Fragments, Run-ons And Comma-Splice Errors

What are these tricky types of errors that are so common in written English?

1) A fragment is an incomplete sentence- it is missing either its subject or its verb, or does not express a complete idea.

EXAMPLES: Is beautiful today. Because the temperature has risen slightly. (Both fragments! Can you see what is missing in each?)

For more information about fragment errors (and how to avoid them)  from Chomp Chomp, click here.

For practice finding and fixing fragments errors, try these, from the Purdue Owl, Chomp Chomp, and other popular grammar/writing sites:

• Practice One (finding fragments)
• Practice Two (fragment or not?)
• Practice Three (fragment or not?- more challenging)
• Practice Four (Find the correct sentence)
• Practice Five (Find the correct sentence)

2) A run-on is when two or more sentences (or "independent clauses" are put together without proper division (no conjunction, period, or semicolon).

EXAMPLE: It is a beautiful today because the temperature has risen slightly finally it isn't snowing and icy outside. (This is a run on- can you find where there should be a period?)

For more information about run on errors (and how to avoid them) from Chomp Chomp, click here.

For practice finding and fixing run-on errors, try these, from the Purdue Owl, Bristol University, and other popular grammar/writing sites:

• Practice One (Is it correct or a run-on?)
• Practice Two (Are they correct or run on errors?)
• Practice Three (Fix the run-on errors)
• Practice Four (Fix the run-on error)
• Practice Five (review what you know!)

 

3) A comma-splice error is like a run on...except here, a comma is "trying to do the job of a period" and divide the independent clauses all by itself. (NOTE: it can't!)

EXAMPLE: It is a beautiful today, the temperature has risen slightly finally, it isn't snowing and icy outside. (This contains two comma splice errors! YIKES!)

For more information about comma-splice errors (and how to avoid them)  from the Purdue Owl, click here.

For practice finding and fixing comma-splice errors, try these, from the Purdue Owl, Bristol University, and other popular grammar/writing sites:

• Practice One (correct...or comma splice error?)
• Practice Two (correct...or comma splice error?)
• Practice Three (Fix the comma-splice error)
• Practice Four (Fix the error- SAT-type questions)
• Practice Five (Fix the error- you type the correction yourself)

If you are now ready to try to practice with all three types of sentence errors... try these:

Practice One
Practice Two (basic- a good one to start with)
Practice Three (challenging!)

Formal Writing and Academic Success

FORMAL WRITING VS SPOKEN ENGLISH

The language that we learn and use everyday when speaking to friends and family is VERY different from the language that should be used to write an academic paper.

What are some of the differences?

• In speaking, punctuation does not matter. In writing, it does! (We can see it!!)
• In speaking, we can make mistakes and speak in incomplete sentences- and still be understood. In writing, these errors are very distracting and unacceptable.
• We use more formal, academic vocabulary in writing than we typically do in everyday speech.
• We often connect ideas in different ways in speaking and in writing (but, so, and, VS however, therefore, in addition)
• In writing, we must follow a very specific structure, and maintain strict unity and coherence in our paragraphs. When speaking, we have much more flexibility with how we organize our ideas.
• See this page for some additional Dos and Don'ts: (https://awelu.srv.lu.se/grammar-and-words/register-and-style/dos-donts/)

Curious to learn more? Here are some videos.

• Watch this helpful video from SMRT English that describes more of these differences!
• Watch this one for 5 tips to improve your formal writing.
• Here is a video that details 12 common academic writing errors to avoid.
• Practice your advanced listening skills with another video that explains how to write for college.

Would You Like to Practice?

• PRACTICE 1: This exercise helps you identify INFORMAL language (which we should NOT use in academic writing)
• PRACTIC2 2: Avoiding abbreviations
• PRACTICE 3: This one is challenging! It asks you to find synonyms that are MORE formal and LESS formal.
• PRACTICE 4: Replace less formal expressions with more formal synonyms
• PRACTICE 5: Exercises from the Purdue Owl to practice your punctuation use
• PRACTICE 6: Practice editing for sentence fragments with the Purdue Owl
• PRACTICE 7: Practice avoiding run-ons and comma-splice errors (Purdue Owl)
• PRACTICE 8: Exercises for making your sentences less wordy and more concise (Purdue Owl)
• PRACTICE 9: Verb tense consistency exercises from the Purdue Owl