Grammar

Sentence structure helps readers understand exactly who and what you are talking about in your writing. Good sentence structure also makes your writing more interesting by varying the length and type of sentences. It helps you organize thoughts logically, so your message is clear. Poor sentence structure can confuse readers, make your writing hard to follow, and even change the meaning of what you're trying to say. Overall, sentence structure is key to making sure your writing communicates effectively.

Run-on sentence or comma splice

• Description: Incorrectly joins two independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunction.
• Example: She loves to read she doesn’t have much time for it.
• Correct: She loves to read, but she doesn’t have much time for it.

Sentence fragments

• Description: A group of words that lacks a subject or verb, and does not express a complete thought.
• Example: Because I was late.
• Correct: I missed the bus because I was late.

Lack of subject-verb agreement

• Description: When the subject and verb do not agree in number or person.
• Example: The dog run fast.
• Correct: The dog runs fast.

Misplaced modifiers

• Description: A modifier is placed in the wrong part of a sentence, causing confusion.
• Example: She almost drove her car for five hours every day.
• Correct: She drove her car for almost five hours every day.

No clear antecedent

• Description: A pronoun lacks a clear referent, making the sentence confusing.
• Example: When Tom and Jerry went to the store, he bought a loaf of bread.
• Correct: When Tom and Jerry went to the store, Tom bought a loaf of bread.

Comparisons that are incomplete

• Description: A comparison is made without completing the comparison to what is being compared.
• Example: My car is better.
• Correct: My car is better than yours.

Dangling participles

• Description: A participial phrase is not clearly related to the noun it’s supposed to modify, leading to awkward sentences.
• Example: Walking down the street, the car hit me.
• Correct: Walking down the street, I was hit by a car.

Each with plural subjects

• Description: Using a singular subject verb when “each” is the subject, which requires a singular verb.
• Example: Each of the students have a book.
• Correct: Each of the students has a book.