Handout 10

Common sentence errors

Common sentence errors I: Fragments

The word fragment means a part of something. A sentence fragment is only part of a
sentence, which is not complete. Remember that a complete sentence must contain at least
one independent clause.
INCORRECT: Before the test began.
INCORRECT: As soon as you get home.
Why are these examples fragments? Because they are dependent clauses and a dependent
clause is not a complete sentence. Therefore, it cannot stand alone. To fix this error, you have
to add an independent clause either before or after the fragment.
CORRECT: The teacher passed out paper before the test began.
OR
Before the test began, the teacher passed out paper.
CORRECT:
Call me as soon as you get home.
OR
As soon as you get home, call me.

Common problems that cause sentence fragments are listed below.

Problem A
FRAGMENT: Because some students work part-time while taking a full load of classes.
This is a dependent clause; it begins with a subordinator (because). It does not express a
complete thought because there is no independent clause. There are two possible ways to
correct this problem: add an independent clause, or delete the subordinator.
CORRECT: Because some students work part-time while taking a full load of courses, they
have very little free time.
CORRECT: Some students work part-time while taking a full load of classes.
Problem B
FRAGMENT: For example, the increase in the cost of renting an apartment.
FRAGMENT: To live and work for at least a year in a foreign country.

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The problem here is that these sentences do not have a verb and, therefore, they are not
independent clauses. This problem can be corrected by adding a verb.
CORRECT: For example, the increase in the cost of renting an apartment is one reason for
more people being homeless.
CORRECT: To live and work for at least a year in a foreign country has always been my
dream.
Problem C
FRAGMENT: Teachers who give too much homework.
Teachers is a noun followed by an adjective clause (who give too much homework). The
noun is the beginning of an independent clause that is incomplete. To correct this problem,
simply complete the independent clause by adding a subject complement.
CORRECT: Teachers who give too much homework are strict.

Always check your own writing for sentence fragments. Pay particular attention to sentences
beginning with subordinators (although, since, because, if, before, and so on). These can be
dangerous words because they can introduce the problems described above. Make sure that
every clause beginning with these words is attached to an independent clause.

PRACTICE 1: IDENTIFYING AND CORRECTING FRAGMENTS

Read the following groups of words and decide if they are fragments or sentences. Write F
for fragments and S for sentences. Then, correct the fragments.
………. 1. Before I learned to speak English well.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 2. He left Mexico when he was a baby.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 3. Every night, after I finish my homework.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 4. As soon as we heard the crash.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 5. The bicycle racers stopped to rest before they started up the mountain.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 6. Wait until you hear the bell.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 7. Whenever my children have a school holiday.

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 8. I work at night while my husband stays home with the children.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 9. The desire of all humankind to live in peace and freedom, for example.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 10. The best movie I saw last year.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 11. For example, many students have part-time jobs.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 12. Although people want to believe that all men are created equal.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 13. Many of my friends who did not have the opportunity to go to college.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 14. A tsunami that occurred in the Indian Ocean in December 2004, killing more
than 200,000 people.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 15. Despite a lag of up to several hours between the earthquake and tsunami, nearly
all of the victims were taken completely by surprise.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

PRACTICE 2: IDENTIFYING AND CORRECTING FRAGMENTS

Read the following paragraphs, find sentence fragments, and make corrections.
PARAGRAPH 1
Yesterday, Vincent went shopping. After he finished his classes. He needed new running
shoes because his old shoes were worn out. After he arrived at the store. He started trying on
shoes. Some shoes did not feel right, and some were too expensive. He tried on several pairs
of shoes. Before he found the right ones. When he went to pay for them. He realized that he
did not have his wallet. It was not in his pocket. He asked the salesperson to hold the shoes
for him. He needed to come back later. After he found his wallet in his room. He went back
and got his new shoes.
PARAGRAPH 2
My best friend is Suzanne. We have known each other since childhood. Helped me in a very
special way. At the age of ten, I moved to a new town. Was a very scary for me to go to a
new school. I very shy. In fact, I was afraid to speak to anyone. Suzanne asked me to eat

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lunch with her on my first day. During the next several months, she helped me to adjust to
life in school and out of school, too. Now Suzanne in Venezuela with her husband and three
children. We have not seen each other for eight years. However, we stay in touch by email
and on Facebook. Telephone each other at least once a month. Suzanne changed my life. We
will be friends forever.
PARAGRAPH 3
Teenagers are often seen as irresponsible and overly confident. These attitudes can even be
seen in the driver's seat. Believing that they are far better drivers than they are. Teenagers can
be incompetent, inattentive, and even dangerous behind the wheel. Indeed, statistics prove
that teenagers are, in fact, the most dangerous drivers on the road. For example, insurance
rates for teenagers can be as much as twice the rate for adult drivers. Another proof is that the
traffic accident rate for teenagers is higher than for any other group. Also, in the United
States, traffic accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers. The reasons for
teenage drivers' dangerous driving habits can perhaps be found in the tension between the
biological phases of brain development and teenagers' role in society. On the one hand, the
frontal cortex, or decision-making area, of a teenager's brain which is still developing. So
they take risks because they literally do not understand the danger. On the other hand,
teenagers want to be treated like adults. Using cars to show their maturity. Or using them as
status symbols to gain popularity. All in all, teenagers are not safe drivers. Because of their
attitude. Teenagers will learn to become safe drivers. As they get older and their brains, and
decision-making capacities, mature.

Common sentence errors II: Run-ons and comma-splices

In order to ensure that your essays are clear, you must be mindful of their sentence structure.
Clear sentence structure depends on establishing where each sentence ends and the next one
begins. When editing your work, you must locate and eliminate two common errors: run-on
sentences and comma-spliced sentences.
You probably know that every sentence must have an independent clause, which is a group of
words containing a subject and verb that makes a complete statement. You probably also
know that many sentences contain two independent clauses, which are sometimes joined by a
semicolon. Far more often, however, a comma and a coordinating conjunction come between
them. The seven coordinating conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. The first
letters of the conjunctions spell the words fan boys, which is a good way to remember them.

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The comma separates or creates a pause between the clauses. The conjunction joins them and
shows their logical relationship.
Run-ons and comma splices are common sentence errors. These errors often occur when
there is a close relationship between two sentences or independent clauses. A run-on is two
simple sentences incorrectly joined with no coordinating conjunction and no comma.
Topic sentences are important they introduce the controlling idea of a paragraph.
My roommate wants to win the Tour de France someday he spends hours riding his
bicycle.
A comma-splice is two simple sentences incorrectly joined with a comma but no coordinating
conjunction. In a comma-spliced sentence, therefore, only a comma comes between the
sentences or independent clauses, but the conjunction is missing.
Topic sentences are important, they introduce the controlling idea of a paragraph.
My roommate wants to win the Tour de France someday, he spends hours riding his
bicycle.

Finding run-ons and comma-splices

Correcting run-ons and comma-splices is relatively easy. Finding them is often the real
challenge. Here are some tips to help you recognize run-ons and comma-splices.
A. Check all sentences that have a comma in the middle. Ask yourself: What is the first
subject in this sentence? What verb goes with it? Read further. Is there another subject with
its own verb? If the answer is yes, look for a coordinating conjunction. If there is none, then
this is a run-on sentence.
ERROR: COMMA-SPLICE Shoppers spend a lot of time online, most department stores
now sell products on their websites and in their stores.
CORRECTION Shoppers spend a lot of time online, so most department stores now sell
products on their websites and in their stores.
B. Read any long sentences aloud. Sometimes reading aloud helps you to recognize where a
new sentence should begin. For example, when you read the following sentence aloud, do
you pause between United States and more? If you do, it's because more is the first word of a
new sentence.
ERROR: RUN-ON Advertising is a multibillion-dollar industry in the United States more
than $200 billion is spent on advertising and advertising-related activities each year.
CORRECTION Advertising is a multibillion-dollar industry in the United States. More
than $200 billion is spent on advertising and advertising-related activities each year.
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C. Look for words like then, also, and therefore in the middle of a sentence. These are
"danger words" because they frequently occur in run-on sentences and comma-splices.
ERROR: COMMA-SPLICE We saw an ad for new cars, then we started thinking about
buying one.
CORRECTION We saw an ad for new cars, and then we started thinking about buying one.

PRACTICE 3: IDENTIFYING RUN-ONS AND COMMA-SPLICES

Label each sentence C (correct), RO (run-on), or CS (comma-splice).
………. 1. The scientific method involves six steps each is important.
………. 2. One group in an experiment includes a variable, the other is called the control
group.
………. 3. They must be alike in every other way, otherwise, the results of the experiment
will not be valid.
……….4. The researchers establish a timeline for the experiment, they then gather data every
week from each group.
………. 5. Data from the experiment are carefully analyzed to determine if the hypothesis is
correct or incorrect.
………. 6. After the data are analyzed, they might suggest other points to investigate.
………. 7. The results of the experiment are often published, then other scientists can
conduct further experiments.
………. 8. In scientific journals, each article is often preceded by a short summary, which is
called an abstract.
………. 9. Some people want to go to college, but they do not have enough money.
………. 10. My roommate owns a car. However, we both take public transportation to school
in order to save money on gas and parking.

Correcting run-ons and comma-splices

If you find any run-on or comma-spliced sentences when editing your work, you can correct
them in different ways. How you correct these errors depends on the logical relationship you
wish to establish between the clauses. Check the table below for some suggestions.

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 Correcting run-on and comma-spliced sentences
Rules Examples
Insert a coordinating conjunction, or both a Topic sentences are important, for they
comma and coordinating conjunction between introduce the controlling idea of a
the two clauses, depending on what is missing. paragraph.
(Add a coordinator)
Make the less important clause into a Topic sentences are important because
dependent clause by beginning it with a they introduce the controlling idea of a
subordinating conjunction. paragraph.
(Add a subordinator)
Rewrite one of the clauses so that it begins Topic sentences, which introduce the
with that, which, or who. controlling idea of a paragraph, are
(Rewrite the sentence) important.
End the first statement with a period. Topic sentences are important. They
(Add a period) introduce the controlling idea of a
paragraph.
Join the two clauses with a semicolon. Topic sentences are important; they
(Add a semicolon) introduce the controlling idea of a
paragraph.

PRACTICE 4: CORRECTING RUN-ONS AND COMMA-SPLICES

Label the following sentences C, RO, or CS, and then revise the incorrect ones.
………. 1. Some people prefer to work in an office, others prefer to work outdoors.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 2. Salespeople are usually very outgoing they like to talk with people.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 3. Coaches must be enthusiastic, know how to motivate athletes.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 4. News reporters need to work long hours under difficult conditions, the job can be
well paid and full of excitement.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 5. Police officers are very dedicated to their jobs, but their lives are often in danger.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

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………. 6. Vets need to love animals, they must have excellent people skills, too.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 7. Successful politicians are usually very charismatic voters need to trust them.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 8. I want to be a psychologist I have to attend graduate school.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 9. Architects can design homes for individuals, they can design buildings for
companies.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 10. Mechanics must work well with their hands, they also need to be good problem
solvers.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 11. A good education is important it can help you succeed in life.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 12. Saving money is not easy it takes careful planning.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 13. First, you make a budget, then you follow it carefully.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 14. I needed more money, so I had to find a part-time job.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 15. Last month, my credit card bills were high I owed more than $700.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 16. Two emails from Jane came on Monday a third one came on Wednesday.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 17. An encyclopedia is a valuable source of information it contains summaries of
every area of knowledge.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 18. Because of the rapid expansion of human knowledge, it is difficult to keep
printed encyclopedias current.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………. 19. Articles in most encyclopedias are written by experts in each subject, who are
often university professors.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

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………. 20. If you cannot find any information on a subject, you can always ask a librarian to
help you, they are paid to assist students.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

PRACTICE 5: EDITING A PARAGRAPH TO CORRECT RUN-ONS AND COMMA-

SPLICES
Find run-ons or comma-splices in the following paragraph. Make corrections where
necessary.
There are three main reasons why advertisers target young people. First of all, advertisers
know that individuals in the 18-to-34 age group do a lot of consumer spending. When young
people go to college and start to live on their own, for example, they have to buy many
basics. For school, they need books, computer equipment, and other items. For the home,
they need furniture, kitchen appliances, and dishes. of course they may also want a luxury
item such as a television. A second reason to target young shoppers is that they tend to be
more impressionable than older adults therefore they are easier to influence. Advertisers use
young people’s concern about “the cool factor” to sell them products, they know that young
adults often make purchases to keep up with the latest styles. Finally, advertisers focus on
young consumers because 18-to-34-year-olds have a lifetime of buying ahead of them,
advertisers want them to become loyal to a brand. If consumers buy a product and grow
attached to it when they are young, they are likely to continue to buy it throughout their
lifetimes. Building brand loyalty is an important advertising tool it works for all kinds of
products from small items like running shoes to large purchases such as cars. In short, young
adults may not have a great deal of money, but advertisers work very hard to get them to buy
their products now and in the future.

Common sentence errors III: Choppy and stringy sentences

In a sense, two opposites of run-on and comma-spliced sentences, with which you are already
familiar, are choppy and stringy sentences.

Choppy Sentences
Choppy sentences are sentences that are too short. In English, a good writer uses a variety of
sentence types that vary in length. A single short sentence can be effective in emphasizing a
point, especially after several long sentences. However, continually using too many short
simple sentences is considered poor style because it interrupts the flow of the text. This

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overuse of short sentences is referred to as choppy sentences. Predominantly, each choppy
sentence contains only one idea, so it cannot express complex thoughts; therefore, a series of
choppy sentences may sound annoying:
My sentences are short. They are simple. Each contains only one idea. They cannot
express complex thoughts. They sound immature. I had better stop.
Choppy sentences are easy to correct. Just combine two or three short sentences to make one
compound or complex sentence. Your decision to make a compound or a complex sentence
should be based on whether the ideas in the short sentences are equal or whether one idea is
dependent on the other. If the sentences express equal ideas, use coordinators to combine
them.
CHOPPY My sentences are short. They are simple.
IMPROVED My sentences are short and simple.
If the sentences express unequal ideas, if one sentence expresses a less important idea than
the other, use subordinators to combine them.
CHOPPY They sound immature. They can't express complex thoughts.
IMPROVED They sound immature because they can't express complex thoughts.

PRACTICE 6: CORRECTING CHOPPY SENTENCES

Improve the following choppy sentences by combining them.
1. Scientists work in a laboratory. They also work in the field.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Many American children eat unhealthy food. They do not get enough exercise.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Many children won't eat healthy food. They don't like the way it tastes.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. People watch too much television. They spend too much time on computers.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. People have stressful lives. They tend to overeat.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Too many Americans get diabetes. Too many Americans die of heart attacks. These may
be related to their diets.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Stringy Sentences
Whereas a choppy sentence is too short, a stringy sentence is too long. It contains too many
clauses, usually connected by and, so, but, or because. It sounds like a long rambling
monologue in which too many ideas are expressed in an unorganized manner with no clear
relationship between the ideas. To correct a stringy sentence, divide it into logical thought
groups by rephrasing parts of it or recombining the clauses through subordination.
STRINGY SENTENCE I write like I talk, so I string together too many ideas in the same
sentence, and I don't use subordination, but this has to stop because I need to write in a
more academic style.
IMPROVED Because I write like I talk, I string together too many ideas in the same
sentence without subordination. However, this practice must stop so that I can develop a
more academic writing style.

PRACTICE 7: CORRECTING STRINGY SENTENCES

1. Children don't like the food in school cafeterias, so they go to vending machines to buy
candy and potato chips, but they get hungry later because the junk food doesn't fill them up.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. The United States has the highest rate of obesity in the world, and more and more children
are becoming obese, and they are developing diseases such as diabetes because they are
consuming too much sugar and starch.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Many people eat too much, and they watch too much television, and they don't get enough
exercise, so they tend to get fat.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. In many poor neighborhoods in the United States, there aren't a lot of supermarkets, and
food is expensive, so people tend to buy junk food and candy at the corner store, and these
practices lead to obesity.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

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5. Exercise plays an important role in staying healthy, so people should try to walk, run, or do
some sort of physical activity every day for at least twenty minutes, but it's better to work out
for longer than that if your schedule allows you to.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. He enrolled in an intermediate calculus class, but he found it too easy, so he dropped it,
and he signed up for the advanced class.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. First-born children in a family often have more responsibility than their younger siblings,
and they feel pressure to set a good example, so they often become super-achievers.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Last-born children, on the other hand, often have little responsibility, and they may be
pampered as the "baby" of the family, but they are the smallest, and they have to get people
to like them, so they often develop superior social skills.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. The students in my engineering class could not do the homework, so we got together and
worked for several hours, and we finally solved all the problems.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. The lack of rainfall has caused a severe water shortage, so people have to conserve water
every day, and they also have to think of new ways to reuse water, but the situation is
improving.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Common sentence errors IV: Dangling modifiers

In whatever type of essay you are composing, you need to watch out for dangling modifiers
and attempt to eliminate them. Every modifier-that is, a word, phrase, or clause that functions
as an adjective or adverb-must attach itself to the word or phrase it modifies or describes. A
dangling modifier, however, does not attach itself to anything in the sentence. Most dangling
modifiers begin a sentence, so readers expect the subject of the clause that follows to name
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the actor a modifier describes. If that actor is not named, the sentence is imprecise or unclear-
or even humorous, as in these examples:
DANGLING: Upon seeing an instance of bullying, it must be stopped at once.
[No one sees the bullying in the sentence!]
IMPROVED: Upon seeing an instance of bullying, a teacher must stop it at once.
DANGLING: When teased or bullied, the results can be very hurtful.
[The results are not teased or bullied; people are.]
IMPROVED: When teased or bullied, people can feel extremely hurt.

PRACTICE 8: CORRECTING DANGLING MODIFIERS

Underline the dangling modifier in each of the following sentences. Then rewrite the sentence
to eliminate it.
1. After spotting a bully in the playground, he must be prevented from continuing.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Though not easily prevented, teachers can try to lessen the effects of bullying.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Acknowledging the seriousness of the problem, the school buildings must be supervised
constantly by teachers.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Teased or pushed, the results can be devastating to the victim.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Driven by the need for power, the victims suffer from bullies.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. To help students develop self-confidence, they must be encouraged and praised by their
teachers.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Walking toward the forest, the sun began to set.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Having completed her finals, a summer road trip was planned.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. After writing the paper, the thesis remains unsupported.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. Given praise by his teachers, his attitude became obnoxious.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

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11. Not having followed the recipe closely, the cake was a disaster.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
12. Having finished dinner, the plate was emptied.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

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