Sentence Errors

When we communicate, it is important to convey our ideas clearly and effectively. One of the key components of achieving this goal is understanding and avoiding sentence errors. Sentence errors can detract from the clarity of your writing and make it difficult for your readers to understand your message. In this section, we will explore some common sentence errors, including fragments, run-on sentences, subject-verb agreement errors, and others. We will also discuss strategies for identifying and correcting these errors, so that your writing can be clear, concise, and effective.

Common errors in sentence structure and grammar (run-on sentences, sentence fragments, subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, etc.)

1. Run-on Sentences: A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation or a coordinating conjunction. This means that the sentence continues on beyond its natural stopping point, making it difficult to read and understand.

Examples of run-on sentences:

She woke up early this morning she had a lot of work to do.

The dog chased the cat it eventually caught it and brought it back to its owner.

I need to buy groceries I also need to do laundry and clean the house.

He is a great athlete he can run fast, jump high and swim well.

She loves to read books she has a collection of over 200 novels.

In each of these examples, there are two independent clauses that are not separated by appropriate punctuation or conjunctions. This creates a run-on sentence that can be confusing for the reader.

To correct run-on sentences, there are several ways:

Use a period to separate the independent clauses into separate sentences:

She woke up early this morning. She had a lot of work to do.

Use a semicolon to join the independent clauses:

The dog chased the cat; it eventually caught it and brought it back to its owner.

Use a conjunction to join the independent clauses:

I need to buy groceries, and I also need to do laundry and clean the house.

Use a conjunction and a comma to join the independent clauses:

He is a great athlete, and he can run fast, jump high, and swim well.

Use a dependent clause to combine the independent clauses:

She loves to read books, and she has a collection of over 200 novels that she cherishes.

By using appropriate punctuation and conjunctions, run-on sentences can be corrected to create clearer and more effective writing.

2. Sentence Fragments: A sentence fragment occurs when a group of words is written as a sentence, but is not a complete sentence because it lacks a subject, a verb, or both. Sentence fragments can be confusing for the reader and can detract from the clarity and effectiveness of the writing.

Examples of sentence fragments:

In the park.

Running through the fields.

While I was sleeping.

Because of the rainstorm.

Even though he tried his best.

Each of these examples is missing either a subject or a verb, or both, and therefore does not form a complete sentence. They are fragments of a sentence rather than complete sentences.

To correct sentence fragments, there are several ways:

Add a subject to the fragment:

In the park, children played.

While I was sleeping, my phone rang.

Because of the rainstorm, the game was canceled.

Add a verb to the fragment:

Running through the fields is my favorite form of exercise.

Even though he tried his best, he did not win the competition.

Combine the fragment with another sentence:

In the park, I saw a group of children playing.

Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence:

I was sleeping when my phone rang.

The game was canceled because of the rainstorm.

By adding the necessary subject, verb, or both, or by combining the fragment with another sentence, sentence fragments can be corrected to create clearer and more effective writing.

3. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors: This error occurs when the subject and verb in a sentence do not agree in number. Example: The cats (plural subject) is (singular verb) sleeping. I posted an article about this here.

4. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Errors: This error occurs when the pronoun used to refer to a noun (antecedent) does not agree in gender or number. Example: Each of the students (singular antecedent) brought their (plural pronoun) own lunch. The correct sentence is: Each of the students brought his or her own lunch. More detailed explanation about this here.

5. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers: A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is placed too far away from the word it modifies, causing confusion. 

A misplaced modifier is a modifier that is placed in the wrong part of the sentence, causing confusion or awkwardness. This can happen when the modifier is too far away from the word it is modifying or when it is placed in the wrong position in the sentence.

Examples of misplaced modifiers:

Running to catch the bus, my wallet fell out of my pocket.

The modifier "running to catch the bus" is misplaced because it appears to modify "my wallet" instead of "I".

She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.

The modifier "on paper plates" is misplaced because it appears to modify "children" instead of "sandwiches".

The cat sat on the windowsill watching the birds with binoculars.

The modifier "with binoculars" is misplaced because it appears to modify "the birds" instead of "the cat".

A dangling modifier is a modifier that does not have a clear reference in the sentence. This can happen when the modifier is not attached to a specific word in the sentence or when the word it modifies is missing.

Examples of dangling modifiers:

Walking to the store, the rain started to pour.

The modifier "walking to the store" is dangling because it is not clear who was walking.

After finishing the book, the television was turned on.

The modifier "after finishing the book" is dangling because it is not clear who finished the book.

To improve your writing, practice is essential.

The modifier "to improve your writing" is dangling because it is not clear who needs to practice.

To correct misplaced modifiers, the modifier should be moved closer to the word it is modifying, or the sentence should be restructured to make the modifier's reference clear. To correct dangling modifiers, the sentence should be revised to make the modifier's reference clear, usually by adding a subject to the sentence or by rephrasing the sentence entirely. By avoiding misplaced and dangling modifiers, writing can become clearer and more effective.

6. Misuse of Homophones: Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Example: Your (possessive pronoun) and you're (contraction of you are) are commonly confused. I posted an article about this here

7. Awkward Sentence Structure: This occurs when a sentence is worded in a confusing or difficult-to-understand way. It  refers to sentences that are difficult to read or understand due to their poor construction or phrasing. This can result from a variety of factors, such as long and convoluted sentences, unclear pronoun references, or incorrect word order.

Examples of awkward sentence structures:

 After running around the block, the dog that belonged to the neighbor who lived across the street chased its tail and barked loudly.

This sentence is awkward because it contains multiple clauses and phrases that make it difficult to follow the subject and the verb.

During the summer, my friend who loves hiking and camping and who lives in the mountains, where the air is fresh and the scenery is beautiful, invited me to go on a trip with her.

This sentence is awkward because it is too long and contains too many clauses, making it difficult to identify the main subject and action.

Being late for the meeting, the bus was missed by John.

This sentence is awkward because the subject of the sentence (John) is separated from the verb (missed) by a misplaced modifier.

To avoid awkward sentence structure, it is important to use clear and concise language, avoid using too many modifiers and clauses, and to make sure that the subject and verb are in agreement and close together. Additionally, it is important to proofread and revise writing to ensure that the sentence structure flows smoothly and is easy to read and understand.

8. Lack of Parallelism: Parallelism refers to the use of the same grammatical structure or pattern within a sentence. Example: I like swimming, hiking, and to run (lack of parallelism).

The purpose of parallelism is to create a sense of balance, symmetry, and rhythm in the text.

Parallelism is commonly used in literature, speeches, and other forms of writing to create a more memorable and effective message. Examples of parallelism include:

"I came, I saw, I conquered" (repeating the subject-verb-object structure)

"She likes hiking, swimming, and biking" (repeating the gerund form of verbs)

"He was a great athlete, a great scholar, and a great leader" (repeating the adjective-noun structure)

Parallelism is not only limited to the repetition of words or phrases. It can also involve the use of parallel structures in sentence construction, such as:

"Not only was he brave, but he was also kind and generous" (repeating the conjunction structure)

"She not only sings well, but she also plays several instruments" (repeating the auxiliary verb structure)

Overall, parallelism is an effective technique for creating a cohesive and structured piece of writing or speech.

Examples of parallelism:

He likes to ski, to snowboard, and to ice skate. (repeating the infinitive form of verbs)

She ate the pizza, the pasta, and the salad. (repeating the noun structure)

The cat played with the toy mouse, chased the ball of yarn, and pounced on the feather wand. (repeating the verb structure)

She is not only smart, but also talented and creative. (repeating the adjective structure)

The company's goals are to increase revenue, to expand globally, and to improve customer satisfaction. (repeating the infinitive form of verbs)

By understanding and avoiding these common sentence errors, you can improve the clarity and effectiveness of your writing.

Check your knowledge about sentence errors here.

Strategies for identifying and correcting sentence errors

1. Read your writing out loud: This can help you identify run-on sentences, sentence fragments, and awkward phrasing.

2. Use grammar checkers: Most word processing software has built-in grammar checkers that can identify basic grammar errors. However, be aware that these tools are not perfect and may miss more complex errors.

3. Check subject-verb agreement: Make sure that the subject and verb in each sentence agree in number. For example, "The cat drinks milk" (singular subject and verb) versus "The cats drink milk" (plural subject and verb).

4. Check pronoun-antecedent agreement: Make sure that pronouns and their antecedents agree in number and gender. For example, "He went to the store" (masculine pronoun and antecedent) versus "She went to the store" (feminine pronoun and antecedent).

5. Use a style guide: A style guide can help you identify and correct common errors in writing, such as using passive voice, dangling modifiers, and comma splices.

6. Get feedback from others: Have someone else read your writing and provide feedback. They may be able to identify errors that you missed.

7. Revise and edit: After identifying errors, revise and edit your writing to correct them. This may involve restructuring sentences, changing word choice, or adding punctuation.