Examples:
Run-on Sentences
Definition: A run-on sentence occurs when two or more sentences are
brought together with no punctuation between the sentences. Run-on
sentences are one of the three serious "sentence-boundary" errors. (The
term "run-on sentence" does not refer to a long sentence!)
Examples:
How to Correct: Separate the complete sentences with (1) a period, (2) a
semicolon, (3) or a comma followed by a conjunction (such as "but,"
"and," or "so").
Comma Splices
Definition: A comma splice occurs when a comma separates two
complete sentences. Comma splices are one of the three serious
"sentence-boundary" errors.
Examples:
Note the last example. If you use a word such as "however," "therefore,"
or "consequently," and what comes both before and after the word are
complete sentences, the punctuation is usually the same as in Example 3
above (; however,).
Mixed Construction
Definition: Mixed construction occurs when one part of a sentence does
not logically or grammatically follow another part of the sentence.
Examples:
1. In Alice Walker’s "To Hell with Dying" is about the love the narrator
shares with Mr. Sweet.*
2. Because of pollution is one reason so many animals are endangered.*
1. Alice Walker’s "To Hell with Dying" is about the love the narrator shares
with Mr. Sweet.
2. Pollution is one reason so many animals are endangered.
Faulty Parallelism
Definition: Faulty parallelism occurs when parts of a sentence that are
either in balance or part of a series are not presented with the same (or
parallel) grammatical structure.
Examples:
How to Correct: To correct faulty parallelism, you first must recognize that
you are balancing items in your sentence or presenting two or more items
in a series. Separating the different parts of your sentence should help, as
in the example below:
Now the item causing the "faulty parallelism" becomes clear. To correct
faulty parallelism, rewrite the sentence so that all of the different items are
presented in the same way. In the example above, "explaining" should be
changed to "to explain."
Examples:
Pronoun Errors
Definition: Pronouns (such as "he," "they," "their," "it") are used to replace
nouns, and pronouns must agree in number and person with the noun
they are replacing (the words that pronouns replace are called
"antecedents"). In other words, "he" must refer to one male, and "they"
must refer to two or more people or things. Lack of pronoun agreement
occurs when the pronoun does not agree in number or person with its
antecedent. Pronoun errors also occur when the writer uses a pronoun
whose antecedent is missing, is ambiguous, or is too far removed from its
antecedent.
Examples:
1. When a student gets behind in the course, they have a difficult time
completing all of the assignments.*
2. Judy asked Marie if the instructor wanted to see her.*
3. When one debates an issue, he must have thorough knowledge of both
sides of the issue.*
How to Correct: To correct a problem with pronoun agreement, you must
identify the antecedent of the pronoun, and then you must change the
pronoun or the antecedent so that each agrees in number and person
with the other. If the antecedent may be unclear to readers, you can
replace the pronoun with its antecedent, or you might have to rewrite the
sentence to clarify your meaning.
1. When a student gets behind in the course, he or she has a difficult time
completing all of the assignments, or When students get behind in the
course, they have a difficult time completing all of the assignments.
2. Judy asked Marie if the instructor wanted to see Marie.
3. When one debates an issue, one must have thorough knowledge of both
sides of the issue.
Apostrophe/Possessive Errors
Definition: There are a few different kinds of possessive and apostrophe
errors:
Examples:
1. All of the student’s were prepared for the exam.*
2. I waited an hour in the doctors office!*
3. Marys’ dream is to begin a new life with Frank.*
4. Its not that I dislike the story; I just do not understand it’s meaning.*
Note: A common error is confusion over "its" and "it’s," but knowing which
word to use is simple if you remember that "it’s" always means "it is" or "it
has." "Its" is used to show possession; "it’s" is never used to show
possession. In addition, students will sometimes use its', with the
apostrophe after the "s," but this form does not exist.
Misplaced/Dangling Modifiers
Definition: A "modifier" is a word or phrase that "modifies" or changes
another word or phrase. A modifier is misplaced if it modifies the wrong
word or phrase. A modifier is "dangling" if the word or phrase that is
supposed to be modified does not appear in the sentence.
Examples:
1. Looking out the window, he saw that the snow continued to fall.
2. After biting two children, our German Shepherd was taken away by the
police.
3. Although expensive and well planned, her vacation to Hawaii was
disappointing.
Note: Misplaced modifiers usually will convey a meaning that the writer
did not intend. For example, the sentence "After biting two children, the
police took away our German Shepherd" means that the police bit two
children and then took a dog away. In the third example, "she" is being
described as "expensive and well planned"!
Semicolons Errors
There is one main situation in which semicolons (;) are used, and that is
to separate two complete sentences that are closely related in meaning.
To some extent, periods and semicolons are interchangeable; in some
situations, you can use one or the other. Semicolons and commas
are not interchangeable. If you can replace your semicolon with a comma,
you have used the semicolon incorrectly. (Note: There are some
exceptions to this rule of semicolon usage, but they are so rare that they
seldom come up in student papers.)
Spelling Errors
"Spelling Errors" is self-explanatory. Use a spell checker and a dictionary.
Typographical Errors
"Typographical Errors" is self-explanatory. Proofread carefully.
Other Errors
Other errors that might come up in an essay include the following:
This page was last updated on June 06, 2013. Copyright Randy Rambo,
2011.