![]() Even experts in English speech and writing have the occasional dangling or misplaced modifier in their work. ![]() Learning the proper placement of modifiers is vital to English syntax. Polysyndeton can be a deliberate literary device, but in this case, it's simply overextending the sentence.įor more lessons in what not to do, check out our examples of run-on sentences. This is an example of polysyndeton, the overuse of conjunctions: in this case, the word "and" is used four times. We got to the cabin and we unpacked our things and we built a campfire and we made dinner and we slept under the stars."We drove all day in the van" and "We drove 206 miles to get to our cabin" could be standalone sentences and should not be joined with a simple comma. We drove all day in the van, we drove 206 miles to get to our cabin.To avoid a run-on sentence, either link the two with a semicolon - "I went to the store I got milk and cookies" - or break them into two separate sentences. Both "I went to the store" and "I got milk and cookies" are independent clauses. I went to the store I got milk and cookies.That's when two independent clauses are joined by a comma. A subset of run-on sentences is the comma splice. To double check this challenging aspect of English grammar, take a look at our article on pronoun agreement.Ī run-on sentence is a sentence in which two or more independent clauses (sentences that could stand on their own) are joined together improperly. The sentence should read, "When the girls on the team got to the hotel, they dropped off their luggage." "Girls on the team" and "they" confirm that this sentence has a plural subject, so the singular "her" in "her luggage" is wrong. When the girls on the team got to the hotel, they dropped off her luggage.In this sentence, "its" takes the place of the plural phrase "all of her fish." It should use a plural pronoun, as in, "I fed all of her fish, then cleaned their tank." I fed all of her fish, then cleaned its tank.The sentence should read, "Anna and Pat are married they have been together for 20 years." "Anna and Pat" are plural, while "he" is singular. Anna and Pat are married he has been together for 20 years.Some examples of bad grammar that occur due to noun/pronoun agreement errors include: In order to avoid a grammar error, the pronoun has to agree with the noun that it is replacing. Pronouns take the place of nouns in sentences. We've got more help available in our article on classification of verb tenses. ![]() "Eat" is a present tense verb, but "made" is past tense.Įnglish verb tenses can be tricky. ![]() We all eat the fish and then made dessert.Since the dinner is going to happen in the future, it is not possible that the milk was drunk already. "Will eat" is a future tense verb, but "drank" is a past tense verb. I will eat fish for dinner and drank milk."Bought" should be "buy," or "walk" should be "walked," since these two events occur at the same time. I walk to the store and I bought milk.Some examples of verb tense errors include: You must be consistent on verb tense, unless there's some reason to make a switch to a different tense. The verb tense tells the reader of your sentences when the action is taking place - in the past, the present or the future. They are one of the most common grammar mistakes. Verb tense errors occur when you use the wrong verb tense. ![]()
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