Lesson 5: Correcting Common Sentence Errors

Overview

Sentence errors are common, not only among students like you, but even to
professionals. This is true because English is not our first language. English, being our second
language, it is very important that we take note of how we say and write things correctly.
In this lesson, you are going to learn about the different common sentence errors and
find the different ways of correcting them.

Learning Outcomes
1. Identify the different errors in writing sentences.
2. Re-write sentences to make them complete, clear, natural, and acceptable.
3. Complete fragment sentences.
4. Combine choppy sentences using punctuation marks and conjunctions.
5. Substitute ambiguous words in a sentence to make it clear.
6. Re-write sentences which have misplaced or dangling modifiers.
7. Re-write sentences that use deadwood, flowery language, trite expression, jargon, euphemism
and cliché.
8. Shorten sentences that are wordy.
9. Use standard or fair language in writing sentences.
10. Revise sentences which have double negative.
11. Observe parallelism in constructing sentences.

Content

A. Introductory Activity
Take a look at the sentences under Column A. Then, re-write the sentences to make them correct.
Check your answers in the answer key.
Column A Column B

1. I have a question to ask you.

2. My pay is not enough to live on.

3. She married late in life.

4. He is a liar and you are too.

 5. I prefer coffee than tea.

B. Developmental Activity
Writing sentences that are clearly understood is very important. It avoids misunderstanding and
miscommunication. Thus, it is imperative that we convey what we really mean. With this, we are going to
discuss the following in order to do this.

A. Writing Complete Sentences

By definition, a complete sentence expresses a complete thought and contains both a subject
and a predicate. Several ideas, not just one, may make up this complete though. The trick is getting those
ideas to work together in a clear, interesting sentence that expresses your exact meaning.

1. Fragment – a group of words used as a sentence. It is not a sentence, though, because it lacks a subject,
a verb, or some other essential part. Because of the missing part, the thought is incomplete.
Fragment: Lettuce all over the table. (This fragment lacks a verb.)
Sentence: Lettuce flew all over the table.
Fragment: When Herbie tossed the salad. (This fragment has a subject and verb, but it does not
convey a complete thought. We need to know what happened “when Herbie tossed the salad.”)
Sentence: When Herbie tossed the salad, lettuce flew all over the table.
Fragment: Laughing and scooping up a pile of lettuce. Kate remarked, “Now, that’s what I call a
tossed salad!” (The fragment is followed by a complete sentence. This fragment, a participial
phrase, can be combined with the sentence to form a complete thought.)
Sentence: Laughing and scooping up a pile of lettuce, Kate remarked, “Now, that’s what I call a
tossed salad!”
NOTE: Fragments may be used to have a dramatic effect, such as in single words or phrases set
off as sentences. Ex. “Teenage mothers. Child abuse. Crowded schools. Fragments may also be
used in writing dialogue since people often use incomplete thoughts when they talk.

2. Comma Splice – results when two independent clauses are connected (“spliced”) with only a comma.
The comma is not enough: a period, semi-colon, or a conjunction is needed. (Note: An independent
clause presents a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.)
Splice: The concertgoers had been waiting in the hot sun for two hours, many were beginning to
show their impatience by chanting and clapping.
Corrected: The concertgoers had been waiting in the hot sun for two hours, and many were
beginning to show their impatience by chanting and clapping. (A coordinating conjunction has
been added.)
Corrected: The concertgoers had been waiting in the hot sun for two hours; many were beginning
to show their impatience by chanting and clapping. (A comma has been changed to a semicolon.)

3. Rambling Sentence – seems to go on and on in a monotonous fashion (often because of too many
and’s.) To correct this error, remove some of the and’s, fix the punctuation, and reword different parts if
it results in a better passage.
Rambling: The intruder entered through the window and tiptoed down the hall and stood under
the stairwell and waited in the shadows.
Corrected: The intruder entered through the window. He tiptoed down the hall and stood under
the stairwell and waited in the shadows.
Corrected: The intruder, who had entered through the window, tiptoed down the hall. He stood
under the stairwell and waited in the shadows.

4. Run-On Sentence – is two (or more) sentences joined without adequate punctuation or a connecting
word.
Run-on: I thought the ride would never end my eyes were crossed, and my fingers were numb.
 Corrected: I thought the ride would never end. My eyes were crossed, and my fingers were numb.

B. Writing Clear Sentences

1. Incomplete Comparison – is the result of leaving out a word or words that are necessary to show exactly
what is being compared to what.
Incomplete: I get along with Rosa better than my sister. (Do you mean that you get along with
Rosa better than you get along with your sister … or that you get along with Rosa better than your
sister does?)
Clear: I get along with Rosa better than my sister does.

2. Ambiguous Wording – is wording that is unclear because it has two or more possible meanings.
Ambiguous: Mike decided to take his new convertible to the drive-in movie, which turned out to
be a real horror story. (What turned out to be a real horror story—Mike’s taking his new convertible
to the drive-in, or the movie?)
Clear: Mike decided to take his new convertible to the drive-in movie, a decision that turned out
to be a real horror story.

3. Indefinite Reference – is a problem caused by careless use of pronouns. As a result, readers are not
sure who or what the pronoun(s) is referring to.
Indefinite: In To Kill a Mockingbird, she describes the problems faced by Atticus Finch and his
family. (Who is she?)
Clear: In To Kill a Mockingbird, the author, Harper Lee, describes the problems faced by Atticus
Finch and his family.
Indefinite: As he pulled his car up to the service window, it made a strange rattling sound. (Which
rattled, the car or the window?)
Clear: His car made a strange rattling sound as he pulled up to the service window.

4. Misplaced Modifiers – are modifiers that have been placed incorrectly; therefore, the meaning of the
sentence is not clear. (Modifiers should be placed as close as possible to the word they modify.)
Misplaced: We have an assortment of combs for physically active people with unbreakable teeth.
(People with unbreakable teeth?)
Corrected: For physically active people, we have an assortment of combs with unbreakable
teeth.

5. Dangling Modifiers – are modifiers that appear to modify the wrong word or a word that isn’t in the
sentence.
Dangling: Trying desperately to get under the fence, Paul’s mother called him. (The phrase trying
desperately to get under the fence appears to modify Paul’s mother.)
Corrected: Trying desperately to get under the fence, Paul heard his mother call him. (Corrected
by rewording and adding Paul, the person being referred to by the modifier.)
Dangling: After standing in line for five hours, the manager announced that all the tickets had
been sold. (In this sentence, it appears as if the manager had been standing in line for five hours.)
Corrected: After I stood in line for five hours, the manager announced that all the tickets had
been sold.

C. Writing Natural Sentences

1. Deadwood – is wording that fills up lots of space but does not add anything important or new to the
overall meaning.
Wordy: At this point in time, I feel the study needs additional work before the subcommittee can
recommend it be resubmitted for further consideration.
Concise: The study needs more work.

2. Flowery Language – is writing that uses more or bigger words than needed. It is writing that often
contains too many adjectives or adverbs.
 Flowery: The cool, fresh breeze, which came like a storm in the night, lifted me to the exhilarating
heights from which I had been previously suppressed by the incandescent cloud in the learning
center.
Concise: The cool breeze was a refreshing change from the muggy classroom air.

3. Trite Expression – is one that is overused and stale; as a result, it sounds neither sincere nor natural.
Trite: It gives all of us great deal of pleasure to present to you this plaque as a token of our
appreciation.
Natural: Please accept this plaque with our heartfelt thanks.

4. Jargon – is language used in a certain profession or by a certain group of people. It is usually very
technical and not at all natural.
Jargon: I’m having conceptual difficulty with these employee mandates.
Natural: I don’t understand these rules.

5. Euphemism – is a word or a phrase that is substituted for another because it is considered a less
offensive way of saying something.
Euphemism: I am so exasperated that I could expectorate.
Natural: I am so mad I could spit.

6. Wordiness – occurs when extra words are used in a sentence, such as when a word, phrase, or synonym
is repeated unnecessarily.
Redundant: He had a way of keeping my attention by raising and lowering his voice all the time
throughout his whole speech.
Concise: He kept my attention by raising and lowering his voice when he spoke.
Double Subject: Some people they don’t use their voices as well as they could. (Drop they;
people is the only subject needed.)
Concise: Some people don’t use their voices as well as they could.
Tautology: repeat again, descend down, audible to the ear, refer back, unite together (Each word
group says the same thing twice.)

7. Cliché – an overused word or phrase that springs quickly to mind but just as quickly bores the user and
the audience. It gives the reader nothing new or original to think about.
Cliché: Her face was as red as a beet.
Natural: Her face turned to a deep shade of red.

Clichés to Avoid
after all is said and done drop in the bucket
beat around the bush easier said than done
believe it or not face the music
best foot forward fish out of water
better late than never flat as a pancake
calm before the storm food for thought
cart before the horse grin and bear it
chalk up a victory in a nutshell
come through with flying colors in one ear and out the other
crying shame in the nick of time
don’t rock the boat last but not least
lesser of two evils
more than meets the eye
no time like the present
put your foot in your mouth
quiet enough to hear a pin drop
raining cats and dogs
see eye to eye
shot in the arm
sink or swim
so far, so good

D. Writing Acceptable Sentences

1. Nonstandard Language – often acceptable in everyday conversation, but seldom in formal writing.
Colloquial: Avoid the use of colloquial language such as go with, wait up.
Nonstandard: Mr. Park went with to the meeting.
Acceptable: Mr. Park went with them to the meeting.
 Double Preposition: Avoid the use of certain double preposition: off of, off to, in on.
Nonstandard: Reggie went off to the movies.
Acceptable: Reggie went to the movies.

Substitution:
Avoid substituting and for to in formal writing.
Nonstandard: Try and get here on time.
Acceptable: Try to get here on time.
Avoid substituting of for have when combining with could, would, should, or might.
Nonstandard: I should of studied for the test.
Acceptable: I should have studied for the test.

2. Double Negative – the improper use of two negative words to perform the same function in a sentence.
In standard English, use only one negative word in a sentence.
Awkward: I haven’t got no money. (This actually says—with the two negatives—I have money.)
Corrected: I haven’t got any money. / I have no money.
NOTE: Using the words hardly, barely, or scarcely with the words no or not also results in a double
negative.

3. Shifts in Construction – a change in the structure or style midway through a sentence.

Shift in Number: When a person has the flu, they ought to stay at home.
Corrected: When people have the flu, they ought to stay at home.
Shift in Person: When you are well again, you can do all the things a person loves to do.
Corrected: When you are well again, you can do all the things you love to do.
Shift in Voice: Marcia is playing soccer again and many new skills are being learned by her.
(Active to passive)
Corrected: Marcia is playing soccer again and learning many new skills. (Both verbs are in the
active voice.)
Shift in Tense: Marcia drinks lots of juice and got plenty of rest.
Corrected: Marcia drinks lots of juice and gets plenty of rest.
NOTE: A tense shift is acceptable in a sentence that states one action as happening before
another action.
Ex. I think (present tense) he completed (past tense) his assignment last night.

4. Unparallel Construction – occurs when the kind of words or phrases being used changes in the middle
of a sentence.
Unparallel: In my hometown, folks pass the time shooting pool, pitching horseshoes, and at
softball games. (The sentence switches from the –ing word, shooting and pitching, to the
prepositional phrase at softball games.)
Parallel: In my hometown, folks pass the time shooting pool, pitching horseshoes, and playing
softball.
Unparallel: For the open house, teachers prepare handouts for parents and are organizing the
students’ work for display. (In this sentence, the verb prepare and organizing are unparallel—not
stated in the same way.)
Parallel: For the open house, teachers prepare handouts for parents and organize the students’
work for display.
 Practice Exercise

Directions: Rewrite the following sentences to make them complete, clear, natural, and acceptable. Please
observe correct usage as well. Write your sentences on the space provided.

1. Fragment: Start after the weekend.

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2. Rambling Sentence: He picked up his bag, for it was time to go, and then he grabbed his coat and
walked out the door.
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3. Incomplete Comparison: Ecological modeling is more difficult.

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4. Ambiguous Wording: Foreigners are hunting dogs.

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5. Misplaced Modifier: I held the ticket tightly in my hand that my friend gave me.
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6. Dangling Modifier: Driving west, the scenery was beautiful.

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7. Deadwood: A sufficient amount of baking soda solution will help to remove the stinky odor.
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8. Shifts in Construction: The entire staff of RTB wishes to express our gratitude.
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9. Indefinite Reference: We hailed the taxi driver, but it kept going.

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10. Flowery Language: The game was spectacularly wonderful!

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11. Jargon: The students were encouraged to think out of the box.
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12. Euphemism: The volunteers visit the correctional facility.

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13. Wordiness: Many local farmers will attend next Friday’s meeting.
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14. Double Negative: I have not invited no one.

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15. Cliché: I met my friend’s grandfather who is as old as the hills.

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