Sentence Problems:

Fragment

Run-on and Comma Splices

Choppy Sentence

Stringy Sentences

Unparalleled Sentences

Level: L1
Lecturer: Dr Hamel
What is a sentence?
› a group of words expressing a complete thought consists of:
› A subject (tells whom or what the sentence is about)
› A verb (tells what the subject does or did)
› A predicate ( the rest of the sentence...)
› Examples:
› My classmates feel tired today.

subject predicate

› Working full-time while going to school is difficult.

subject predicate
 What is a fragment? #1

A group of words that does not express a complete thought because it is

usually missing a subject or a predicate
Examples:

 The king and all his men. (missing verb)

 The people in this house. (missing verb)

 Cared for his younger daughter. (missing subject)

 Shows no improvement in your project. ( missing subject)

 What is a fragment?

Stand alone, partial clause

Begins with subordinate adverbs (whenever, because, since, until, although, even
if, etc.)

Examples:

Because I said so

Although you’re wrong

Since you’ve already made your mind up

Even though I don’t agree

Whenever you’re ready…

As soon as we finish the test.
 What is a run-on?

Fusing two sentences into one without any conjunction and

punctuation mark.
Gestures are a means of communication for everyone they are essential
for the hearing-impaired.
Connecting two or more independent sentences by a comma
Comma
splice without a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet).
Gestures are a means of communication for everyone, they are
essential for the hearing-impaired.
Comma splices Out in the World
The run-on sentences

Use a comma+ a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or,

nor, for, so, yet).
Gestures are a means of communication for everyone, but
they are essential for the hearing-impaired.
 4 fixes for run-on sentences

Use a semicolon (+ transitional expression)

Gestures are a means of communication for everyone;
(however,) they are essential for the hearing-impaired.
 Fixes for run-on sentences

Restructure the sentence.

Gestures are a means of communication for everyone they are

essential for the hearing-impaired.

Although gestures are a means of communication for everyone,

they are essential for the hearing-impaired.
 Choppy Sentence
 Choppy sentences are sentences that are too short and often repeat the same.
So too many short simple sentences can make your writing appear
unsophisticated.
 Solutions:

 using words that show cause and effect such as because, since, and so,
and words that show contrast such as but, yet and although.

 using subordination (phrases beginning with if, when, after, as, etc.) and
conjunctions like and, but, so…
 Examples:

 Choppy Sentence
She took dance classes. She had no sense of rhythm. She
eventually gave up the idea of becoming a dancer.
 Good One
She took dance classes, but she had no natural grace or sense of
rhythm, so she eventually gave up the idea of becoming a
dancer.
 Integrate minor details in Choppy Sentence

You don’t need a new sentence for each piece of information.

 choppy
The boy asked his father a question. The boy is five years old.
The question was about death.
 Good one
The five-year-old boy asked his father a question about death.
 Stringy sentence

 A stringy sentence is made up of several complete thoughts strung together with

words like 'and', 'so', or 'but'. Stringy sentences are so long that the reader forgets the
beginning of the sentence before reaching the end.
Stringy: My best friend's name is Anna and she lives next door and so we do many
things together.

 Good one: My best friend's name is Anna, and she lives next door. We do many things

together.

To fix a stringy sentence, you can

 Break the sentence into two or more sentences

 Turn some of the complete thoughts into phrases or subordinate clauses

 Fixed Sentences

Stringy: I try to teach my friend things and he keeps forgetting and I feel bad because he's
always helping me.

Good one: I try to teach my friend things, and he keeps forgetting. I feel bad because he's
always helping me.

Stringy: Many students attend classes all morning, and then they work all afternoon,
and they also have to study at night, so they are usually exhausted by the weekend.
Good one: Many students attend classes all morning, and then they work all afternoon.
They also have to study at night, so they are usually exhausted by the weekend.
 Parallel VS Unparallel sentence
 Parallel structures are phrases or clauses within sentences that repeat the
same word forms (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and the like) in the same order to
perform the same function.

 Unparalleled refers to something that is unmatched or unequalled in some

way. This could be in terms of quality, quantity, or uniqueness.

 Eg.,

I enjoy hiking, swimming, and to fish

John is studying music, dance and how to make art.