Lesson 1: Common Errors Review

Definition

Errors in writing can confuse and distract readers, and careless mistakes may even lead readers to form poor impressions of a writer.

Explanation

Always give your writing a final check before you turn it in! Ask yourself some key questions:

Do your subjects and verbs agree?
Are your pronoun references clear?
Did you use the right words and place modifiers correctly?

Definition

A sentence fragment is a piece of a sentence that is punctuated as if it were a complete sentence. A run-on sentence is created when two or more complete sentences are joined without the correct punctuation or conjunction.

Explanation

Think of a complete sentence as having a subject (who or what) and a verb (the action). A fragment is an incomplete thought because it's missing one of these key parts. A run-on sentence incorrectly jams at least two complete thoughts together. Look for missing parts to spot fragments and for sentences joined only by a comma or no punctuation at all to find run-ons.

Examples

• (F) Especially since she was afraid of spiders. [This is a fragment because it's a subordinate clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence.]
• (R) My dog loves to play fetch, my cat prefers to nap in the sun. [This is a run-on sentence (specifically, a comma splice). It should be two separate sentences or joined with a conjunction.]
• (S) Although the game was long, our team won in the final inning. [This is a complete sentence with a dependent clause followed by an independent clause.]
• (F) The players, excited about their victory against the rival team. [This is a fragment because it has a subject but is missing a main verb to complete the thought.]