MAJOR SENTENCE ERRORS

·         FRAG – A sentence fragment is an incomplete statement—a phrase or a subordinate clause—punctuated as a complete sentence.

It’s a new software program.  Which hasn’t been tested by our faculty.

It’s a new software program which hasn’t been tested by our faculty.

I can’t go on the field trip.   Because I’m sick.

I can’t go on the field trip because I’m sick.

·         RTS – A run-together sentence (also known as a fused or run-on sentence) occurs when no punctuation is used between two or more independent clauses (complete sentences).  Instead, the clauses are simply run together.

Two volumes of this work are now completed the first will be published next year.

A popular elementary science experiment is to demonstrate that salt will sink in a glass of water pepper will float lazily on the surface.    

·         COMMA-SPLICE – Two or more independent clauses incorrectly joined only by a comma.

Many school districts are hiring technology experts, they want to increase technology (especially PC) usage across the curriculum.

·         SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT – The form a verb has in a sentence may change, depending upon whether its subject is singular or plural.  This correspondence is called subject-verb agreement.  Problems with subject-verb agreement usually occur when verbs seem to have compound subjects, when verbs have collective nouns as subjects, or when words come between the subject and verb, making it difficult to determine whether a subject is singular or plural.

    The first draft of your essay and the final version differ significantly.

    The teacher, together with her students, writes daily.

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