Final answer:
The statement is true; there are various combinations of normal and shear stress possible in solid objects depending on the forces applied to them.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, there are indeed many different combinations of normal and shear stress in a solid object. Normal stress includes tensile stress, where an object stretches, and compressive stress, where an object contracts. Shear stress occurs when parallel but opposite forces are applied to an object, causing the layers to slide past one another. Various structures experience these stresses in different combinations depending on the forces acting upon them. For example, a beam experiencing bending will have tensile stress on one side and compressive stress on the other. Objects can often experience both compressive stress and tensile stress simultaneously, as occurs in a long shelf loaded with heavy books sagging between end supports.