Sentence or Not?
Participants could leave the study at any time, they needed to indicate their preference.
Run On!
A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (also known as complete sentences) are connected improperly.
Shows no improvement in any of the vital signs.
Add a subject!
Although you might not believe it, Antonio actually benefits from his terrible handwriting because no one can read it, Antonio doesn't have to worry about using the right word or the right spelling.
Comma Splice!
In place of the comma, use a period!
Although you might not believe it, Antonio actually benefits from his terrible handwriting because no one can read it. Antonio doesn't have to worry about using the right word or the right spelling.
Maria ate a burger he ate a salad.
Fused Sentence- needs punctuation between the two independent clauses.
Possible corrections:
Maria ate a burger, and he ate a salad
Maria ate a burger. He ate a salad
Mrs. Smith bought apples at the store they were tart and she wanted a refund.
Mrs. Smith bought apples at the store. They were tart and she wanted a refund.
I love to write papers; I would write one every day if I had the time.
Sentence!
Ran as fast as he could.
Why is it a fragment? No subject for the verb “ran”
Sandra took calls inn the car and sometimes while running.
Full sentence!
Whenever my sister sings. She is quite loud.
Wrong! We have an independent and a dependent clause. Connect them with a coordinating conjunction!
Whenever my sister sings, she is quite loud.
He often watched TV when there were only reruns, she preferred to read instead.
He often watched TV when there were only reruns. She preferred to read instead.
Because I love to write papers, I would write one every day if I had the time.
Sentence!
Here, we see a subordinating conjunction (because) and an independent clause (I would write one every day if I had the time) connected to an independent clause to create a complex sentence.
The tall tree, the one that I loved to climb.
Why is it wrong? No verb for the subject “tree"
I loved to climb the tall tree.
The results of the study were inconclusive, therefore more research needs to be done on the topic.
Comma Splice!
Why? Some comma splices occur when a writer attempts to use a transitional expression in the middle of a sentence.
Correct: The results of the study were inconclusive; therefore, more research needs to be done on the topic.
This new dress makes me look sallow I will have to return it.
Incorrect. Fused sentence.
This new dress makes me look sallow; I will have to return it.
While Jan slept, Susan baked dessert for Christmas dinner would be at seven.
While Jan slept, Susan baked dessert for Christmas. Dinner would be at seven.
The doctors, who were using peer-reviewed research articles that contributed to the body of knowledge in their fields, which was obstetrics.
FRAGMENT!
Notice here that although the sentence is quite long, it still contains no action (What are the doctors doing?).
Revision: The doctors, who were using peer-reviewed research articles that contributed to the body of knowledge in their field, improved their knowledge of obstetrics.
That he loved her.
Why? the word “that” means that this is a completing phrase for another sentence, so “he” and “loved” cannot be the subject and the verb
I like sandwiches so much that I make them all the time sometimes with mayonnaise.
Fused Sentence- run on.
I like sandwiches so much that I make them all the time and sometimes I use mayonnaise.
You can use a FANBOY and comma to correct it or write two new sentences.
If you offer Valerie a piece of watermelon, she will refuse it, the slices look like the wicked smile of a circus clown who once scared her as a child during a trip to the circus.
Incorrect--- this is a comma splice!
Split with a period:
If you offer Valerie a piece of watermelon, she will refuse it.
The slices look like the wicked smile of a circus clown who once scared her as a child during a trip to the circus.
Grandma still rides her Harley motorcycle her toy poodle balances in a basket between the handlebars.
You can:
Make two complete sentences:
Grandma still rides her Harley motorcycle.Her toy poodle balances in a basket between the handlebars.
Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction:
Grandma still rides her Harley motorcycle, and her toy poodle balances in a basket between the handlebars.
Use a semicolon.
Grandma still rides her Harley motorcycle; her toy poodle balances in a basket between the handlebars.
Use a subordinate conjunction.
While Grandma rides her Harley motorcycle, her toy poodle balances in a basket between the handlebars.
She loved to walk barefoot, however, she always wore shoes at the beach.
Run on!
Why? Some comma splices occur when a writer attempts to use a transitional expression in the middle of a sentence.
Knowing that he was in big trouble.
Why is it a fragment? No subject, verb “knowing” has no tense
Mel knew he was in big trouble.
When Robert is riding his Honda motorcycle, he drives recklessly, weaving dangerously through rush hour traffic.
Correct!
Though Mitchell prefers watching romantic films, he rented the latest spy thriller, and he enjoyed it very much.
Correct! This is a compound-complex sentence.
A compound-complex sentence is comprised of at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
Ernest Hemingway’s style is quite distinctive, he makes extensive use of the compound sentence, for instance, to create an impression of balanced tension.
Here, the writer tried to connect two independent clauses with a comma--a punctuation mark that is too puny for the job.
Ernest Hemingway’s style is quite distinctive.
He makes extensive use of the compound sentence, for instance, to create an impression of balanced tension.