The most common errors in sentence grammar result from the misuse of clauses. This can mean treating an incomplete or dependent clause as if it were an independent clause, or combining clauses incorrectly. The most common types of sentence construction errors are fragments, run-on sentences, and comma splices.
Fragments
A fragment is a common error in which an incomplete sentence is presented as if it were complete. Some of the most common reasons, along with examples and suggested corrections, are as follows:
1. It’s just a phrase, probably one that should have been part of the previous sentence. Examples:
- For example, coyotes, ground hogs, and squirrels.
- Probably due to the weather.
- In some situations, such as operas and city riots.
- However, not nearly as many as you might think.
These fragments can often be fixed by simply attaching them with commas to the complete sentences that they refer to.
2. It’s only a dependent clause, which cannot stand alone as a sentence. Examples:
- Because kale is healthy.
- Whether you agree or not.
- If my car got stolen.
These fragments can often be fixed by simply using the rules above for Combining Clauses to attach them to the sentences they refer to.
3. It has an incorrect or incomplete verb. Examples:
- He going to school later today.
- They seen that movie.
- The author, after many years and many completed novels, finally his greatest book yet.
Sometimes these fragments merely need the addition of the accidentally omitted verb (as with the third example). But other times these are caused by a deeper weakness in verb conjugation (as with the first two examples), which requires time dedicated to careful reading of good prose.
4. It’s missing a grammatical subject. Examples:
- In the movie “The Godfather,” says to keep your enemies closer than your friends.
- After class let out, walked right up to me and laughed.
These fragments are often caused by accidental lapses in focus when drafting and can therefore be fixed by merely adding the intended subject.
Exercise 1
Correct the following fragments.
- Working without taking a break. We try to get as much work done as we can in an hour.
- I needed to bring work home. In order to meet the deadline.
- Unless the ground thaws before spring break. We won’t be planting any tulips this year.
- Turning the lights off after he was done in the kitchen. Robert tries to conserve energy whenever possible.
- You’ll find what you need if you look. On the shelf next to the potted plant.
- To find the perfect apartment. Deidre scoured the classifieds each day.
- In class today told us to submit our essays early.
- The professor the letter grade of F to all the late essays.
- If that seems unfair.
- Isn’t funny.
Run-on Sentences
A run-on sentence is a common error in which two independent clauses are combined without any punctuation. Examples of run-on sentences:
Note that this error has nothing to do with the length of the sentence. There is no grammatical rule against long sentences. Instead, a run-on sentence is an error of combining complete ideas incorrectly, so a run-on sentence could be any length, as could a correct sentence.
The ways to fix run-on sentences described in the section Clauses and Combining Clauses. Examples of corrected sentences:
- I am afraid of that dog; it looks scary.
- It barked, and I ran.
- I have an idea: let’s order pizza.
- Pizza is good, but tacos are better.
Comma Splices
A comma splice is a common error in which two independent clauses are combined by a comma only, which means that the comma is not followed by one of the necessary coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). Examples of comma splices:
- I don’t like studying grammar, it’s too hard.
- I ran, the dog chased me.
- The pizza fell on the floor, the carpet is ruined.
Note that using only a comma is correct when combining some dependent clauses with independent clauses. Examples of correct sentences:
- Because I don’t have to work today, I’m going to play retro video games.
- The newer games make me dizzy, which is why I don’t play them.
The ways to fix run-on sentences described in the section Clauses and Combining Clauses. Examples of corrected sentences:
- I don’t like studying grammar; it’s too hard.
- I ran, but the dog chased me.
- The pizza fell on the floor; the carpet is ruined.
Exercise 2
Correct the following run-on sentences and comma splices. If the sentence is already correct, write correct. Make sure to keep the correct versions as single sentences rather than breaking them apart into separate sentences.
- Seafood smells weird, I don’t like it.
- The Ancient Greeks are credited with inventing democracy voting by citizens is its primary feature.
- The printer doesn’t work right it just makes weird sounds and shuts off.
- Thought control can take many forms, censorship, book-burning, and canceling are common types.
- The universe might not be infinite, some scientists propose that it is finite like a bubble.
- In general, the Ancient Greeks spoke Greek the Ancient Romans spoke Latin.
- My car won’t start, the rain won’t stop.
- Serpents and dragons appear in many myths and folktales they have powerful effects on the human mind.
- I can’t turn it off my phone keeps ringing.
- Shakespeare, perhaps the world’s greatest writer, is often referred to as the Bard Homer, another contender for greatest writer, is referred to as the Poet.
