FAQ: About Writing
- What is a sentence fragment, and how do I fix it?
- What are comma splices and run-ons, and how do I fix them?
- What is parallel structure used for, and how do I create it?
- What are dangling structures, and how do I fix them?
- Can I start sentences with "there are" or "it is"?
- What is passive voice, and can I ever use it?
- How formal do I have to be in college writing?
- Will using a thesaurus make me sound better?
- Will my spell check be enough to catch errors?
- Can I start sentences with "and," "but" or "because"?
- Can I use grammar checkers to help me understand sentence structure?
- Missing comma after introductory element
- Vague pronoun reference
- Comma splice
- Run On Sentences
- Punctuation with quotation marks
- Semicolons and Colons
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1. What is a sentence fragment, and how do I fix it?
A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence; usually, either the subject or the predicate (the verb phrase) is missing. Because it's an incomplete sentence and therefore an incomplete thought, it must be made complete, either by attaching it to the sentence immediately before or after it OR by adding the missing element.Here's an example of a sentence fragment:
While running for President.
Because we don't get the information about who is running for President-that is, because we're missing a subject-the idea is incomplete and needs revision.
2. What are comma splices and run-ons, and how do I fix them?
A comma splice and a run-on sentence are both results of inaccurate punctuation between two independent clauses (or sentences). A comma splice happens when two sentences are linked together with a comma; a run-on is created when two sentences are run together with no punctuation between them at all.
To fix them, identify where the two sentences meet and insert the appropriate punctuation, such as a semicolon, a colon, or a comma with a conjunction.
3. What is parallel structure used for, and how do I create it?
Parallel structure sets two or more items together that are matched in verb tense or grammatical structure, such as the famous phrase I came, I saw, I conquered or By the people, of the people, and for the people. Parallel structure provides the writer and the reader with a sense of balance and arrangement, and as such it's an invaluable tool for writers who need to explain or argue.
You can create parallel structures by looking for the places where two ideas, words, or phrases appear close to each other and then modifying them so that their forms match as closely as possible.
4. What are dangling structures, and how do I fix them?
A dangling modifier or participle dangles because it's missing a subject, so it's not clear where it attaches to the main idea of the sentence. For instance, in the sentence "after hiking all day, the campsite was a welcome place to rest," the reader has no idea who has been doing all that hiking. The introductory phrase-the participle-does not include a noun to refer to the people doing the hiking, so the reader is not sure where the phrase connects to the rest of the sentence.
You can fix dangling phrases by ensuring that any actions have someone in the sentence who is doing the act: "After hiking all day, we saw the campsite as a welcome place to rest" or "After we'd hiked all day, the campsite was a welcome place to rest."
5. Can I start sentences with "there are" or "it is"?
Yes. But this sort of sentence opening is often overused, and many professors don't like this opening precisely because it is so often badly used. You can start sentences with these constructions when you're drawing attention to what happens after the be-verb:It is with great sadness that we announce George Carlin's death.Another example where the "there is" opening would work well is There is no better way to express love than with flowers. But you wouldn't want to write It is a long time since the Civil War days.
The first two examples deliberately delay the really important element of the sentences: George Carlin's death and the best way to express love. The third example, however, uses "it is" just to take up space; there's no reason for it there.
6. What is passive voice, and can I ever use it?
Passive voice refers to how sentence elements work together. We usually read sentences that say X is doing Y. In other words, X is the agent of the sentence, and X's activity is Y. That's clear, and most sentences are active in this way. The active sentence moves along briskly and doesn't have to pause or slow down.
A passive sentence, however, delays a bit: Y was done by X. X is still the agent, and the activity is still Y-but the reversal of the order puts the action first, rather than the agent. The delay effect is being caused by the passive voice.
In some sentences, we don't get an actor at all: the classic example is mistakes were made. Or you could write The Amendment was passed. Because we aren't told who passed that Amendment, the agent is missing-and you've written a passive sentence.
Specifically, you can identify a passive-voice sentence in three ways:
- The reversal of the agent-action relationship
- The use of ―be‖ plus a past tense verb
- The missing or delayed agent
You can use passive-voice sentences when the agent of the sentence isn't necessary or important: The law was passed, and everyone was happy. In this particular example, it doesn't really matter who passed the law-what matters is that everyone was happy about it.
The general idea is to avoid passive unless you're using it for a specific purpose.
7. How formal do I have to be in college writing?
Students ask us all the time whether they can use "I" in an essay, or whether it's all right to write with contractions. The questions make sense, because the smart student asks when she isn't sure. The short answer is that your writing in college should be as formal-without sounding artificial-as your assignment. A research project is considerably more formal than, say, a journal entry. Your assignment sheet and your professor are your best guides to how formal you should sound. Remember, however, that "formal" does not have to mean "anonymous."
A note about using "I": When professors object to it, they're usually objecting because you're using "I" badly or too often. But there's nothing wrong with using "I" on occasion.
8. Will using a thesaurus make me sound better?
You can try this approach to "sounding better," but it probably won't work. We want you to increase your vocabulary by learning to incorporate words that you're coming across in your studies, not by artificially adopting words that sound big or important.
When you use words that you don't really own, that aren't really a part of your vocabulary, you sound stiff and awkward. We want you to sound like you, not like you swallowed a dictionary. Therefore, use a thesaurus only to find the word you're looking for, not to find any word to use in a pinch.
9. Will my spell check be enough to catch errors?
No. Your spell check will catch words that it doesn't recognize, so you have to keep your eyes sharp. Your spell check will catch typos, but it will not tell you when the word itself is wrong-only if the word is spelled incorrectly. In other words, your spell checker will not tell you that you're using the wrong "their" or the wrong "to." However, it will catch you if you spell it "thier" or if you type "ot" instead of "to."
10. Can I start sentences with "and" or "but" or "because"?
Yes. Traditionally, we would say "Can we start sentences with conjunctions?" and the answer would be "Sentences should never start with conjunctions." But we use language for effect, not just accuracy, and starting sentences with "but" tends to add just a bit of emphasis to the sentence. "And" at the start of a sentence has a similar effect.
Starting sentences with "because" is often considered incorrect, although there's no grammatical fault at work. The real problem with starting a sentence with "Because" is the risk of leaving the thought incomplete. "Because it was red" is insufficient information for the reader, even though we often hear this phrasing in conversation.
In writing, we'd usually see this kind of subordinate phrase following another one, for instance "The bull charged the matador's cape because it was red." That sentence would be equally fine if it were written this way: "Because the matador's cape was red, the bull charged it."
The guideline: When you start a sentence with "Because," "but," or "and," ensure you have a complete sentence to follow.
11. Can I use grammar checkers to help me understand sentence structure?
Unfortunately, no. Grammatical structures are too complex for computer programs to accurately judge whether you've written a fragment sentence for effect, or whether a sentence that's very long is a run-on. MS Word often, for instance, flags complicated sentences as incorrect. Therefore, we don't recommend grammar checkers. Ever.
At Stetson, we see the following common errors. This section should be your first stop to help you identify the mistakes you're most likely to be making.
1. Missing comma after introductory element
Problem: It doesn't seem right but a lot of people still impose their choices on others.
Problem: If we don't do something about climate change we won't be able to survive the way we do now.
If you read the first sentence out loud, you would naturally pause slightly after "right" and before "but." The effect of the pause is to throw the emphasis on the clause "but a lot of people still impose their choices on others." That effect is lost without proper punctuation.We can signal the important part of the sentence by putting it at the end of the sentence and separating it from the introductory part with a comma.
The fix is simple: first, identify the MAIN part of the sentence, the part that carries the most important idea. Then, insert a comma between that section and the introductory material that prefaces it. This rule holds in 99% of the sentences-with-introductory-element that you're likely to be writing, so be sure to get into the habit of placing the comma properly.Any time you lead into your main idea with an introductory clause, you should place a comma between the two.
Example: Although the energy crisis of the 1970s seemed bad, this crisis is far worse.
In the following sentences, you should be able to sense a bit of uncertainty-not about the sentence's meanings, since they're fairly clear, but about how parts of the sentence relate to other parts. We need your writing to be very precise, and precision includes careful attention to word choice.
Problem: Transmitting radio signals by satellite is a way of overcoming the problem of scarce airwaves and limiting how they are used. (Vague: The "they" could refer to either the scarce airwaves or the radio signals.)
Problem: The University adopted an F-forgiveness plan for students failing courses. This was a good idea. (Vague: What is "this" referring to? It could mean the plan, or the fact that the University adopted it.)
The problem in both examples is a lack of specificity. When you use a pronoun to refer back to a noun, readers need to know precisely which noun you mean us to understand. (The noun you're referring back to is known as the antecedent.) Every second counts when we're reading your work, so it's your job to make sure that your meaning is as clear as you can possibly make it. In fact, your job is to make sure you can't be misunderstood.
The fix is simple: When you're editing your work after revising it, look for every pronoun and ensure that it refers very clearly to a specific noun phrase in your sentences. You can try using your word program to search for replacing pronouns like "they," "it," and so forth, to see whether you've gotten into the habit of using pronouns to refer to vague nouns. When you find pronouns whose antecedents aren't perfectly clear, your options are to replace them with specific nouns or to edit the sentence's punctuation and grammar.
Example: Transmitting radio signals by satellite is a way of overcoming the problem of scarce airwaves and limiting how they the airwaves are used. (replacing a vague pronoun with a specific noun)
Example: The University adopted an F-forgiveness plan for students failing courses. This The new policy was a good idea (replacing the vague pronoun with more specific nouns)
The comma splice sentence happens when writers join together two independent clauses-sentences that could stand on their own -- with a comma rather than using a semicolon or a period.
Problem: It never seems fair to me that some students get more financial aid, don't we all deserve as much assistance as we can get?
Problem: The Commons tried hard to provide the right kinds of food, sometimes they don't quite get it right.
The fix is simple: You need to decide what the relationship is between the two independent clauses before you can decide the appropriate punctuation. If the sentences are related, with the second one amplifying or adding to the first, then you can use a semicolon. If the first sentence isn't really related to the second sentence, you can use a period. If what you want is a slight pause before the start of the second sentence, perhaps for emphasis, then a period is appropriate. Sometimes all you need to add is a conjunction (but, and, and yet, for instance).
Example: It never seems fair to me that some students get more financial aid; I think all deserve as much assistance as we can get!
Example: The Commons tried hard to provide the right kinds of food, but sometimes they don't quite get it right.
Problem: It never seems fair to me that some students get more financial aid we all deserve as much assistance as we can get.
Run on sentences (also called fused sentences) are very similar to comma splice sentences: they're composed of two independent clauses, but instead of being connected with a comma, the first sentence runs on into the second one.
NOTE: A run on sentence has nothing to do with how many words are in the sentence; any number of words is fine, as long as they're coordinated appropriately. A run on sentence is a result of missing punctuation.
The fix is simple: Identify where your two sentences meet and put in a semi colon, a period, or a conjunction to resolve the problem.
Example: It never seems fair to me that some students get more financial aid; we all deserve as much assistance as we can get.
5. Punctuation with quotation marks
Essential concepts:
- Quotation marks go around the quoted material, and only the quoted material.
- The ending punctuation of a quotation can stand in for the ending punctuation of your sentence, but you may have to move it.
Problem: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times (73)."
Correct: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" (73). (note placement of closing quotation marks)
Problem: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." (73)
Correct: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" (73). (note placement of ending period)
Problem: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. (73)"
Correct: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" (73). (note placement of ending quotation marks and period.)
Although you have many punctuation options to choose from, most students default to using commas, periods, and perhaps exclamation points. (We don't recommend exclamation points at all in academic writing.) There's nothing wrong with relying on commas and periods to deal with your sentences, but at the college writing level, we'd like to see more complexity in your ideas-and that complexity is often best conveyed by appropriately complex punctuation.
In other words, it's time to up your game. If you don't already know how to use semicolons and colons, we think you should learn.
A semicolon is used in two ways: to link two complete sentences when the sentences are related, and to separate items in a complex list.
For instance: The dogs are barking; there must be someone in the street.
These two sentences are clearly in a cause/effect relationship: the dogs in the first clause are barking because of the person in the second clause. We understand the relationship without the semicolon, but the punctuation makes the relationship much clearer.
In the next example, the semicolon separates items in a list.
What really screws up the environment is the combination of greenhouse gases; the lack of attention paid to the problem by the government; and the greed of the big oil companies.
We generally use a semicolon in a list set-up when the items in the list are structures long enough to need something more emphatic than commas. More often, we use a colon to introduce a list.
Colons can also be used to set up an explanation or an amplification of what's on the left side of the colon.In other words, if the first sentence sets up a sort of expectation in the reader, a colon then offers information that fulfills that expectation.
In this example sentence, the colon amplifies what's on the left with what's on the right:
The 2008 Presidential election was historically significant: for the first time, the top two candidates for the Democratic nomination were a white woman and a black man.
Although citation generators are not foolproof ways to handle documentation requirements, they can provide you with help in getting started. It's important not to assume that whatever the generator tells you is correct and complete; just like any tool, you need to verify its results. That being said, these are some generally reliable citation generators:
The Citation Machine (APA, MLA, and Chicago)
NoodleTools (APA, MLA-free with login)
EasyBib (MLA)
Quick Links to Documentation Formats
Modern Language Association (MLA)
American Psychological Association (APA)
Chicago Manual of Style
American Sociological Association (ASA)