English

1. Definitions and Examples of Basic
Sentence Elements
Key: Yellow, bold = subject; green underline = verb, blue, italics =
object, pink, regular font = prepositional phrase
Independent clause: An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence.
It contains a subject and a verb and is a complete idea.
•I like spaghetti.
•He reads many books.
Dependent clause: A dependent clause is not a complete sentence. It must
be attached to an independent clause to become complete. This is also
known as a subordinate clause.
•Although I like spaghetti,…
•Because he reads many books,…

2. Subject: A person, animal, place, thing, or concept that does an action.
Determine the subject in a sentence by asking the question “Who or
what?”
• I like spaghetti.
• He reads many books.
Verb: Expresses what the person, animal, place, thing, or concept does.
Determine the verb in a sentence by asking the question “What was the
action or what happened?”
• I like spaghetti.
• He reads many books.
• The movie is good. (The be verb is also sometimes referred to as a
copula or a linking verb. It links the subject, in this case "the movie," to
the complement or the predicate of the sentence, in this case, "good.")

3. Object: A person, animal, place, thing, or concept that receives the
action. Determine the object in a sentence by asking the question
“The subject did what?” or “To whom?/For whom?”
• I like spaghetti.
• He reads many books.
Prepositional Phrase: A phrase that begins with a preposition (i.e., in,
at for, behind, until, after, of, during) and modifies a word in the
sentence. A prepositional phrase answers one of many questions.
Here are a few examples: “Where? When? In what way?”
• I like spaghetti for dinner.
• He reads many books in the library.

4. English Sentence Structure
The following statements are true about sentences in English:
•A new sentence begins with a capital letter.
• He obtained his degree.
•A sentence ends with punctuation (a period, a question mark, or an exclamation
point).
• He obtained his degree.
•A sentence contains a subject that is only given once.
• Smith he obtained his degree.
•A sentence contains a verb or a verb phrase.
• He obtained his degree.
•A sentence follows Subject + Verb + Object word order.
• He (subject) obtained (verb) his degree (object).
•A sentence must have a complete idea that stands alone. This is also called an
independent clause.
• He obtained his degree.

5. Simple Sentences
A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb, and it may also have
an object and modifiers. However, it contains only one independent
clause.
Key: Yellow, bold = subject; green underline = verb, blue, italics =
object, pink, regular font =prepositional phrase
Here are a few examples:
•She wrote.
•She completed her literature review.
•He organized his sources by theme.
•They studied APA rules for many hours.

6. Compound Sentences
A compound sentence contains at least two independent
clauses. These two independent clauses can be combined with
a comma and a coordinating conjunction or with a semicolon.
Key: independent clause = yellow, bold; comma or semicolon = pink,
regular font; coordinating conjunction = green, underlined
Here are a few examples:
•She completed her literature review, and she created her reference list.
•He organized his sources by theme; then, he updated his reference list.
•They studied APA rules for many hours, but they realized there was
still much to learn.

7. Complex Sentences
A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and at least one
dependent clause. Dependent clauses can refer to the subject (who, which) the
sequence/time (since, while), or the causal elements (because, if) of the
independent clause.
If a sentence begins with a dependent clause, note the comma after this clause.
If, on the other hand, the sentence begins with an independent clause, there is
not a comma separating the two clauses.
Key: independent clause = yellow, bold; comma = pink, regular font; dependent
clause = blue, italics
•Although she completed her literature review, she still needed to work on her
methods section.
•Because he organized his sources by theme, it was easier for his readers to
follow.
•They studied APA rules for many hours as they were so interesting.

8. Compound-Complex Sentences
A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and at least one
dependent clause. Dependent clauses can refer to the subject (who, which) the
sequence/time (since, while), or the causal elements (because, if) of the independent
clause.
If a sentence begins with a dependent clause, note the comma after this clause. If, on
the other hand, the sentence begins with an independent clause, there is not a comma
separating the two clauses.
Key: independent clause = yellow, bold; comma = pink, regular font; dependent clause
= blue, italics
•Although she completed her literature review, she still needed to work on her
methods section.
•Because he organized his sources by theme, it was easier for his readers to follow.
•They studied APA rules for many hours as they were so interesting.

9. Run-on Sentences
A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (also known as
complete sentences) are connected improperly.
Example: I love to write papers I would write one every day if I had the time.
One common type of run-on sentence is a comma splice. A comma splice occurs
when two independent clauses are joined with just a comma.
Example of a comma splice: Participants could leave the study at any time, they
needed to indicate their preference.
Some comma splices occur when a writer attempts to use a transitional expression
in the middle of a sentence.
Example of a comma splice: The results of the study were
inconclusive, therefore more research needs to be done on the topic.

10. Run-on Sentences
Sentence 1: The results of the study were inconclusive
Transitional expression (conjunctive adverb): therefore
Sentence 2: More research needs to be done on the topic
To fix this type of comma splice, use a semicolon before the
transitional expression and add a comma after it.
Revision: The results of the study were
inconclusive; therefore, more research needs to be done on the
topic.

11. Correcting Run-on Sentences
A run-on sentence can be fixed by connecting its parts correctly. There are
several ways to connect independent clauses.
1. Use a period. The easiest way to fix a run-on is to split the sentence into
smaller sentences using a period. This revision works especially well with
longer sentences. Check, however, to make sure that this solution does not
result in short, choppy sentences.
Revision example: I love to write papers. I would write one every day if I had
the time.
2. Use a semicolon. Inserting a semicolon between independent clauses
creates a grammatically correct sentence. Using a semicolon is a stylistic
choice that establishes a close relationship between the two sentences.
Revision example: I love to write papers; I would write one every day if I had
the time.

12. Correcting Run-on Sentences
3. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction. A comma, paired with a
coordinating conjunction (e.g., "and," "but," or "or"), corrects a run-on
sentence. This method emphasizes the relationship between the two clauses.
Revision example: I love to write papers, and I would write one every day if I
had the time.
4. Use a subordinating conjunction. Turn one of the independent clauses
into a dependent clause. A subordinating conjunction (e.g., "because,"
"unless," and "although") connects two clauses to create a complex sentence.
This option works to cement the relationship between the two parts of the
sentence and may improve the flow of the clauses.
Example: Because I love to write papers, I would write one every day if I
had the time.

13. Sentence Fragment
A sentence fragment is a string of words that does not form a complete
sentence; there is a necessary component of a complete sentence missing.
This missing component may be a subject (usually a noun) or a predicate
(verb or verb phrase) and/or when the sentence does not express a complete
idea.
Here is an example of a fragment with a missing subject.
Example of a fragment: Shows no improvement in any of the vital signs.
The sentence above is a fragment since there is no subject (Who shows no
improvement?). Fragments can be corrected by identifying the missing
element and including it.
Revision: The patient shows no improvement in any of the vital signs.

14. Sentence Fragment
Here is an example of a fragment with a missing predicate, or action:
Example of a fragment: The doctors, who were using peer-reviewed
research articles that contributed to the body of knowledge in their
fields, which was obstetrics.
Notice here that although the sentence is quite long, it still contains no
action (What are the doctors doing?). Once identified, the sentence
can be corrected easily.
Revision: The doctors, who were using peer-reviewed research
articles that contributed to the body of knowledge in their
field, improved their knowledge of obstetrics.

15. Parallel Construction Basics
Parallel ideas must be presented in parallel grammatical form, which means that each
part of a sentence uses the same grammatical structure.
Examples of Parallel Construction
"Between" and "And"
Incorrect: We debated the difference between the weather in Minnesota in the
winter and how hot it is in the summer.
Correct: We debated the difference between the weather in Minnesota in the
winter and the weather in Minnesota in the summer.
"Both" and "And"
Incorrect: The films were enjoyable both to watch and for discussing.
Correct: The films were enjoyable both to watch and to discuss.

16. Parallel Construction Basics
"Neither" and "Nor"; "Either" and "Or"
Incorrect: Neither the responses to the questionnaire nor what we asked
on the survey were answered.
Correct: Neither the responses to the questionnaire nor the responses to
the survey were answered.
"Not Only" and "But Also"
Incorrect: It was surprising not only that the house sold, but also it sold well
over the asking price.
Correct: It was surprising not only that the house sold but also that it sold
well over the asking price.

17. Parallel Construction Basics
"Neither" and "Nor"; "Either" and "Or"
Incorrect: Neither the responses to the questionnaire nor what we asked
on the survey were answered.
Correct: Neither the responses to the questionnaire nor the responses to
the survey were answered.
"Not Only" and "But Also"
Incorrect: It was surprising not only that the house sold, but also it sold well
over the asking price.
Correct: It was surprising not only that the house sold but also that it sold
well over the asking price.

18. Parallel Construction in a List
Sentences with lists require particular attention to parallel construction.
Example 1:
Incorrect: This paper will address No Child Left Behind, how to teach effectively, and
instructing with multimedia aids.
Correct: This paper will address No Child Left Behind benchmarks, effective
teaching strategies, and multimedia instructional aids.
Now, the list has parallel elements (benchmarks, strategies, and aids are all plural
nouns).
Example 2:
Incorrect: The students were unprepared, poorly behaved, and disrupted the class.
Correct: The students were underprepared, poorly behaved, and disruptive.
Now, the list has parallel elements ("underprepared," "behaved," and "disruptive" are all
adjectives).

19. Parallel Construction in a List
Sentences with lists require particular attention to parallel construction.
Example 1:
Incorrect: This paper will address No Child Left Behind, how to teach effectively, and
instructing with multimedia aids.
Correct: This paper will address No Child Left Behind benchmarks, effective
teaching strategies, and multimedia instructional aids.
Now, the list has parallel elements (benchmarks, strategies, and aids are all plural
nouns).
Example 2:
Incorrect: The students were unprepared, poorly behaved, and disrupted the class.
Correct: The students were underprepared, poorly behaved, and disruptive.
Now, the list has parallel elements ("underprepared," "behaved," and "disruptive" are all
adjectives).