you may be bitten => Don’t go too close to that dog: it may attack and bite you.
1. Chimpanzee is a monkey, but is related to humans.
2. The orangutans have long arms, and their hair is reddish-brown.
3. Gracefully and silent, the deer moved into the woods.
4. From the window he could see his dog in the yard. The birds on the tree were also visible.
Exercise 1.7
Rewrite the text applying inversion:
The Bermuda Isles are in the Atlantic Ocean about seven hundred miles from New York. They were discovered by Juan Bermudez in 1515. The voyagers, landing in Bermuda, stayed there for ten months. Their reports were so enthusiastic that permanent settlers soon arrived.
Exercise 1.8
Rewrite sentences applying participle and subordinate clauses or just excluding unnecessary words:
1. The girls were on their way to Montgomery. Here they hoped to find their father.
2. After lunch we were less ambitious, so we gathered our fishing and decided to go to the cinema.
3. The national parks have become very popular, so they are in danger.
4. The workers were on a strike, and they slept on their work places.