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Ch. 17 –
Sentence Problems
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Opening Activity
The following phrases are fragments. Add words and phrases to help turn these fragments into complete sentences.
At the next light.
Driving over the speed bump.
When braking too hard.
Ignoring the stop sign.
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Answers
The following phrases are fragments. Add words and phrases to help turn these fragments into complete sentences.
Tina took a sharp turn at the next light.
Driving over the speed bump, she jostled her groceries.
Tina felt the car screech when braking too hard.
Ignoring the stop sign, Tina sped down the street.
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Learning Outcomes
By the time you finish reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to:
Recognize and correct
LO1 Common Fragments
LO2 Tricky Fragments
LO3 Comma Splices
L04 Run-On Sentences
L05 Rambling Sentences
L06 Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
L07 Shifts in Sentence Construction
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Common Fragments
Fragment - a group of words that is missing a subject or a predicate (or both) or that does not express a complete thought
Checked the mirror. (FRAGMENT)
Doran checked the mirror.
To rearrange his hair again. (FRAGMENT)
To rearrange his hair again, Doran looked in the rear view mirror.
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Tricky Fragments
Some fragments are more difficult to find and correct.
Absolute phrase - a group of words with a noun and a participle (a word ending in ing or ed) and the words that modify them
Leaping across the stage. (ABSOLUTE PHRASE - FRAGMENT)
Micah sprained her ankle when leaping across the stage.
At the spotlight. (ABSOLUTE PHRASE - FRAGMENT)
At the spotlight, Micah paused for applause.
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Tricky Fragments
Fragments commonly used in speech should be eliminated from formal writing (Informal Fragments).
Hey there!
How come?
Delayed subject - a subject that appears after the verb, as in a sentence that begins with here or there or a sentence that asks a question
There go Russell’s parents with his guitar.
Implied subject - the word you, assumed to begin command sentences
Get the door.
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Comma Splices
Comma splice - a sentence error that occurs when two sentences are connected with only a comma
Comma splices can be corrected by:
Adding a coordinating conjunction (For, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so)
Natalie asked the question, but Molly followed-up.
Adding a subordinating conjunction (while, when, if, after, where, etc.)
While Natalie asked the question, Molly followed-up.
Replacing the comma with a semi-colon
Natalie asked the question; Molly followed-up.
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Run-on Sentences
Run-on sentence - a sentence error that occurs when two sentences are joined without punctuation or a connecting word
Run-on Sentences can be corrected by:
Adding a comma and a coordinating conjunction (For, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so)
The engineer drew, but the architect added detail.
Adding a subordinating conjunction and a comma (while, when, if, after, where, etc.)
While the engineer drew, the architect added detail.
Inserting a semi-colon
The engineer drew; the architect added detail.
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Rambling Sentences
Rambling sentence - a sentence error that occurs when a long series of separate ideas are connected by one and, but, or so after another
After several days the rain began to drop angrily from the sky Daisy attempted to mow the lawn early in the morning, but she was not successful as the water drenched the grass and lawn mower. (RAMBLING SENTENCE)
After several days, the rain began to drop angrily from the sky. Daisy attempted to mow the lawn early in the morning, but she was not successful as the water drenched the grass and lawn mower.
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11. Misplaced / Dangling Modifiers
Dangling modifier - a modifying word, phrase, or clause that appears to modify the wrong word or a word that isn’t in the sentence
After losing her shoe at the bowling alley, a call came with some information about its whereabouts. (DANGLING MODIFIER)
After losing her shoe at the bowling alley, a call came from a man at the bowling alley who had some information about its whereabouts.
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12. Misplaced / Dangling Modifiers
Misplaced modifier - a modifying word, phrase, or clause that has been placed incorrectly in a sentence, often creating an amusing or illogical idea
The lost boy was found by the terrified Mother with the red hat. (MISPLACED MODIFIER)
The lost boy with the red hat was found by the terrified Mother.
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Shifts in Sentences
Shift in person - an error that occurs when first, second, and/or third person are improperly mixed in a sentence.
First person - I or we (the person speaking)
Second person - you (the person spoken to)
Third person - he, she, it, or they (the person or thing spoken about)
They grow when you get to know yourself better. (SHIFT IN PERSON)
You grow when you get to know yourself better.
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Shifts in Sentences
Shift in tense - an error that occurs when more than one verb tense is improperly used in a sentence
Blogged regularly about politics prepares Nancy to discussed the topic during heated debates. (SHIFT IN TENSE)
Blogging regularly about politics prepares Nancy to discuss the topic during heated debates.
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Shifts in Sentences
Shift in voice - an error that occurs when active voice and passive voice are mixed in a sentence
Nicoli traveled to South Africa hoping he was to be involved in the African culture. (SHIFT IN VOICE)
Nicoli traveled to South Africa hoping to be involved in the African culture.
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Closing Activity
Correct the following comma splices using each of the three methods noted in the chapter.
Gwyneth and Ben were in love, their parents did not approve.
Gwyneth’s Mom thought that Ben was too egotistical, her Dad believed Ben was not reliable.
Ben pretended to like Gwyneth’s parents, he knew they were not pleased he was dating her.
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Answers
Correct the following comma splices using each of the three methods noted in the chapter.
While Gwyneth and Ben were in love, their parents did not approve.
Gwyneth’s Mom thought that Ben was too egotistical, and her Dad believed Ben was not reliable.
Ben pretended to like Gwyneth’s parents; he knew they were not pleased he was dating her.
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