Common Sentence Errors

Parallelism Errors
Run-on Sentences
Sentence Fragments
Misplaced, Dangling Modifiers
 Parallelism

Parallelism means that words, phrases, and

clauses used in pairs or groups must all have
the same form.

Verbs must match with verbs, nouns must

match with nouns, etc.
I have been to Beijing and saw the Summer ✗
Palace.

I have been to Beijing and have seen the ✔

Summer Palace.

I went to Beijing and saw the Summer ✔

Palace.
She likes to read but not write. ✗

She likes to read but not to write. ✔

Wayne likes to read, exercise, and watching ✗
movies.

Wayne likes to read, exercise, and watch ✔

movies.

Wayne likes reading, exercising, and ✔

watching movies.
My car is sporty, economical, and goes very ✗
fast.

My car is sporty, economical, and fast. ✔

My car looks sporty, runs economically, and ✔

goes very fast.
As we neared the airport, you could hear ✗
the jets.

As we neared the airport, we could hear the ✔

jets.
Please judge me by my words and what I do. ✗

Please judge me by my words and (by) my ✔

actions.

Please judge me by what I say and (by) what ✔

I do.
 Run-On Sentences

A run-on sentence has two or more

Independent Clauses that are joined without
the correct punctuation or conjunction.
The speech was long, it lasted for one hour. ✗

The speech was long. It lasted for one hour. ✔

The speech was long; it lasted for one hour. ✔

The speech was long, lasting for one hour. ✔

Which is better for joining two independent
clauses – a semicolon or a period?

If you want the two clauses to be closely

connected, use a semicolon.

If you want to separate the thoughts more,

create two sentences.
A run-on sentence is not necessarily long.

I walked she ran.

I walked. She ran.

I walked, but she ran.

While I walked, she ran.

 Sentence Fragments
First, a definition:

Fragment (noun) – a small part broken off or

separated from something.

After the window shattered, small fragments

of glass covered the floor.
 Sentence Fragments
A sentence fragment (incomplete sentence) is
almost a sentence, but it lacks:
• a subject,
• a finite verb, or
• a completed thought.
 Finite Verbs
A finite verb has a specific tense, person and
number (singular / plural).

In other words, it must match a subject.

• I go, she goes, he went (finite)

• To go, going (non-finite)

 Examples: Sentence Fragments

Sentence fragments often begin with

“because”, “that” or an “-ing” verb.

Because I love staying in shape and losing

weight.
 Spoken vs. Written English

Why do you exercise so much?

Because I love staying in shape and losing

weight.
 Suggested Corrections

Because I love staying in shape and losing

weight, I exercise every day.

I love staying in shape and losing weight, so I

exercise every day.
 Examples
Working on my homework all night.

I have been working on my homework all night.

 Examples
That I didn’t have time for any fun.

I was so busy that I didn’t have time for any

fun.
 Misplaced / Dangling Modifiers
Modifier: A word or phrase that changes or
describes another word or phrase.

Dangle: to hang or swing loosely

 Misplaced & Dangling Modifiers
A modifier is misplaced if it modifies the
wrong word or phrase.

A modifier is dangling if the word or phrase

that is supposed to be modified does not
appear in the sentence.
 Example: Misplaced Modifier
After biting two children, the police took
away our dog.

After biting two children, our dog was taken

away by the police.

If a sentence begins with a modifier followed by a comma, whatever word

or phrase is being modified must immediately follow the comma.
 Another solution: Rewrite the Sentence!
Having been thrown into the air, the dog
caught the ball.

When the ball was thrown into the air, the

dog caught it.

The dog caught the ball that had been thrown

into the air.
 Example: Dangling Modifier

Having finished the assignment, the TV was

turned on.

Having finished the assignment, Wayne

turned on the TV.
 Dangling Modifiers
Don’t let the context fool you!

Wayne worked hard on his English homework.

Having finished the assignment, the TV was
turned on.
 No
Mangling,
Dangling,
or
Tangling!