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REFERENCE SHEET: Common Grammar Mistakes
SENTENCE FRAGMENT: A sentence fragment happens when a sentence is not
complete. A fragment usually occurs when two sentences that need to be together are
separated.
Incorrect: After they returned from Hawaii. They returned to school.
Incorrect: They introduced their friends. At the beginning of the party.
In order to correct this problem, the fragment sentence should be connected to
an appropriate sentence next to it. A good way to see this problem in your writing is to
proofread from the end to the beginning.
Correct: After they returned from Hawaii, they returned to school.
Correct: They introduced their friends at the beginning of the party.
Sometimes the fragment is missing a part to make the sentence complete, like a
subject, verb, or object. To fix this problem, the missing parts should be added.
Incorrect: He to run everyday in the winter.
Correct: He likes to run everyday in the winter.
RUN-ON SENTANCE: A run-on sentence happens when two independent sentences
are written as one.
Incorrect: We were waiting outside the classroom the instructor came late.
To correct this problem, it is usually easiest to separate the sentences into two by using
a period. Or, the sentences can be connected properly
Correct: We were waiting outside the classroom. The instructor came late.
Correct: We were waiting outside the classroom because the instructor came
late.
Correct: We were waiting outside the classroom; the instructor came late.
COMMA SPLICE: A comma splice happens when two independent sentences have
been connected together with only a comma.
Incorrect: Elizabeth loved her new life in the city, it had begun to feel like home.
Independent sentences can be connected correctly in several ways. A comma may be
used, but only with a conjunction, such as “and” or “but”. A semicolon (;) is an easy way
to connect sentences that are related.
Correct: Elizabeth loved her new life in the city, and it had begun to feel like
home.
Correct: Elizabeth loved her new life in the city; it had begun to feel like home.
VERB: A verb is a word that tells an action or state of being. They can contain more
than one word. Verbs can also have tense, which means they tell whether something
happened in the present, past, or future. A verb changes its form to show its tense.
Verbs also sometimes change their form depending on who or what is doing or
experiencing the action or state of being told by the verb.
Examples: to run, to know, to have, to write, to love, to be
In Sentences: We celebrate Valentine’s Day in February. Are you happy? Did
you like the movie? He has been running for an hour.
ADVERB: An adverb is a word that describes, or tells about, a verb, adjective, or
another adverb. Adverbs usually end in –ly, although some do not.
Examples: quickly, loudly, sharply, very
In Sentences: He brushed his teeth quickly. The roses were very beautiful. The
angry man shouted very loudly.
PREPOSITION: A preposition is a word that shows a relationship between two or more
words in a sentence. Prepositions often tell the location or location in time of a thing or
place.
Examples: in, on, under, by, through, to
In Sentences: The boy went to the store. The book fell under the table. I saw her
on Tuesday.
CONJUNCTION: A conjunction is a word that connects words or phrases together.
Examples: and, or, but, so, for, either/or, neither/nor, whether/or
In Sentences: I like Italian and Mexican food. Either you like football or you
don’t. She went shopping, but didn’t buy anything.
ARTICLE: Articles are similar to adjectives because they help to describe or tell a little
information about a noun. An article always comes before its noun. There are three
articles: “a”, “an”, and “the”.
Examples: a, an, the
In Sentences: The boy loved soccer. An education is a wonderful thing.
© 2002 Phoenix College Learning Center
By Sigrid Nord-Champie