comma splice, fragments, fused sentence and parallel structure

Read the item below. Identify the type of error in the sentence.

Hoping to relax after a busy week at work and school, Cheryl smoothed on some sunscreen, settled onto her pool raft, and opened her new Stephen King novel, then her neighbor cranked up the lawnmower, ruining the quiet.

• Comma splice

• Fused sentence

• fragment

• Parallel structure

Answer explanation

The comma between novel and then is joining two main clauses. This construction—called a comma splice

What type of error is present in the following sentence?

Derek wanted a ferocious pit bull terrier to scare off burglars, but his apartment complex did not allow dogs as a result, Derek had to settle for naming his goldfish Mr. Jaws and installing additional door locks.

• 
  Sentence fragment

• Fused sentence

• Parallel structure

• Comma splice

Answer explanation

The sentence has a fused sentence error. This happens when two or more independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation or a conjunction to separate them.

In this case:

• "Derek wanted a ferocious pit bull terrier to scare off burglars, but his apartment complex did not allow dogs" is one independent clause.

• "As a result, Derek had to settle for naming his goldfish Mr. Jaws and installing additional door locks" is another independent clause.

These two clauses are joined improperly, as there should be a period or a semicolon after "dogs" to separate them clearly.

Read the following item and identify the type of error in the sentence.

Pancakes dripping with syrup, coffee steaming in big mugs, and bacon frying on the stove make breakfast at Grandma’s house a real treat.

• Parallel structure

• Fragment

• Fused sentence

• No error

Answer explanation

Here, pancakes dripping ..., coffee steaming ..., and bacon frying ... are all nouns modified with participle phrases, so the list is parallel.

Read the passage below. Identify the type of error

While Cynthia dressed for her sister's wedding, Murphy, the golden retriever, ate the straps off the only shoes that matched Cynthia's pale blue dress. Her replacement options were inappropriate. Like rubber flip-flops, running shoes, fuzzy pink rabbit slippers, or brown leather pumps.

• While Cynthia dressed for her sister's wedding, Murphy, the golden retriever, ate the straps off the only shoes that matched Cynthia's pale blue dress.

• Her replacement options were inappropriate.

• Like rubber flip-flops, running shoes, fuzzy pink rabbit slippers, or brown leather pumps.

Answer explanation

The third part is an afterthought fragment. It includes many good details but is missing a main clause, the most important component of a complete sentence.

How should the sentence be revised to correct the error?

"At the family reunion, we ate Grandma’s barbecued ribs, Aunt Sally’s potato salad, and heaping plates of jiggling banana Jell-O prepared by Cousin Sue."

• At the family reunion, we ate Grandma's barbecued ribs, Aunt Sally's potato salad, and Cousin Sue's banana Jell-O.

• At the family reunion, we ate heaping plates of Grandma’s barbecued ribs, Aunt Sally’s potato salad, and jiggling banana Jell-O prepared by Cousin Sue.

• At the family reunion, we ate Grandma’s barbecued ribs, Aunt Sally’s potato salad, and Cousin Sue’s heaping plates of jiggling banana Jell-O.

• At the family reunion, we ate heaping plates of Grandma’s barbecued ribs, Aunt Sally’s potato salad, and jiggling banana Jell-O prepared by Cousin Sue.

Answer explanation

Here, barbecued ribs and potato salad are both modified by possessive nouns, Grandma's and Aunt Sally's. But heaping plates of jiggling banana Jell-O prepared by Cousin Sue ruins the parallelism.

To fix the problem, replace "heaping plates of jiggling banana Jell-O prepared by Cousin Sue." with "Cousin Sue's banana Jell-O".

Identify the type of error

"The man whom Brenda refuses to marry even if someone paid her a million dollars."

• Fragment

• Parallel structure

• Comma splice

• Fused sentence

Answer explanation

This is considered a fragment error because it lacks a complete independent clause.

Identify the fragment error in the following passage

"Joey idolizes his older brother David. Combing his hair in the style that David wears, drinking coffee black with five sugars, and giving teachers the same lame excuses for late homework. As a consequence, everyone calls Joey "David" by mistake!"

• Joey idolizes his older brother David.

• Combing his hair in the style that David wears, drinking coffee black with five sugars, and giving teachers the same lame excuses for late homework.

• As a consequence, everyone calls Joey "David" by mistake!

Answer explanation

The second part is a participle phrase fragment. It includes many good details but is missing a main clause, the most important component of a complete sentence.

Read the following item "Larissa will either add a flock of plastic pink flamingos, or she will purchase a family of ceremic gnomes for the front lawn." Identify the type of error in this item.

• Fused sentence

• Comma splice

• Fragment

• Parallel structure

Answer explanation

When we use either.......or.... we must maintain parallel structure. "Add" part of the verb phrase "will add", follows "either", "but she will purchase ...," a whole main clause ,comes after "or", wrecking the parallelism.

Read the item below. Choose the underlined part where a comma splice or fused sentence occurs.

Because Simon thinks that he has big, ugly toes, he insists on wearing socks everywhere that he goes at the beach, in the shower, or around the house, you will find Simon with his feet covered.

• toes, he

• everywhere that

• goes at

• house, you

Answer explanation

The blank space between goes and at causes a fused sentence. At this spot, there are two complete sentences joined with no punctuation, which makes a major error. He insists on wearing socks everywhere that he goes is a complete sentence. At the beach, in the shower, or around the house, you will find ... begins the next complete sentence.

Fix the error in the following given item.

In the restroom, Esha was brushing her hair, freshened her lipgloss, and took deep breaths, trying to work up the courage to walk to her first speech class.

• In the restroom, Esha brushed her hair, freshened her lipgloss, and took deep breaths, trying to work up the courage to walk to her first speech class.

• In the restroom, Esha was brushing her hair, freshen her lipgloss, and took deep breaths, trying to work up the courage to walk to her first speech class.

• In the restroom, Esha was brushing her hair, freshened her lipgloss, and taken deep breaths, trying to work up the courage to walk to her first speech class.

• In the restroom, Esha was brushing her hair, freshened her lipgloss, and took deep breaths, tried to work up the courage to walk to her first speech class.

Answer explanation

This is a parallel structure. Here "freshened" and "took " both are in simple past tense verbs, "but was brushing" is past progressive, wrecking the parallelism.

To fix this error "was brushing" can be replaced with "brushed"