Comma Splices/Run-ons Misplaced Modifiers Parallelism Fun with Grammar! Comma Splices/Run-ons Misplaced Modifiers Parallelism

A Comma Splice “When two independent clauses are joined together by a comma with no intervening conjunction” These are your coordinating conjunctions: F A N B O Y S for and nor but or yet so

For Example: Correct or Incorrect: Tina walked to the park, Steve followed behind. Incorrect! Two options: Tina walked to the park; Steve followed behind. Tina walked to the park, and Steve followed behind. Semi-colon

Run-Ons Kate runs every day she is preparing for a marathon that will happen next month. Can be broken into two parts: “Kate runs every day,” and “She is preparing for a marathon that will happen next month.” These are two independent clauses that can stand on their own as sentences.

Run-Ons: Kate runs every day she is preparing for a marathon that will happen next month. Can also be joined together with a coordinating conjunction: “Kate runs every day because she is preparing for a marathon that will happen next month.”

More: Bonnie prefers to walk her dog through the park Jack doesn’t even though he lives near the best park in town. Bonnie likes to walk her dog through the park. Jack doesn’t… Bonnie likes to walk her dog through the park, but Jack doesn’t…

Correct or Incorrect? Bonnie likes to walk her dog through the park, however, Vincent doesn’t even though he lives near the best park in town. Semicolon! To connect two strongly related thoughts: “Bonnie likes to walk her dog through the park; however, Vincent doesn’t even though he lives near the best park in town.”

Misplaced Modifiers Having eaten six moon cakes, nausea overwhelmed Angelo. Nausea didn’t eat the six moon cakes; Angelo did! The modifying phrase must come directly before or after the words it’s modifying. Having eaten six moon cakes, Angelo was overwhelmed by nausea.

Example: Veronica packed her favorite clothes in her suitcase, which she planned to wear on vacation. Veronica doesn’t wear suitcases! Veronica packed her favorite clothes, which she planned to wear on vacation, in her suitcase. Veronica packed her suitcase with her favorite clothes, which she planned to wear on vacation.

Only, only, only! Only Chris walked a half hour to the store.  No one but Chris made the walk to the store. Chris only walked a half hour to the store.  He didn’t run, swim, or hitchhike. Chris walked only a half hour to the store.  Hey, that walk wasn’t so bad! Chris walked a half hour to only the store.  So he should have gone to more than one place?

Parallelism Lists of things must all be the same (verb tense, all nouns, etc.) In the pool area, there is no spitting, no running, and don’t throw your cigarette butts in the water. In the pool area, there is no spitting, no running, and no throwing your cigarette butts in the water. In the pool area, you must not spit, run, or throw your cigarette butts in the water.

Example: To grow tired of London is growing tired of life. To grow tired of London is to grow tired of life. Not parallel when the verb forms are different on either side of “is.”

And for nouns, too Emma enjoys books, good food, and to take long walks on the beach. Emma enjoys books, good food, and long walks on the beach. Emma enjoys detective novels, Italian food, and long walks on the beaches of Maine.