Final answer:
The correct way to combine the two sentences is Option A: "My cousins moved in with us last year, so we have grown closer as a family." It uses proper punctuation and conjunction to link two related independent clauses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best way to combine the sentences "My cousins moved in with us last year" and "we have grown closer as a family" is by using a comma to link the independent clauses, making Option A the correct choice: My cousins moved in with us last year, so we have grown closer as a family. This sentence structure follows standard grammar rules where a comma is used before the conjunction "so" to join two independent clauses that are closely related in content.
Here are some additional pointers regarding sentence structure and punctuation:
- In compound sentences, a comma should be placed before the conjunction when it connects two independent clauses.
- When adding additional information that's non-essential to a sentence, dashes or commas can be used to encapsulate that information as shown in Example 3: The cousins—Tina, Todd, and Sam—arrived at the party together.
- To avoid mixed-construction sentences, ensure that the sentence elements logically and grammatically connect, as in the revision: People who have hobbies are happier than others.