Fragments & Splices
Fix: "The team practiced for hours, they were exhausted."
Comma splice. Fix with a period or semicolon: "...for hours; they were exhausted."
Choose: "The list of ingredients (is/are) on the counter."
is — the subject is "list," singular.
Fix: "Walking to school, the rain started falling."
Dangling modifier — rain can't walk. Fix: "Walking to school, I felt the rain start falling."
Choose: "She likes hiking, swimming, and (to bike/biking)."
biking — matches the -ing form of the other items.
Choose: "It rained all day; ___, the game was postponed."
as a result / therefore — shows cause and effect.
Is this a sentence or a fragment? "Even though the results were surprising."
Fragment. It's a subordinate clause with no main clause attached.
Choose: "Neither the coach nor the players (was/were) satisfied."
were — with nor/or, the verb agrees with the nearer subject (players).
Choose the clearer sentence: A) "She only ate vegetables at dinner." B) "She ate only vegetables at dinner."
B — places "only" next to what it limits (vegetables, not the meal).
Fix: "The manager was organized, efficient, and she communicated well."
"The manager was organized, efficient, and communicative." — all three should be adjectives.
Choose: "The theory was popular; ___, later evidence disproved it."
however — signals contrast.
Fix: "Marisol finished her essay early she still reviewed it twice."
Run-on. Add a conjunction or period: "...early, but she still reviewed it twice."
Choose: "Each of the applicants (has/have) submitted a portfolio."
has — "each" is singular, regardless of the plural noun that follows.
Fix the misplaced modifier: "The scientist discussed the results of the study in the lecture hall."
If the study happened in the lecture hall, revise: "In the lecture hall, the scientist discussed the results of the study."
Fix: "He not only finished the race but also he was setting a record."
"He not only finished the race but also set a record." — match verb forms after each half of the pair.
Choose: "The budget was tight. ___, the team completed the project on time."
Nevertheless / even so — concession despite a limitation.
Which is correct? A) "Having studied all week, the exam felt manageable." B) "Having studied all week, Priya found the exam manageable."
B — A has a dangling modifier; "the exam" didn't study.
Choose: "The committee (is/are) divided on the proposal."
is — collective nouns take singular verbs when acting as one unit.
Fix: "Covered in dust, Elena finally found the old photographs."
Dangling modifier — Elena isn't covered in dust. Fix: "Covered in dust, the old photographs were finally found by Elena."
Choose the parallel version: A) "The plan requires funding, staffing, and to have a timeline." B) "The plan requires funding, staffing, and a timeline."
B — keeps all three items as nouns.
Choose: "Sales rose in Q1. ___, customer complaints also increased."
At the same time / similarly — parallel trend, not contrast.
Fix this fragment into a full sentence: "A decision that changed the course of the company."
Add a subject and verb, e.g. "The merger was a decision that changed the course of the company."
Choose: "The number of errors in the report (was/were) higher than expected."
was — "the number" is singular (contrast with "a number of," which is plural).
Identify the error: "To succeed in this field, hard work and persistence are needed."
Dangling infinitive — "hard work" can't "succeed." Fix: "To succeed in this field, you need hard work and persistence."
Fix: "The report was thorough, well-researched, and it persuaded readers."
"The report was thorough, well-researched, and persuasive." — match adjective forms.
Choose the best transition: "The data supports the hypothesis. ___, one outlier complicates the conclusion."
That said / still — acknowledges support while introducing a qualifying exception.