Run-ons
I was excited to start university I had no idea how stressful it would become.
ERROR: Run-on. Missing connecting word (but, etc.)
FIX: I was excited to start university, but I had no idea how stressful it would become.
Because I forgot to save my assignment.
WHAT'S MISSING? (subject, verb, independent clause?)
ERROR: no independent clause. The dependent clause already contains a subject ("I") and a verb ("forgot"), but the thought is incomplete.
Because I forgot to save my assignment, I had to rewrite it.
I wanted to make a good first impression, I accidentally called my professor 'Mom.'
Comma splice. add "but". "I wanted to make a good first impression, but I accidentally called my professor 'Mom.'"
Unfortunately I submitted my assignment to the wrong course.
WHATS MISSING?
A comma after "Unfortunately."
I joined the debate club because I wanted to improve my public speaking skills however I discovered that I was more interested in arguing with people.
WHATS WRONG? Identify and correct the grammatical error.
CORRECTION: "...public speaking skills; however, I discovered..."
Run-on.
My group members promised to finish their sections by Thursday nobody submitted anything on time so I ended up writing most of the report myself.
ERROR: Three independent clauses, with missing punctuation after "Thursday" and before "so."
FIX: My group members promised to finish their sections by Thursday, but nobody submitted anything on time, so I ended up writing most of the report myself.
The student who submitted the application after the deadline.
WHATS MISSING: a subject? A verb? (make up the rest of the sentence, no wrong answers)
Contains: noun phrase ("The student") and a verb ("submitted") inside a relative clause, but lacks a main verb for "The student."
eg. The student who submitted the application after the deadline was asked to contact the admissions office.
Online learning offers students greater flexibility, traditional classroom environments provide more opportunities for spontaneous interaction.
WHATS MISSING? Why is the comma insufficient? Give two possible corrections.
Online learning offers students greater flexibility, but traditional classroom environments provide more opportunities for spontaneous interaction.
Online learning offers students greater flexibility; traditional classroom environments provide more opportunities for spontaneous interaction.
Independant clauses, use semicolon or comma + "but."
Many students rely on caffeine to remain alert during examinations. However excessive consumption may negatively affect their sleep.
WHATS WRONG? Correct the punctuation and explain why.
However, excessive consumption..." The introductory transition is followed by a comma.
Dear Professor, I am writing to request an extension for the assignment. Due to an unexpected family emergency that prevented me from completing the required research.
WHATS MISSING?
The second sentence is a fragment because "Due to..." introduces a dependant clause not an independent clause.
Correction: "I am writing to request an extension for the assignment due to an unexpected family emergency that prevented me from completing the required research."
Although social media allows individuals to communicate across geographical boundaries, excessive reliance on online interactions may reduce the quality of face-to-face relationships this is particularly concerning among adolescents.
ERROR: run-on occurs between "relationships" and "this."
FIX: ...face-to-face relationships; this is particularly concerning among adolescents.
After spending three hours choosing an outfit, watching approximately seventeen tutorials on how to style my hair, and convincing myself that I was finally going to look like someone who had their life together.
WHATS MISSING? contains several action words. Why is it still a fragment?
It's an introductory prepositional phrase beginning with "After," not a complete independent clause. The -ing forms do not function as a finite main verb here.
Correction: "...I ended up wearing the same hoodie I wear every day."
During my first semester, I struggled to balance my academic responsibilities with extracurricular activities, I eventually learned that effective time management requires setting realistic priorities.
WHATS WRONG? which comma is incorrect? explain.
The comma after "activities" joins two independent clauses. The comma after "semester" is correctly used after an introductory phrase.
Correction: "...extracurricular activities. I eventually learned..."
My professor said the assignment would be easy, however, the instructions were twelve pages long.
WHATS WRONG?
FIX: Period: My professor said the assignment would be easy. However, the instructions were twelve pages long.
FIX: Semicolon: My professor said the assignment would be easy; however, the instructions were twelve pages long.
ERROR: "However" cannot join two complete sentences using only a comma.
My group members insisted that we should divide the workload equally, I agreed because I believed everyone would contribute. However by the night before the deadline, I was the only person who had completed their section.
WHATS WRONG: Identify TWO grammatical errors and correct them.
Comma splice after "equally" and missing comma after "However."
Correction: "...workload equally. I agreed..." and "However, by the night before..."
The researchers initially predicted that participants exposed to stressful conditions would perform poorly on memory tasks, however, the findings suggested a different pattern of performance the participants who reported moderate stress actually performed better than those who reported no stress.
ERROR: A comma splice before "however" and a run-on after "performance."
FIX: ...memory tasks; however, the findings suggested a different pattern of performance: the participants who reported moderate stress actually performed better than those who reported no stress.
A period or semicolon after "performance" would also work.
The increasing dependence on artificial intelligence in higher education, particularly among students who use automated tools to generate ideas, organize arguments, and revise written assignments.
WHATS MISSING? Identify the grammatical subject.
The complete subject is "The increasing dependence on artificial intelligence in higher education," expanded by the modifying phrase beginning with "particularly." The sentence lacks a main verb or predicate for that subject.
Correction: "...raises important questions about academic independence and critical thinking."
The participants, who were recruited from three different universities, completed a series of cognitive assessments, the results of these assessments were subsequently compared across age groups.
WHATS WRONG: There are three commas. Which one is grammatically problematic?
The comma after "assessments" creates a comma splice. The commas around "who were recruited from three different universities" correctly set off a nonrestrictive relative clause.
Correction: "...completed a series of cognitive assessments; the results of these assessments were subsequently compared across age groups."
The first experiment demonstrated a significant improvement in participants' reaction times, nevertheless, the second experiment failed to replicate these findings under similar conditions.
WHATS WRONG? Why is the punctuation incorrect even though "nevertheless" is surrounded by commas?
"Nevertheless" cannot join two independent clauses with commas alone. (like however)
Correction: "...reaction times; nevertheless, the second experiment failed..."
The use of artificial intelligence in academic settings, particularly when students rely on automated tools to generate written responses rather than developing their own arguments, raising important questions about originality and academic integrity.
Fragment. The subject is "The use of artificial intelligence in academic settings." The sentence lacks a finite main verb; "raising" cannot serve as the main verb in this construction.
Correction: "...raises important questions about originality and academic integrity."
Growing up, I always believed that confidence was something people were born with, not something they developed through experience, it wasn't until I began volunteering at a local community center, where I was responsible for organizing workshops and communicating with unfamiliar people, that I realized confidence could be learned.
ERROR: The comma after "experience" incorrectly joins two independent clauses.
FIX: Growing up, I always believed that confidence was something people were born with, not something they developed through experience. It wasn't until I began volunteering at a local community center, where I was responsible for organizing workshops and communicating with unfamiliar people, that I realized confidence could be learned.
Although several studies examining the relationship between social media consumption and adolescent well-being have identified significant associations between excessive screen time and symptoms of anxiety, particularly among individuals who report limited face-to-face social interaction.
WHAT'S MISSING? Why is it still a fragment?
"Studies" is the subject of the dependent clause, and "have identified" is its verb. But "Although" makes the entire clause dependent. The sentence needs an independent clause.
Correction: "...limited face-to-face social interaction, the direction of this relationship remains unclear."
While many universities have introduced policies encouraging students to use artificial intelligence responsibly, the distinction between acceptable assistance and academic misconduct remains unclear, students may therefore struggle to determine whether certain uses of AI violate institutional expectations.
WHATS WRONG: distinguish the dependent clause from the independent clauses, and locate the comma splice.
Correction: "...remains unclear; students may therefore struggle..."
The comma after "unclear" creates the splice.
Dependent clause: "While many universities have introduced policies encouraging students to use artificial intelligence responsibly"
Independent clause 1: "the distinction between acceptable assistance and academic misconduct remains unclear"
Independent clause 2: "students may therefore struggle to determine whether certain uses of AI violate institutional expectations"
Previous studies have consistently demonstrated a positive association between physical activity and psychological well-being. On the contrary, several researchers have emphasized that the strength of this relationship varies considerably depending on age, exercise intensity, and individual differences.
WHATS WRONG? Is the transition appropriate? If not, suggest a better one and explain how the meaning changes.
"However, several researchers have emphasized..." or "Nevertheless, several researchers have emphasized..."
"On the contrary" implies that the second sentence contradicts or refutes the first. However, the second sentence qualifies the relationship rather than denying it.
Although the increasing accessibility of online information has made independent learning more convenient for university students, particularly those balancing academic responsibilities with part-time employment, the reliability of such information remains a significant concern, students may encounter misleading sources that appear credible because they imitate the structure and language of academic publications.
A tutee insists this sentence is correct because it contains multiple commas and conjunctions. Identify the grammatical error, explain why the other commas are acceptable, and propose a correction.
Comma splice after "concern."
"Although" introduces a dependent clause.
The commas around "particularly those balancing..." set off supplementary information.
"The reliability of such information remains a significant concern" is an independent clause.
"Students may encounter misleading sources..." is another independent clause.
The comma between these last two clauses is insufficient.
Correction: "...the reliability of such information remains a significant concern; students may encounter misleading sources..."