Slayt 1

HLYANUR BLBL FIRST CLASS (EVENING) 265585

COMMON SENTENCE ERRORS

The Definition of The Error A term used in prescriptive grammar for an instance of faulty, unconventianal, or controversial usage, such as a comma splice or misplaced modifier. Compare grammatical error with correctness.

COMMA SPLICE Comma splices are similar to run-on sentences because they also incorrectly connect independent clauses. A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are connected with only a comma. As with a run-on sentence, there are a few different ways to correct a comma splice. Consider the following sentence and the revised versions that follow it.

Comma Splice: My family bakes together nearly every night, we then get to enjoy everything we make together. EXAMPLESMy family bakes together nearly every night. We then get to enjoy everything we make together. The comma splice has been corrected by breaking the sentence into two separate sentences.

My family bakes together nearly every night, and we then get to enjoy everything we make together. The comma splice has been corrected by adding a coordinating conjunction and a comma.After my family bakes together nearly every night, we get to enjoy everything we make together. The comma splice has been corrected by adding a subordinating conjunction and a comma.

I got up late this morning. I didn't have time for breakfast. orI got up late this morning; I didn't have time for breakfast. orI got up late this morning, so I didn't have time for breakfast. orI got up late this morning, and I didn't have time for breakfast.

Original sentences are in italics. Possible revisions follow.

I didnt like the movie, it was way too long. Possible revision 1: I didnt like the movie. It was way too long. Possible revision 2: I didnt like the movie because it was way too long.

She and Jerry are getting married in the fall, they didnt want a summer wedding. Possible revision 1: Because they didnt want a summer wedding, she and jerry are getting married in the fall.

Possible revision 2: She and Jerry didnt want a summer wedding, so they are getting married in the fall.

My favorite bands are all really loud, playing loud music is good for stress relief. Possible revision 1: My favorite bands are all really loud; playing loud music is good for stress relief.

Possible revision 2: My favorite bands are all really loud because playing loud music is good for stress relief. A DIFFERENT STRATEGY: If you choose to turn one of the clauses into a subordinate (dependent) clause, then you can use just the comma between the two clauses: Because I got up late this morning, I didn't have time for breakfast.

Examples: 1.This is my father, that is my uncle. 2.Some students find writing easy, some find it excruciatingly difficult. 3.It's not a comet, it's a meteor. 4.We aren't visiting Pennsylvania this year, we're spending the summer in Florida. 5.You saw that movie last night, didn't you? 6.It looks as though we're in for a tornado, doesn't it? 7.You've been to Europe, haven't you? 8.I didnt like the movie, it was way too long. 9.She and Jerry are getting married in the fall, they didnt want a summer wedding. 10.My favorite bands are all really loud, playing loud music is good for stress relief.

RUN ON SENTENCE (sometimes called a "fused sentence") has at least two parts, either one of which can stand by itself (in other words, two independent clauses), but the two parts have been smooshed together instead of being properly connected. Review, also, the section which describesThings That Can Happen Between Two Independent Clauses.

Run-on sentences are in italics. Possible revisions to sentences are in parentheses.

We were really busy at the restaurant tonight.I waited tables straight through from 3:30 to 11:30 I never sat down for even one break. (I waited tables straight through from 3:30 to 11:30, and I never sat down for even one break.)

My dog had to go to the vet today. She cried and cried when they clipped her toenails, but then she was fine when they gave her a shot!

The book we had to read for class was really long my teacher doesnt seem to understand that we have other classes to read for too. (The book we had to read for class was really long. My teacher doesnt seem to understand that we have other classes to read for too.)

Run-On: The grocery store was really packed with people there must have been a big sale today. Correction 1: The grocery store was really packed with people. There must have been a big sale today. Here, the error has been corrected by simply breaking the run-on sentence into two sentences. Correction 2: The grocery store was really packed with people, so there must have been a big sale today.In this case, the sentence has been corrected by adding a coordinating conjunction and a comma. This is a compound sentence. Correction 3:Becausethe grocery store was really packed with people, there must have been a big sale.

In this example, the sentence has been corrected by adding a subordinating conjunction and a comma. This is a complex sentence.

Run-on Sentences:

Adam is a sweet boy he really loves animals. Adam is a sweet boy, he really loves animals.

Sometimes two sentences are very closely related in meaning and fullend-stop punctuationmay seem too strong. Asemicoloncan then be used to divide the two sentences. . . .

Run-on: It was a beautiful day there was not a cloud in the sky.Correct:It was a beautiful day; there was not a cloud in the sky.

Arun-on sentencecan sometimes be prevented by using acommaand joining word (coordinate conjunction) to join sentences together. Wrong:John went to the moviesxSue stayed home. Correct:John went to the movies, and Sue stayed home. "[Another way to correct a run-on sentence is to] change therun-onto acomplex sentenceby placing asubordinating conjunctionbefore one of the clauses: Run-on: I don't play tennis well I have a poor backhand. Correct:I don't play tennis wellbecauseI have a poor backhand.

PARALLEL SENTENCES

in sentences refers to matching grammatical structures. Elements in a sentence that have the same function or express similar ideas should be grammatically parallel, or grammatically matched. Parallelism is used as a rhetorical and stylistic device in literature, speeches, advertising, and popular songs.

I sighed as a lover, I obeyed as a sonEdward GibbonReading is to the mind what exercise is to the bodyJoseph AddisonAsk not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your countryJohn F. Kennedy Parallelism lends balance and grace to writing. It can make a sentence memorable. Even in prose not destined for greatness, parallelism is important. Faulty parallelism

A failure to create grammatically parallel structures when they are appropriate is referred to asfaulty parallelism.In the following examples, note the difference between correct parallel structure and faulty parallelism. What counts isn'thow you lookbuthow you behave. What counts isn'thow you lookbutyour behavior. The president promised toreformhealth care,preservesocial security, andbalancethe budget. The president promised toreformhealth care,preservesocial security, anda balanced budget.

Not Parallel: Tomorrow, I wantto be shoppingand eat lunch with Sarah.Parallel: Tomorrow, I want toshopandeatlunch with Sarah.

In this sentence, the verbsto be shoppingandeat lunchare the same form. To create parallel structure, the two verbs must be structured in the same form.

Not Parallel: Sarah and I always like to shop atspecialty shops,shoe stores, andin the home stores.Paralel: Sarah and I always like to shopat specialty shops,in shoe stores, andin home stores.

This sentence lacks parallel structure for a couple of reasons. First,specialty shopsandhome storesare both preceded by prepositions (atandin), butshoe storesis not. Additionally,home storesis preceded by an article (the), butspecialty shopsandshoe storesare not.

Not Parallel: The best places to eat arecasual,fun, andyou can get a meal for cheap.Parallel: The best places to eat arecasual,fun, andinexpensive.

Here, the sentence is not in parallel structure because the list includes words (casualandfun) and a short phrase (you can get a meal for cheap). A list should only be composed of either words or short phrases, not both.

Parallel structure in a series When your sentence includes aseries,make sure you have not used different grammatical structures for the items. He describedskiingin the Alps,swimmingin the Adriatic, andthe driveacross the Sahara Desert. (faulty parallelism)He describedskiingin the Alps,swimmingin the Adriatic, anddrivingacross the Sahara Desert. (parallel) In the parallel version, all the elements in the series begin with gerunds:skiing, swimming, driving. In the nonparallel version, the final element is a noun but not a gerund.

The elements would remain parallel even if the phrases following the gerunds were changed or omitted. The length of the items in the series does not affect the parallel structure. He describedskiing, swimmingin the Adriatic, anddrivingacross the desert. (parallel) It doesn't matter what grammatical structure you choose for your series as long as you keep it consistent. Elaine liked tohavea beer,exchangestories with her friends, andwatchthe men walk by. (parallel) Elaine likedhavinga beer,exchangingstories with her friends, andwatchingthe men walk by. (parallel When you use words such asto, a, an, his, her, ortheirwith items in a series, you can use the word with the first item, thus having it apply to all the items; or you can repeat it with each item. If you choose to repeat it, you must do so with all the items, not just some of them. He likedtheircourage, stamina, and style. (parallel)He likedtheircourage,theirstamina, andtheirstyle. (parallel)He likedtheircourage, stamina, andtheirstyle. (not parallel) She sawavan, car, and bicycle collide. (parallel)She sawavan,acar, andabicycle collide. (parallel)She sawavan,acar, and bicycle collide. (not parallel)

Parallel structure with correlative conjunctions Errors in parallel structure often occur withcorrelative conjunctions:either or; neither nor; both and; not only but also; whether or. The sentence structure following the second half of the correlative conjunction should mirror the sentence structure following the first half. The scientists disputednot onlythe newspaper articlebut alsothe university's official statement. (parallel: phrase with phrase) The scientists disputednot onlythe newspaper articlebut alsothey disputed the university's official statement. (faulty parallelism: phrase with clause)

EitherI like the joborI don't like it. (parallel: clause with clause) EitherI like the joborI don't. (parallel: clause with clause) EitherI like the jobornot. (faulty parallelism: clause with adverb) I haveneitherthe patiencenorthe time to complete the assignment. (parallel: noun phrase with noun phrase) I haveneitherthe patience to complete the assignmentnordo I have the time complete it. (faulty parallelism: phrase with clause)

Parallel structure with verbs When you have more than one verb in a sentence, be sure to make the verbs parallel by not shifting tenses unnecessarily. Also, don't shift from an active to a passive verb.

Katepreparedthe speech on the plane anddeliveredit at the conference. (parallel: both verbs are active) Katepreparedthe speech on the plane, and itwas deliveredby her at the conference. (faulty parallelism: active verb followed by passive verb)

Sometimes sentences use a single verb form with two helping verbs. Look at the following example. Roberthasin the past andwillin the futurecontinue to supportthe measure. (incorrect) To supportbelongs withwill continue, but not withhas. If you read the sentence withoutand will in the future continue, you will see this: Robert has in the past to support the measure. Rewrite the sentence to include a participial form forhas. Roberthasin the pastsupported, andwillin the futurecontinue to support, the measure.

orRoberthas supportedthe measure in the past, and hewill continue to supportit in the future.

SENTENCE FRAGMENTS Some of the sentences below are fragments. Play editor on the sentences. Could you tell these writers why the fragments are incomplete sentences? Also, how would you tell the writers to fix them?

Then I attended Morris Junior High. A junior high that was a bad experience.In the seventh grade every young boy goes out for football. To prove to himself and his parents that he is a man.She opened the door and let us into her home. Not realizing at the time that we would never enter that door in her home again.Making up his mind quickly. Jim ordered two dozen red roses for his wife. Hoping she would accept his apology.They were all having a good time. Until one of Joe's oldest and best friends had a little too much to drink.

Fragment Sentence Exercise Fragment sentences are in italics. Explanations are in parentheses.

Then I attended Morris Junior High.A junior high that was a bad experience. (dependent clause)

In the seventh grade every young boy goes out for football.To prove to himself and his parents that he is a man. (dependent clause)

She opened the door and let us into her home.Not realizing at the time that we would never enter that door in her home again. (dependent clause)

Making up his mind quickly. Jim ordered two dozen red roses for his wife.Hoping she would accept his apology. (dependent clause)

They were all having a good time.Until one of Joe's oldest and best friends had a little too much to drink. (dependent clause)http://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/1/35/Resource: Purdue OWL Engagement