Download Common Sentence Errors

Common Sentence Errors
-
Comma Splices (CS)
Run-On Sentences (RO)
Sentence Fragments (Frag.)
What is a Comma Splice (CS)?

A comma splice is a sentence with at
least two independent clauses joined
only by a comma

There is no conjunction or proper
transition separate the independent
clauses
What is a Run-On (RO)?

A run-on sentence is a sentence with at
least two independent clauses with no
punctuation to separate the clauses

Readers can’t tell where one clause ends
and the next one begins. It just keeps going
and going and going and going and going...

Also called a fused sentence.
Examples of Independent Clauses (IC)

The boy walked to school.
He arrived at 9:00 a.m.

Sarah needed to go to the grocery store.

She had to buy eggs to make breakfast.

ICs Written as Comma Splices

The boy walked to school, he arrived
at 9:00 a.m.

Sarah needed to go to the grocery
store, she had to buy eggs to make
breakfast.
ICs Written as Run-Ons

The boy walked to school he arrived
at 9:00 a.m.

Sarah needed to go to the grocery
store she had to buy eggs to make
breakfast.
Ways to Fix These Errors…
SIX WAYS
TO FIX
COMMA SPLICES AND RUN-ONS
#1: Use a Transitional Expression
Join the two clauses with semi-colon (;), transitional
expression, and a comma (,)

The boy walked to school; soon, he arrived at
9:00 a.m.

Sarah needed to go to the grocery store;
specifically, she had to buy eggs to make
breakfast.
#2: Turn It into a Compound Sentence
Join the two clauses with a comma and
a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or,
nor, for, so, yet)

Just be sure to choose the
conjunction that best expresses the
relationship between the two clauses
#2 continued

The boy walked to school, and
arrived at 9:00 a.m.

Sarah needed to go to the grocery
store, so she could buy eggs to
make breakfast.
#3: Join the Two Clauses
with a semi-colon (;)

The boy walked to school; he
arrived at 9:00 a.m.

Sarah needed to go to the grocery
store; she had to buy eggs to make
breakfast.
#4: Separate the Clauses into
Two Sentences

The boy walked to school. He
arrived at 9:00 a.m.

Sarah needed to go to the grocery
store. She had to buy eggs to
make breakfast.
#5: Turn One of the Clauses
into a Dependent Clause

Since the boy walked to school,
he arrived at 9:00 a.m.

Because she needed eggs to make
breakfast, Sarah needed to go to
the grocery store.
#6: Transform the Two Clauses into a
Single Independent Clause

Written as a CS/RO: I realized that it
was time to choose, I had to learn how
to drive or I had to move back to the
city.

Corrected: I realized that it was time
to learn how to drive or move back
to the city.
What is a Sentence Fragment?
Fragments are incomplete sentences.
 Usually, they are pieces of sentences
that have become disconnected from
the main clause.
 Sometimes fragments are used
intentionally for emphasis
 In formal, academic writing, however,
you want to mostly avoid fragments.

A Complete Sentence…
Names a subject – the who or what
that performs the action
 Has a complete verb that indicates
tense, person, and number.
 Includes at least one independent
clause and does not begin with a
subordinating word (a word that
connects a dependent clause to an
independent clause)

Examples of Complete Sentences

Simple Sentence—subject, verb, predicate
Rebecca
studied
in the coffee shop for her chemistry quiz.
Subject
Verb
Predicate (expresses what is true
about the subject)

Compound Sentence—at least two independent clauses connected by a
coordinator/connector word
Rebecca
studied
in the coffee shop for her chemistry quiz,
Subject
Verb
Predicate
and
Connecting word

she
Subject
also wrote her paper.
Predicate
Complex Sentence—one independent clause (main clause) and one dependent
clause
Rebecca
studied in the coffee shop for hours
because
subject
Verb
Predicate
Subordinating word
(begins the dependent clause)
she
Subject
had
Verb
a chemistry quiz the next day.
Predicate
A Dependent Clause…

is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb but
does not express a complete thought and cannot be a
sentence.

Often you can identify a dependent clause because it begins
with a connecting (conjunctive or subordinating) word—see
the “Connecting Word List” handout to learn what these
words are.
Because Rebecca studied in the coffee shop for hours.
Although Rebecca studied in the coffee shop for hours.
And Rebecca studied in the coffee shop for hours.
(The thoughts are incomplete—they are fragments of thoughts.)
Several Types of Fragments
Dependent clause fragments
 Phrase fragments
 Mixed constructions
 Fragments that begin with transitions
 Fragments that introduce examples
 Fragments that are appositives
 Fragments that introduce lists
 Fragments with compound predicates

Dependent Clause Fragments

These begin with a subordinating word.
(See the handout on “Connecting Words” for
examples.)

They can be easily fixed by attaching the
fragment to nearby independent clause
either


with a comma (,) or
by creating two sentences by deleting the
subordinating word at the beginning of the
dependent clause.
Fixing Dependent Clause
Fragments





Fragment: MSU offers many engineering majors. Such as
electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering.
Revision: MSU offers many engineering majors, such as
electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering.
Fragment: I need to find a new roommate. Because the one
I have now isn’t working out too well.
Revision: I need to find a new roommate because the one I
have now isn’t working out too well.
EXCEPTION: Never use a comma before the word “because.”
Phrase Fragments

Often fragments are phrase fragments
– groups of words that lack a subject
or complete verb and are usually
meant to be modifiers or nouns.

Phrase fragments usually begin with
verbals, or words that come from
verbs, like putting (gerund) or to put
(infinitive).
Fixing Phrase Fragments

One way to fix this is to transform the phrase
fragment into an independent clause.
Fragment: That summer we had so much fun.
Fishing in the early morning, splashing
in the lake after lunch, exploring the
woods before dinner, and playing
Scrabble until bedtime.
Revision:
That summer we had so much fun. We
fished in the early morning, splashed in
the lake after lunch, explored the woods
before dinner, and played Scrabble until
bedtime.
Fixing Phrase Fragments

Another way to fix it is to attach the fragment to
the part of the previous sentence that it modifies.
Fragment: That summer we had so much fun.
Fishing in the early morning, splashing
in the lake after lunch, exploring
the woods before dinner, and playing
Scrabble until bedtime.
Revision:
That summer we had so much fun,
fishing in the early morning, splashing in
the lake after lunch, exploring the woods
before dinner, and playing Scrabble until
bedtime.
Mixed Construction Fragments




Mixed Constructions start out one way (often with
long prepositional phrases) and then end with a
regular predicate.
Usually the object of the preposition (often a
gerund, is intended as the subject of the sentence.
Therefore, removing the preposition at the
beginning of the sentence is usually the easiest
way to fix the fragment error.
Look for sentences that begin with prepositional
phrases.
Fixing Mixed Construction Fragments
(No subject; begins with preposition)
 Fragment:
With the ultimate effect of all advertising is to sell the product.
 Revision:
The ultimate effect of all advertising is to sell the product.
(remove the preposition “with”)
(No subject; begins with preposition)
 Fragment:
By paying too much attention to disruptive students can make a
teacher grumpy.
 Revision:
Paying too much attention to disruptive students can make
teacher grumpy. (remove the preposition “by”)
(No subject; begins with preposition)
 Fragment:
For doing photography for another newspaper got Phil fired.
 Revision:
Doing photography for another newspaper got Phil fired.
(remove the preposition “for”)
 Revision:
Phil got fired for doing photography for another newspaper.
(rearrange the sentence)
Fragments that Begin with Transitions
Word Groups that Start with Transitions

Some fragments start with two- or three-word prepositions that
function as transitions, like as well as, as compared with, except for, in
addition to, in contrast with, in spite of, and instead of.

Fragment:

Revision:
For sixty-five years, the growth in consumer spending
has been both steep and steady. As compared with
the growth in gross domestic product (GDP), which has
fluctuated significantly.
For sixty-five years, the growth in consumer spending
has been both steep and steady, as compared with the
growth in gross domestic product (GDP), which has
fluctuated significantly.
Fragments that Introduce Examples
Words and Phrases that Introduce Examples
 It is always a good idea to check words groups beginning
with for example, like, specifically, such as, etc.


Fragment: Elizabeth I of England faced many dangers as a
princess. For example, falling out of favor with
her sister, Queen Mary, and being imprisoned in
the Tower of London.
Revision: Elizabeth I of England faced many dangers as a
princess. For example, she fell out of favor with
her sister, Queen Mary, and was imprisoned in
the Tower of London.
Appositives as Fragments

An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames a noun or
pronoun.

Fragment:

Revision:

Fragment:

Revision:
In 1965, Lyndon Johnson increased the number of
troops in Vietnam. A former French colony in
southeast Asia.
In 1965, Lyndon Johnson increased the number of
troops in Vietnam, a former French colony in southeast
Asia.
Charlotte Perkins Gillman wrote “The Yellow
Wallpaper.” A story with deep thoughts and emotions.
Charlotte Perkins Gillman wrote “The Yellow
Wallpaper,” a story with deep thoughts and emotions.
List Fragments

Usually, you can connect a list to the preceding
sentence using a colon. If you want to emphasize
the list, consider using a dash (em dash) instead.

Fragment:

Goodman,
Revision:
In the 1930s, three great band
leaders helped popularize Jazz.
Louis Armstrong, Benny
and Duke Ellington.
In the 1930s, three great band
leaders helped popularize Jazz:
Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman,
and Duke Ellington.
Fragments with Compound Predicates

A compound predicate is made up of at least two verbs as
well as their objects and modifiers, connected by a
coordinating conjunction such as and, but, so, or, nor, for,
and yet. The parts of the predicate have the same subject
and should be together in one sentence.

Fragment:
The group gathered at dawn at the base
of the mountain. And assembled their
gear in preparation for the morning’s
climb.

Revision:
The group gathered at dawn at the base
of the mountain and assembled their
gear in preparation for the morning’s
climb.