1. Incomplete Sentences (Fragments)
* Definition: A sentence fragment occurs when a clause is missing a subject or a verb, making it incomplete.
* Example: "Running quickly down the street." (Missing subject: who is running?)
* Solution: Add the missing subject or verb to complete the thought. "The dog was running quickly down the street."
2. Run-on Sentences
* Definition: A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (complete sentences) are joined together without proper punctuation or conjunction.
* Example: "The dog ran down the street he chased a squirrel."
* Solution: Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, for, yet), a semicolon, or a period to separate the independent clauses. "The dog ran down the street, and he chased a squirrel."
3. Comma Splices
* Definition: A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined only with a comma, which is not sufficient punctuation to separate them.
* Example: "The cat sat on the mat, the dog barked at the door."
* Solution: Use a semicolon, a comma and a coordinating conjunction, or a period to separate the clauses. "The cat sat on the mat; the dog barked at the door."
4. Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers
* Definition: These errors occur when a modifier (a word or phrase that describes something) is placed in a sentence so that it modifies the wrong word or phrase.
* Example: "I saw a bird flying in the sky with binoculars." (It seems like the bird is using binoculars.)
* Solution: Reposition the modifier to clarify its intended meaning. "Using binoculars, I saw a bird flying in the sky."
5. Subordinate Clause Errors
* Definition: Subordinate clauses are clauses that depend on another clause to make sense. These errors occur when a subordinate clause is not properly connected to the main clause or when it is incorrectly punctuated.
* Example: "While I was eating, the phone rang." (Correct)
* Example: "While I was eating, the phone rang, I answered it." (Incorrect, because the subordinate clause isn't connected properly.)
* Solution: Use correct punctuation and conjunctions to ensure that subordinate clauses are correctly connected to main clauses.
6. Subject-Verb Agreement
* Definition: This error occurs when the verb in a clause does not agree with the subject in number.
* Example: "The dogs is playing in the park." (Incorrect)
* Solution: The verb must agree with the subject in number. "The dogs are playing in the park."
Understanding clause errors helps you write clearer and more grammatically correct sentences.