Microsoft Word Can Identify Incomplete Sentences, Awkward Wording, and Incorrect Punctuation.
How to Amend Your Judgement Structure | Avoid Common Errors
Sentence structure determines how the different parts of a sentence are put together, from its punctuation to the ordering of its words. Every bit well as post-obit basic word order rules, at that place are many other things you have to consider to write correctly and clearly structured sentences.
There are ii particularly common sentence structure mistakes:
- Run-on sentences: wrong punctuation used to join dissimilar parts of a sentence
- Judgement fragments: missing necessary components to grade a full grammatically correct judgement
Sentence structure is non but a affair of grammar, just also of style and flow. Stiff bookish writing uses a diverseness of sentence lengths and structures. It's important to avoid overly long sentences that can be confusing for readers, but too many very brusk sentences tin can make your text feel choppy and disjointed.
Avoid run-on sentences
An contained clause is a group of words that could stand equally a full sentence on its own. In that location are various ways to join contained clauses, but a run-on sentence occurs when they are joined without proper punctuation.
Run-on sentences are a matter of grammer rather than length – fifty-fifty relatively brusk sentences tin can incorporate this fault. There are two common mistakes that result in run-on sentences.
Comma splice
Two independent clauses cannot be joined by a comma lonely. This form of sentence is called a comma splice.
- The project ran over the borderline, data processing was extensive.
At that place are three means to fix this fault. Y'all can separate the clauses into ii separate sentences.
- The projection ran over the borderline. Information processing was extensive.
You tin can replace the comma with a semicolon or (if appropriate) a colon.
- The projection ran over the borderline; data processing was extensive.
Alternatively, yous tin can employ a conjunction to create a connection between the clauses.
- The project ran over the deadline because data processing was extensive.
Comma splices tin also appear in longer sentences with multiple clauses. In this context they are especially likely to cause confusion.
- Jimmy likes to have cream and sugar with his coffee, when he drinks it warm, he also likes it blackness.
Here it is non clear which part of the sentence should exist connected to the clausewhen he drank information technology warm. Does he like cream and sugar when he drinks coffee warm, or does he like coffee black when he drinks it warm? A semicolon, period or conjunction clarifies the meaning of the sentence, which changes in pregnant depending on where the punctuation is placed.
- Jimmy likes to take cream and sugar with his java; when he drinks it warm, he also likes it black.
- Jimmy likes to take cream and sugar with his coffee when he drinks information technology warm. He besides likes it blackness.
- Jimmy likes to take cream and sugar with his java, simply when he drinks it warm, he as well likes it black.
Missing comma with a coordinating conjunction
At that place are vii coordinating conjunctions in English: for, and, nor, but, or, still, so (you can remember them with the acronym FANBOYS). When you use one of these conjunctions to join two contained clauses, you need to use a comma before information technology.
- Data was gathered through questionnaires and selected respondents participated in interviews.
The missing comma creates a run-on sentence, and like the comma splice, it tin can oftentimes cause confusion. Because we apply these conjunctions then frequently and for and then many purposes, it's useful to know how they are being used when we come across them.
The comma helps the reader navigate the sentence by signalling that the next part is a new, related, and complete thought.
- Data was gathered through questionnaires, and selected respondents participated in interviews.
Avert sentence fragments
A fragment is a group of words that doesn't contain all the components of a grammatically correct sentence. For a string of words to be considered a sentence, it has to contain a subject and a predicate.
Note that sentence fragments are often used stylistically in journalism and artistic writing, but they are rarely appropriate in bookish or other formal writing.
Subjects and predicates
The subject of the sentence tells us about the person or matter that acts, while the predicate tells u.s. about what the subject does or is. Put another mode, the subject is the noun part of a sentence, and the predicate is the verb part.
Some sentences accept more one field of study-predicate combination, but the subject position always comes outset. No thing how many subject-predicate pairs come in a judgement, the ratio is always 1:1 –every subject needs a predicate, and every predicate needs a subject.
Field of study-predicate examples
Ducks fly.
Haggard and elderly ducks and geese fly slower, lower, and with more than caution.
Haggard and elderly ducks and geese fly slower, lower, and with more than caution, perhaps because of rheumatism.
Haggard and elderly ducks and geese fly slower, lower, and with more caution, maybe because their rheumatism hinders them.
Ducks fly; dogs walk.
Ducks wing faster than geese when dogs run and bark.
The canis familiaris catches the ball.
The dog catches the ball, which is covered in slobber.
The dog catches the ball, which we bought.
The ball is caught.
The ball at present has the post-obit characteristics: a slipperiness, a smelliness, and a chewiness.
The ball now has the following characteristics: it is slippery, it is smelly, and it is chewy.
The brawl now has the post-obit characteristics: it is slippery, smelly, and chewy.
Missing predicate
The simplest class of judgement fragment is a sentence missing a main verb. A noun phrase alone is not a sentence – information technology needs a predicate to be grammatically correct.
- Later on they settled the argument, they became friends. A fortunate turn of events.
The fragment can be revised either by using appropriate punctuation to bring together it to the preceding sentence, or by rewriting the judgement to include a predicate.
- Subsequently they settled the argument, they became friends: a fortunate turn of events.
- After they settled the argument, they became friends. Information technology was a fortunate plough of events.
Dependent clause on its own
A dependent clause has a subject and a predicate, just it does not express a consummate idea. It has to be fastened to an independent clause to grade a full judgement.
Dependent clauses are ofttimes formed with subordinating conjunctions, which include words such as when, subsequently, since, while, although, if, unless, because, while, and whereas. When one of these words is added to the beginning of an independent clause, it turns into a dependent clause.
- The coast was clear.
- When the coast was articulate.
The first sentence is an independent clause that tin can stand every bit a full sentence on its own. The subordinating conjunction when transforms it into a dependent clause. On its own, this is a sentence fragment. It needs to be correctly connected to another clause to form a total sentence.
- They would become to safe. When the declension was articulate.
- They would become to safety; when the coast was articulate.
- They would get to safety when the coast was articulate.
- When the coast was articulate, they would get to safety.
Note that these clauses cannot be joined with a semicolon. A semicolon can simply join two independent clauses.
Misuse of the present participle
The present participle is the form of a verb that ends with-ing (e.thou. running, researching, being). Sometimes it is misused where a present or by uncomplicated form should be used instead. An -ing verb on its own tin be part of a modifier that refers to another part of the judgement, but it can't marker the beginning of a predicate.
The most common verb abused with this mistake is to be, which is conjugated as being when information technology should be conjugated is or was.
- He argued all dark long. The point being important.
The point being important is a sentence fragment. It needs to be connected to some other clause, or revised with a properly conjugated verb.
- He argued all dark long. The point was important.
- He argued all night long, the bespeak being important.
What tin proofreading exercise for your paper?
Scribbr editors not only correct grammer and spelling mistakes, but besides strengthen your writing by making sure your paper is complimentary of vague language, redundant words and awkward phrasing.
See editing example
Split up overly long sentences
Sometimes a long judgement is grammatically correct, but its length makes it hard to follow. To make your writing clearer and more readable, avoid using likewise many overly long sentences.
The boilerplate sentence length is around 15-25 words. If your sentence starts to exceed xxx-40 words, you might want to consider revising it. Removing redundancies and inflated phrases is a skilful way to commencement, but if all the words in the sentence are essential, try to split information technology up into shorter sentences.
Because early childhood, defined as the first v years of 1's life, is a critical time in terms of not just physical simply too social development, studies have focused a significant amount of attention on this period, and this section discusses researchers' key findings and their implications for the current report.
This judgement doesn't contain whatever grammatical errors, merely the information can exist presented more than conspicuously by revising its structure.
Early childhood, defined as the first five years of one'due south life, is a critical time in terms of both physical and social evolution. Hence, studies have focused pregnant attention on this flow. This section discusses researchers' key findings and their implications for the current written report.
Another issue to scout out for is overly long introductory phrases or clauses. If your judgement starts by repeating material that has already been presented, it tin bury the new information y'all want to communicate.
In contrast to what the previous section on the data's collection, analysis, interpretation, and implications might suggest, none of the findings were significant.
The main point of the judgement is that none of the findings were significant, simply the long introductory clause distracts united states of america from this data. To clarify the point and shorten the sentence, focus on reducing repetition.
In contrast to what the previous department might suggest, none of the findings were significant.
Link together overly short sentences
Shorter sentences are by and large clearer and more readable, only using too many very short sentences can make a text feel choppy, disjointed or repetitive. Endeavour to use a variety of sentence lengths, and utilize transition words to aid readers see how your ideas fit together.
Baseline data were collected on day one. Information were as well nerveless after one week. The measurements were taken at 9am. This was done every day.
While all of these are grammatically correct sentences, the text reads more than smoothly if they are merged.
Baseline data were collected on day ane and after 1 calendar week. The measurements were taken at 9am every day.
Other judgement structure tips
Apart from these bones rules, there are some other techniques you can use to better your judgement construction.
Use parallel structure Prepare dangling modifiersFix misplaced modifiers
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