Common Sentence Structure Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

 Introduction

Sentence structure plays a critical role in how readers interpret your writing. Even minor mistakes can confuse readers, obscure your message, or detract from your credibility. This post highlights common sentence structure mistakes, explains why they occur, and provides practical strategies to avoid them.

1. Run-On Sentences

What Are They?

Run-on sentences occur when two or more independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation or conjunctions.

Example:

• Incorrect: "I love writing it's my passion I could do it all day."
• Correct: "I love writing. It’s my passion, and I could do it all day."

How to Avoid Them:

• Use a period to separate independent clauses.
• Use a comma followed by a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So).
• Use a semicolon for closely related ideas.

2. Sentence Fragments

What Are They?

Fragments are incomplete sentences that lack a subject, verb, or complete thought.

Example:

• Incorrect: "Because I was tired."
• Correct: "I went to bed early because I was tired."

How to Avoid Them:

• Ensure every sentence has a subject and a verb.
• Check that dependent clauses are paired with an independent clause.

3. Misplaced Modifiers

What Are They?

Modifiers are words or phrases that describe something in a sentence. When misplaced, they cause confusion.

Example:

• Incorrect: "Running to the bus stop, my bag fell open."
• Correct: "Running to the bus stop, I dropped my bag, and it fell open."

How to Avoid Them:

• Place modifiers as close as possible to the words they describe.
• Reread sentences to ensure clarity.

4. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors

What Are They?

These errors occur when the subject and verb do not agree in number (singular or plural).

Example:

• Incorrect: "The list of items are on the table."
• Correct: "The list of items is on the table."

How to Avoid Them:

• Identify the true subject of the sentence.
• Match the verb to the subject, not to words that intervene.

5. Overuse of Passive Voice

What Is It?

In passive voice, the subject receives the action rather than performing it. This can make sentences wordy or unclear.

Example:

• Passive: "The cake was eaten by the children."
• Active: "The children ate the cake."

How to Avoid It:

• Use active voice whenever possible.
• Reserve passive voice for when the doer is unknown or less important.

6. Dangling Participles

What Are They?

Dangling participles occur when the subject being modified is unclear or missing.

Example:

• Incorrect: "Hiking in the mountains, the scenery was breathtaking."
• Correct: "Hiking in the mountains, we found the scenery breathtaking."

How to Avoid Them:

• Ensure the subject being modified is explicitly stated in the sentence.

7. Excessive Use of Complex Sentences

What Is It?

Overloading sentences with multiple clauses can confuse readers and dilute your message.

Example:

• Confusing: "Since it was raining, and because I didn’t have an umbrella, I decided to stay inside, which seemed like the best option at the time."
• Clear: "It was raining, and I didn’t have an umbrella. I decided to stay inside, which seemed like the best option."

How to Avoid It:

• Break long sentences into shorter ones.
• Focus on one idea per sentence for clarity.

8. Incorrect Parallelism

What Is It?

Parallelism ensures similar structures in lists or paired ideas. Inconsistent structures can confuse readers.

Example:

• Incorrect: "She likes swimming, to jog, and biking."
• Correct: "She likes swimming, jogging, and biking."

How to Avoid It:

Use consistent grammatical forms in lists and comparisons.

Tips for Spotting and Fixing Mistakes

1. Read Aloud: Hearing your writing helps identify awkward phrasing and errors.
2. Use Grammar Tools: Tools like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor can catch structural issues.
3. Simplify: If a sentence feels confusing, simplify it or split it into smaller parts.
4. Peer Review: Ask someone else to review your work for clarity and errors.

Improve your writing clarity today! Review your work for these common sentence structure mistakes and share your progress in the comments below.