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Sentence FragmentRun-on SentenceLack of Subject-Verb AgreementLack of Pronoun-Antecedent AgreementLack of Clear Pronoun ReferenceShift in PronounShift in Verb TenseIncorrect Verb Tense or FormMisplaced or Dangling ModifierMissing or Misplaced Possessive ApostropheMissing Commas with Nonessential ElementsMissing Commas in a Series

Ted put the dishes on the counter. He should have put them in the dishwasher.

Sentence Fragment

Solution: Add a subject to the fragment to make it a complete sentence.

Press the mouse button or Space Bar to see an example.

Solution A: Add a complete verb or a helping verb to make the sentence complete.

He left without saying good-bye. His anger was apparent.

Prospectors swarmed over the land. They were looking for gold.

Sentence Fragment

Press the mouse button or Space Bar to see examples.

Solution B: Combine the fragment with another sentence.

Sentence Fragment


His anger apparent, he left without saying good-bye.

Prospectors swarmed over the land, looking for gold.

Solution A: Combine the fragment with another sentence.

Sentence Fragment


Darnell didn’t like the photograph, since he had closed his eyes at the flash.

The recipe called for bananas and eggplant, which was a surprising combination.

Solution B: Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence, eliminating the subordinating conjunction or the relative pronoun and adding a subject or other words necessary to make a complete thought.

Darnell didn’t like the photograph. He had closed his eyes at the flash.

The recipe called for bananas and eggplant. This combination is surprising.

Sentence Fragment


Not surprisingly, the computer flashed the word “Error.”

For over a month, no jobs were available at the employment center.

Solution: Combine the fragment with another sentence.


Sentence Fragment

Scientists can now predict most earthquakes. The technology is still new.

Solution A: Replace the comma with an end mark of punctuation, such as a period or a question mark, and begin the new sentence with a capital letter.


Run-on Sentence

Scientists can now predict most earthquakes; the technology is still new.

Solution B: Place a semicolon between the two main clauses.


Run-on Sentence

Scientists can now predict most earthquakes, but the technology is still new.

Solution C: Add a coordinating conjunction after the comma.


Run-on Sentence

Run-on Sentence

The ice skater glided on the ice. She seemed to float on air.

Solution A: Separate the main clauses with an end mark of punctuation, such as a period or a question mark, and begin the new sentence with a capital letter.


Run-on Sentence


The ice skater glided on the ice; she seemed to float on air.

Solution B: Separate the main clauses with a semicolon.

Run-on Sentence

The ice skater glided on the ice, and she seemed to float on air.

Solution C: Add a comma and a coordinating conjunction between the main clauses.


INSERT Graphic 6


Run-on Sentence

Charlotte pivoted and passed to Rosa, but the other team intercepted the ball.

The car was a silver color, and it gleamed in the moonlight.

Solution: Add a comma before the coordinating conjunction to separate the two main clauses.

Lack of Subject-Verb Agreement

The first few sentences of the essay were very intriguing.

One group of tickets was lost.


Solution: Make the verb agree with the subject, which is never the object of a preposition.

The best part is the actors’ performances.

Solution: Ignore the predicate nominative, and make the verb agree with the subject of the sentence.





There go the two most admired people in the school.

In the attic are many boxes of clothes.

Solution: In an inverted sentence, look for the subject after the verb. Then make sure the verb agrees with the subject.


Solution A: If the collective noun refers to a group as a whole, use a singular verb.

The school council is holding a fund-raising dance.



Solution B: If the collective noun refers to each member of a group individually, use a plural verb.

The school council are voting for their new chairperson.



Twenty miles is a long way to bicycle.

Two quarters were shining on the sidewalk.

Solution: Determine whether the noun of amount refers to one unit and is therefore singular, or whether it refers to a number of individual units and is therefore plural.



Solution A: If the parts of the compound subject do not belong to one unit or if they refer to different people or things, use a plural verb.

Salt and pepper season most foods.



Solution B: If the parts of the compound subject belong to one unit or if both parts refer to the same person or thing, use a singular verb.

My friend and tutor was at the science fair to encourage me.



Neither Josh nor Ana gets up early.

Either the defendant or his friends are guilty.

Solution: Make the verb agree with the subject that is closer to it.


Lack of Subject-Verb AgreementLack of Subject-Verb Agreement

Every candidate and voter registers at this desk.

Solution: When a, every, or each precedes a compound subject, the subject is considered singular. Use a singular verb.



Lottie, together with Luis and Fatima, plans to be a camp counselor.

Solution: Certain expressions, such as as well as, in addition to, and together with, do not change the number of the subject. Ignore these expressions between a subject and its verb. Make the verb agree with the subject.



Each of those cars has an electric motor.

Both of them run well, too.

Solution: Determine whether the indefinite pronoun is singular or plural, and make the verb agree. Some indefinite pronouns are singular–another, anyone, everyone, one, each, either, neither, anything, everything, something, and somebody. Some are plural–both, many, few, several, and others. Some can be singular or plural– some, all, any, more, most, and none–depending on the noun to which they refer.


Lack of Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Solution A: Traditionally, a masculine pronoun was used to refer to an antecedent that might be either male or female. This usage is not acceptable in contemporary writing because it ignores or excludes females. Reword the sentence to use he or she, him or her, and so on.

A scientist announces his or her discoveries by publishing the results.

A famous person is often accompanied by his or her bodyguard.



Solution B: Reword the sentence so that both the antecedent and the pronoun are plural.

Scientists announce their discoveries by publishing the results.

Famous people are often accompanied by their bodyguards.



Solution C: Reword the sentence to eliminate the pronoun.

A scientist announces a discovery by publishing the results.

A famous person is often accompanied by a bodyguard.



Solution A: Use the appropriate third-person pronoun.

The swimmers practice every day since they need to do that to win.



Solution B: Use an appropriate noun instead of a pronoun.

The swimmers practice every day since athletes need to do that to win.


Each of the lawyers believed her client was innocent.

Neither of the band members knew where his instrument was stored.

Solution: Another, any, every, each, one, either, neither, anything, everything, something, and somebody are singular and therefore require singular personal pronouns, even when followed by a prepositional phrase that contains a plural noun.



Lack of Clear Pronoun Reference

Solution A: Rewrite the sentence, adding a clear antecedent for the pronoun.

The cast gave a wonderful performance, which was the result of hard work.




Solution B: Rewrite the sentence, substituting a noun for the pronoun.

There were no prices on the merchandise, and the lack of information bothered me.

The book says to sand the wood before painting it.


Solution A: Rewrite the sentence, substituting a noun for the pronoun.

When Marta and Helen picked up the magazines, the covers were dirty.



Solution B: Rewrite the sentence, making the antecedent of the pronoun clear.

Midori told her mother to look for a new job.



Solution A: Rewrite the sentence, substituting a noun for the pronoun.

Is there still a law that motorists cannot drive faster than 55 miles per hour?



Solution B: Rewrite the sentence, eliminating the pronoun entirely.

In Australia, the winter season arrives when it is summer here.


Shift in Pronoun

Solution A: Replace the incorrect pronoun with a pronoun that agrees with its antecedent.

I always study in the library because I can concentrate there.

One should feel lucky when one has good health.

They looked for a new television at the mall, where they can find bargains.Press the mouse button or Space Bar to see examples.

Solution B: Replace the incorrect pronoun with an appropriate noun.

I always study in the library because students can concentrate there.

They looked for a new television at the mall, where shoppers can find bargains.

Shift in Pronoun


Shift in Verb Tense

Solution: When two or more events occur at the same time, be sure to use the same verb tense to describe each event.

Since the clinic was so busy, the doctor saw ten patients in an hour.

I rented a video while Maria made popcorn for all of us.


Shift in Verb Tense


Solution: When two events have occurred at different times in the past, shift from the past tense to the past perfect tense to indicate that one action began and ended before another past action began.

By the time I finished my homework, my sister had come home from work.

Incorrect Verb Tense or Form

Solution: Add -ed to a regular verb to form the past tense and the past participle.

Krista heated the frying pan before she added the eggs.

The guard had questioned the visitor at the bank.



Solution: Irregular verbs form their past and past participle forms in some way other than by adding -ed. Memorize these forms, or look them up.

The pitcher threw the ball to second base.

The runner on third had already stolen home.



Solution: Use the past participle form of an irregular verb, not the past form, when you use a form of the auxiliary verb have.

Teka’s new shoes have torn her pantyhose.

The poet has woven a theme of sorrow throughout her new poem.



Solution A: The past participle of an irregular verb cannot stand alone as a verb. Add a form of the auxiliary verb have to the past participle to form a complete verb.

Jon has seen the squirrel carry nuts from the tree.

The officers have given medals to the war veterans.



Solution B: Replace the past participle with the past form of the verb.

Jon saw the squirrel carry nuts from the tree.

The officers gave medals to the war veterans.


Misplaced or Dangling Modifier

Solution: Modifiers that modify the wrong word or seem to modify more than one word in a sentence are called misplaced modifiers. Move the misplaced phrase as close as possible to the word or words it modifies.

Emily borrowed a sweater that was too small from her cousin.

The twins bought the old car with no horn or brakes.


Solution: Place the adverb only immediately before the word or group of words it modifies.

Only we have study hall twice a week.

We have only study hall twice a week.

We have study hall only twice a week.




Solution: Dangling modifiers do not logically seem to modify any word in the sentence. Rewrite the sentence, adding a noun to which the dangling phrase clearly refers. Often you will have to add other words, too.

Knowing little Spanish, Jenny found that the textbook was difficult to understand.

Coming home late last night, I realized that the front door was locked and bolted.

Driving through the tunnel, my father reached the tollbooth, which was blocked by traffic.


Missing or Misplaced Possessive Apostrophe

Solution: Use an apostrophe and -s to form the possessive of a singular noun, even one that ends in s.

My aunt’s dog is a beagle.

Jess’s story was fascinating.



Solution: Use an apostrophe alone to form the possessive of a plural noun that ends in -s.

The birds’ songs sounded sweet, even so early in the morning.



Solution: Use an apostrophe and -s to form the possessive of a plural noun that does not end in -s.

The children’s grandparents baked them chocolate chip cookies.



Solution A: Use an apostrophe and -s to form the possessive of a singular indefinite pronoun.

Someone’s package is at the lost and found desk.



Solution B: Do not use an apostrophe with any of the possessive personal pronouns.

Is it yours?



As the dragon roared, its fiery breath consumed everything around it.


Solution A: Do not use an apostrophe to form the possessive of it.


The detective said, “It’s true that the butler committed the crime.”


Solution B: Use an apostrophe to form the contraction of it is.

Missing Commas with Nonessential Elements

Solution: Determine whether the participle, infinitive, or phrase is essential to the meaning of the sentence or not. If it is not essential, set off the phrase with commas.

Lynda, delighted with the message, immediately called Rick with the news.

The professor, browsing through some old books, found a rare first edition.

To be honest, a gardener does not need a green thumb.Press the mouse button or Space Bar to see examples.


Solution: Determine whether the clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence or not. If it is not essential, set off the clause with commas.

My running shoes, which have reflective patches, were falling apart.



Solution: Determine whether the appositive is essential to the meaning of the sentence or not. If it is not essential, set off the appositive with commas.

The librarian, a creative woman, held a story hour for beginning readers.



Solution: Set off the interjection or parenthetical expression with commas.

Oops, I dropped the glass on the floor!

The junior class party, I think, will be held in the gym.


Missing Commas in a Series

The solution and examples are located on the next slide.

Missing Commas in a SeriesSolution: When there are three or more items in a series, use

a comma after each item that precedes the conjunction.

Meg bought new pillows, sheets, and curtains.

I walked into the attic, through the closet, and behind the bed to find the trunk with the costumes.

Victor saved his money so he could fly to Chicago, stay in a hotel, and go sightseeing.

The clowns performed tricks, the lions roared, the elephants paraded, and the ringmaster cracked his whip.


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