![]() ![]() Is it possible to play with these hard-and-fast rules of grammar? Of course it is, but tread carefully!Ĭormac McCarthy is a master of the descriptive fragment, so let's look at a few examples from The Road:Įxample 1: Across the field to the south he could see the shape of a house and a barn. Like our lonely verbs in earlier examples, it forms part of a thought, but not a complete one. Without the main clause, the dependent clause is bereft of context. Sentence: I'm happy that it'll snow tomorrow.Īs you can see, the "fragment" examples are actually a part of the longer "sentence" examples. Sentence: Jane ran because it was getting dark. That sounds a little scary, but here are a few examples: It depends on the main clause of the sentence, and it can't (or usually shouldn't) exist on its own. If so, you've got yourself a sentence if not, you might need to rethink it.Īnother type of sentence fragment is the dependent clause. Often an exclamation point is used in place of a period, but the best clue is to ask yourself if the lone verb is urging or commanding a listener to actively do something. Imperatives are conjugated as the second person present tense, without the subject. Imperatives are more complicated in English than other languages because there's no specific verb tense to indicate it. ![]() In the fragment example, we have a lone verb, feeling lonely. In the first, correct example, the reader understands that the speaker is commanding someone to run. This type of sentence is called an imperative. The subject doesn't have to be explicitly stated in the sentence it can be understood. They're just words, hanging out, with no real purpose or context. It's a "complete thought."Īs you can see in the above examples, the sentences have a subject-"Jane" or "It"-while the fragments don't. In its most basic definition, a complete sentence must contain a subject (noun or pronoun) and a verb. How you form sentences and how they flow together not only reflect your skill and style as a writer, but also can be used to relay the general tone of your story (in descriptive writing) or a speaker's mood (in dialogue). Remain patient and persevere in your effort to write grammatically correct sentences.The sentence is the basis of any writing. As you become more comfortable and confident in your writing, you'll see these errors less frequently over time. The best way to improve is to practice writing as much as possible. But as you consistently pay attention to them, they become easier to notice and fix. These include but are not limited to:Īvoiding sentence errors might look daunting initially. Now that you're aware of some common sentence errors, let's discuss a few strategies you can apply to avoid them. ![]() Always double-check the word meanings and their context before using them.Ĭorrection: She walked through the door. Using the wrong word in a sentence can result in unintended meanings and confusion. If the subject is plural, the verb should be plural.Įrror: The team of researchers are presenting their findings.Ĭorrection: The team of researchers is presenting their findings. If the subject is singular, the verb needs to be singular. Agreement ErrorsĪgreement errors occur when the subject and verb of a sentence do not agree in number. They are fused together.Įrror: She wanted to read the book she couldn't find it.Ĭorrection: She wanted to read the book, but she couldn't find it. The difference is that in fused sentences, the clauses are completely joined without any punctuation. Fused Sentencesįused sentences, like run-on sentences, are made up of two independent clauses. This usage is incorrect, and a conjunction, semicolon or period is needed to correct this mistake.Įrror: He submitted his assignment, he forgot to write his name.Ĭorrection: He submitted his assignment, but he forgot to write his name. Comma SplicesĬomma splices happen when two independent clauses are connected by only a comma. Independent clauses are complete sentences that can stand on their own, and when two or more such are joined without any punctuation, it results in a run-on sentence.Įrror: She loves dancing she attends classes every day.Ĭorrection: She loves dancing. Run-on sentences occur when two or more independent clauses are connected improperly. It's important to ensure that your sentences are complete and make sense on their own.Ĭorrection: He was running quickly. They may lack a subject, a verb, or an adequate thought. Here are some types of errors commonly seen in sentences:įragments are incomplete sentences. Sentence errors often occur due to grammatical mistakes, usage of inappropriate words, punctuation errors, or sentence structure issues. ![]()
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