How to avoid the mistakes

1
Fixing Writing Errors

• How to avoid the mistakes
• that break sentences.

2
What are the thought-wreckers?

• Fragments are too little
• By looking outside at the moon in the middle of
  the night.
• Run-ons are over the topin terms of clauses
• Ed is here Ana is there.
• Splices run sentences together with only commas
• It is nice, I like it.
• SV misfits mix up subjects and verbs
• Is Buddy n Bo them-uns?

He didnt study major errors!
3
Can you match error types?

• Subject-verb mismatch
• Sentence fragment
• Comma Splice
• Run-on Sentence

• __1. The questions on the last quiz was a little
  confusing, but at least were learning.
• __2. For half an hour, Dr. Monte spoke about
  major errors, then the class aced the quiz.
• __3. Is much easier to write about what you know.
  
• __4. Their class meets today at noon it also
  meets tomorrow at the same time.

Is it really all that hard to correct sentences?
4
Here are the types of errors

• A 1. The questions on the last examination were a
  little confusing.
• Subject verb mismatch fixed
• C 2. Dr. Monte spoke about errors. Then class was
  out.
• Comma splice fixed
• B 3. It is easier to write about what you know.
• Sentence fragment fixed
• D 4. The class meets today. It also meets
  tomorrow.
• Run-on sentence fixed

Any errors in the above?
5
What are dependent-clause fragments?

• Fragments that leave a minor clause hanging are
  dependent.
• Which ones are correct?
• Eva doesnt like her sister_ since she steals her
  guys. a. nothing, b. comma, c.
  semicolon, d. dash.
• Ryan disliked school until his dad died.
  a. nothing, b.
  comma, c. semicolon, d. dash.
• Anne would have eaten __ except she was full.
  a. nothing, b. comma, c.
  semicolon, d. dash.
• With Andys high car payment__ he had
• to work full-time. a. nothing, b.
  comma, c. semicolon, d. dash.

Especially major errors.
6
Fixing dependent-clause fragments

• Here are the fixes
• Eva doesnt like her sister_ since she steals her
  guys.
• a. nothing, b. comma, c. semicolon
• Ryan hated it until his dad died.
• a. nothing, b. comma, c. semicolon
• 3. Anne would have eaten __ before she was full.
• a. nothing, b. comma, c. semicolon
• 4. With Andys high car payment__ he had to work
  full-time. a. nothing, b. comma,
  c. semicolon, d. dash.

Any errors in the above?
7
How to fix -ing or to fragments

• Which ones are right?
• To finish college__ a student must try.
• a. nothing, b. comma,
• c. semicolon, d. dash.
• Knowing it was time__ Karla started the quiz.
• a. nothing, b. comma,
• c. semicolon, d. dash.
• Anyone has to work hard__ to finish any serious
  task.
• a. nothing, b. comma,
• c. semicolon, d. dash.

8
How to fix -ing or to fragments

• Here are the right choices
• To finish college__ a student must try.
• a. nothing, b. comma,
• c. semicolon, d. dash.
• Knowing it was time__ Karla started the quiz.
• a. nothing, b. comma,
• c. semicolon, d. dash.
• Anyone has to work hard__ to finish any serious
  task.
• a. nothing, b. comma,
• c. semicolon, d. dash.

9
What are added-detail fragments?

• Which ones are right?
• A social worker should have good qualities_ such
  as being caring, careful and competent.
• a. nothing, b. comma,
• c. semicolon, d. dash.
• No one understands how Rigo fears tests_ not even
  his instructor.
• a. nothing, b. comma,
• c. semicolon, d. dash.
• 3. Amber watched the cartoons_ entertaining.
• a. that were, b. were
• c. they were, d. was.

Any secret in the above?
10
Here are the added-detail fragments

• Which ones are right?
• A social worker should have good qualities_ such
  as being caring, careful and competent.
• a. nothing, b. comma,
• c. semicolon, d. dash.
• No one understands how Rigo fears tests_ not even
  his instructor.
• a. nothing, b. comma,
• c. semicolon, d. dash.
• 3. Amber watched the cartoons_ entertaining.
• a. that were, b. were
• c. they were, d. was.

11
What are missing-subject fragments?

• In each sentence below, what is the missing
  subject?
• Americans are concerned because ___ know that
  many have lost their jobs.
• a. you, b. they, c. it
• 2. __ is very difficult for most night people to
  attend early morning classes.
• a. you, b. they, c. it

• 3. While Angela was taking the quiz, __
  disappeared when the screen went blank.
• a. he, b. it, c. you
• We know that there are lots of reasons to study
  __ is up to you to find one and do it.
• a. it, b. he, c. they.

12
Here are missing-subject fragments

• In each sentence below, what is the missing
  subject?
• Americans are concerned because ___ know that
  many have lost their jobs.
• a. you, b. they, c. it
• 2. __ is very difficult for most night people to
  attend early morning classes.
• a. you, b. they, c. it

• 3. While Angela was taking the quiz, __
  disappeared when the screen went blank.
• a. he, b. it, c. you
• We know that there are lots of reasons to study
  __ is up to you to find one and do it.
• a. it, b. he, c. they.

13
Can you agree verbs with subjects?

• Having car accidents __ high insurance.
• a. cause, b. causes, c. causing, d. been
  causing.
• This kind of car looks nicer and __ faster.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. been
• One has to pay more attention to a sports car and
  __ it look stylish.
• a. make, b. makes, c. making
• There __ a lot of choices.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. been

Can anyone really make two mismatched people
agree?
14
You can agree verbs with subjects

• Having car accidents __ high insurance.
• a. cause, b. been causing, c. causing, d.
  causes.
• This kind of car looks nicer and __ faster.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. been
• One has to pay more attention to a sports car and
  __ it look stylish.
• a. make, b. makes, c. making
• There __ a lot of choices.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. been

Are quizzes this tough?
15
Can you stop run-on sentences?

• Where does the period go?
• People have different ways (a) for example many
  students leave home (b) to go away to college.
• I have a mini-van (a) I enjoy driving (b) it a
  lot.
• On the internet (a) there is a site (b) Jason
  likes to see the girls there.
• It was a dark (a) and rainy night (b) no one
  actually saw just what happened.

Would you like the parrots to stop it?
16
You can stop run-on sentences

• Where the period goes
• People have different ways (a) for example many
  students leave home (b) to go away to college.
• I have a mini-van (a) I enjoy driving (b) it a
  lot.
• On the internet (a) there is a site (b) Jason
  likes to see the girls there.
• It was a dark (a) and rainy night (b) no one
  actually saw just what happened.

Would you go for this?
17
How are we supposed to punctuate?

• Vans are more comfortable_ the space allows
  movement.
• a. nothing, b. comma, c. period
• Sports cars run faster_ they also look much
  better.
• a. nothing, b. comma, c. period
• It is Marias turn to drive_ I drove the car last
  time.
• a. nothing, b. comma, c. period
• The computer is turned on__ it is already
  running.
• a. nothing, b. comma, c. period

Are you also a very punctual person?
18
How we are supposed to punctuate

• Vans are more comfortable_ The space allows
  movement.
• a. nothing, b. comma, c. period
• Sports cars run faster_ they also look much
  better.
• a. comma, b. semicolon,
• c. colon, d. nothing.
• It is Marias turn to drive_ I drove the car last
  time.
• a. nothing, b. comma, c. period
• The computer is turned on__ it is already
  running.
• a. semicolon, b. comma, c. colon.

19
Can identify the correct answers?

• No one knows where the teacher __ the answer key.
• a. keep, b. keeps, c. keeping, d. have kept.
• The only way for us to pass this class __ by
  studying each lesson.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. would have been.
• There __ reasons to believe in America.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. might could have been.

20
You can identify the correct answers

• No one knows where the teacher __ the answer key.
• a. keep, b. keeps, c. keeping, d. have kept.
• The only way for us to pass this class __ by
  studying each lesson.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. would have been.
• There __ reasons to believe in America.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. might could have been.

21
Can identify the correct answers?

• Either people start buying more at Wal-Mart or
  China __ going to become poorer.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. being.
• 2. Both hybrid and electric cars __ to be part of
  our transportation future.
• a. seem, b. seems, c. seeming.
• 3. The Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins
  __ playing on Superbowl Sunday.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. are being.

22
You can identify the correct answers

• Either people start buying more at Walmart or
  China __ going to become poorer.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. being.
• 2. Both hybrid and electric cars __ to be part of
  our transportation future.
• a. seem, b. seems, c. seeming.
• 3. The Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins
  __ playing on Superbowl Sunday.
• a. am, b. is, c. are, d. are being.