METU / SFL Fall 2024

DBE
WHO 1 401 GROUP
SENTENCE STRUCTURE &
COMMON MISTAKES
(Instructor’s Copy)
Objectives: Students will have
-gained awareness of the structure of simple sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences, and
common mistakes in writing (subject-verb agreement problems, fragments, comma splices, run–on
sentences, lack of parallelism in structures, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling mistakes)
- practiced in writing accurate sentences

WRITING SKILL INPUT

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a “complete thought,” and it includes a SUBJECT and a
VERB.
e.g., A sentence includes a subject and a verb. 😊
subject verb

There are different kinds of sentences. Some sentences are statements while others are questions.
Sentences start with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark.
There are four sentence patterns.
 Simple sentence
 Compound sentence
 Complex sentence
 Compound-complex sentence

SIMPLE SENTENCES
A simple sentence has one subject + verb combination. The subject tells who or what. The verb usually
expresses the action (e.g., jump, work, think) of the sentence or a condition (e.g., is, was, seem, become).
Examples:
* Good learners study effectively.
subject verb
* Frank and Joe are very successful architects.
subject subject verb
* The films entertained and thrilled audiences everywhere.
subject verb verb
* Luke Skywalker and his friends battled evil and created strong friendships at the same time.
subject subject verb verb

COMPOUND SENTENCES
Compound sentences combine two “complete thoughts” with a conjunction (a joining word). These
complete thoughts are called independent clauses that can stand by themselves.
Example:

It was raining hard, and there was a strong wind. (two independent clauses combined with “and”)
You will have practice in making compound sentences in another handout.

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COMPLEX SENTENCES
Complex sentences include both independent and dependent clauses. Dependent clause is a group of
words with a subject and a verb that CANNOT stand by itself. In other words, it is not a complete
sentence.
Examples:
* “If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.” (Charles Dickens)
* Before we left on our road trip, we made sure to refuel the car.
(The underlined parts are dependent clauses.)

You will have practice in making complex sentences in the upcoming grammar and writing classes.

COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCES
A compound-complex sentence is a combination of the compound and the complex sentence patterns. It
is made up of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

Example:
* Although he was exhausted, Dominic cooked dinner for his mother, and after dinner he cleaned the
kitchen.
COMMON MISTAKES WHEN FORMING SENTENCES
a. Subject-verb agreement problems
When writing a sentence, you should make sure that if the subject of the sentence is singular, it must
be followed by a singular verb. Similarly, a plural subject must be followed by a plural verb. Study the
underlined head nouns in the examples below.
Examples:
* One of John's brothers lives in Boston. (singular subject - singular verb)
* A number of students are absent today. (plural subject - plural verb)
* The number of employees in my company is approximately ten thousand. (singular subject –
singular verb)
* Learning about new cultures is exciting. (singular subject - singular verb)
Some nouns seem plural, but they are actually singular, such as maths, physics, economics, etc.
* Mathematics was my favorite subject in school (singular subject - singular verb)

TASK 1. Underline the correct verb.

1. The professor and the student agrees / agree on that point.
2. Making cakes is / are Mrs. Reed's specialty.
3. Getting to know students from all over the world is/are one of the best parts of my job.
4. Why was / were Susan and Alex late for the meeting?
5. A number of factors needs / need to be considered.
6. Is / Are having the responsibility for taking care of pets good for your children?
7. One of the chief materials in teeth and bones is / are calcium.
8. The number of votes was / were 20.

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 b. Sentence fragments
A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence; that is, a sentence that is missing either its subject or its
main verb.
Examples:
* Competitors in the Argungu Fishing Festival only traditional fishing equipment. (Fragment (F))
Competitors in the Argungu Fishing Festival only use traditional fishing equipment. (Sentence ())
Sometimes writers may forget to write one part of a sentence. This also creates a fragment. Such
fragments are correct only when they are used in response to questions. Do NOT use them in your writing
if you are not answering questions.
Examples:
* Because they are reserved. (F)
Introverts feel comfortable alone because they are reserved. ()
* When they feel bad. (F)
When they feel bad, introverts look inside themselves for energy. ()
* After the festival. (F)
After the festival, people prepare food for their dead relatives. ()
TASK 2. Read each group of words, and decide which ones are complete sentences and which ones are
not. Tick the correct sentences and cross the incorrect ones. Write the correct versions in the
blanks.
1. () In Kenya, wild animals and interesting scenery.
In Kenya, there are wild animals and interesting scenery.
2. () The decrease in poverty is a direct result of industrialization.
3._ () Cities are a universal symbol of civilization.
4._ () One of the best movies of the 2010s.
“Parasite” was one of the best movies of the 2010s. / One of the best movies of the 2010s was
“Parasite.”
5._ () Working during the morning and attending classes in the evening.
Working during the morning and attending classes in the evening is tiring.

c. Comma splices and run-on sentences

When writers combine sentences, they may make the mistake of using comma splices. A comma splice is
the use of a comma to link two independent clauses:
e.g., I love cooking, I’m good at making pizza. (X) (This is a comma splice. You cannot link two
independent clauses with a comma only, except in literary writing
I love cooking, and I am good at making pizza. ()
NOTE: Comma splices are sometimes used in literary writing to convey a particular mood of informality,
but they are not recommended in formal/semi-formal writing.
When we join sentences together, it is important to use correct punctuation or a linking word. Sentences
that run together without these are called run-on sentences. In order to avoid run-on sentences, use
either the correct punctuation, a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, etc.), or a transition (however,
therefore, moreover, etc.)

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Examples:
* My uncle is losing money on his business he refuses to sell it. (X) (run-on sentence)
* My uncle is losing money on his business, he refuses to sell it. (X) (comma splice)

* My uncle is losing money on his business. He refuses to sell it. ()

* My uncle is losing money on his business, but he refuses to sell it. ()

* My uncle is losing money on his business; however, he refuses to sell it. ()

d. Unparallel Structures
When you are listing items or ideas, each item in your sentence should have the same grammatical
pattern. This is called parallelism. It is an important element in writing, especially when you are listing
items or ideas. If, for example, you are writing a list, and the first item in your list is a noun, you must
write the following items as nouns.
Notice how the rule of parallelism is followed in the second sentence in each of the following sets:
Not parallel 1. My class is made up of Mexicans, Italians, and some are from Germany.
Parallel 2. My English conversation class is made up of Mexicans, Italians, and
Germans.
Not parallel 1. Successful students attend lessons regularly, they concentrate on their
work in class, and do their assignments.
Parallel 2. Successful students attend lessons regularly, concentrate on their
work in class, and do their assignments.
Not parallel 1. Which outdoor sports do people like watching or to take part in?
Parallel 2. Which outdoor sports do people like watching or taking part in?
Not parallel 1. My parents were poor people but happy.
Parallel 2. My parents were poor but happy (people).
TASK 3. Connect the sentences so that the structures in each sentence are parallel. There is more than
one way to connect some of these sentences.
e.g., Julie is a good singer and dances beautifully.
Julie is a good singer and a beautiful dancer. OR Julie sings well and dances beautifully.
1. To swim and doing yoga are good for one’s health.
Swimming and doing yoga are good for one’s health.
2. She loves mountain biking and ride a horse.
She loves mountain biking and horse riding.
3. He wants to be a counsellor, a social worker, or teach English.
He wants to be a counsellor, a social worker, or an English teacher.
4. The students tried to finish their assignment in a quick way and accurately.
The students tried to finish their assignment quickly and accurately.

e. Capitalization and punctuation mistakes

Remember to capitalize the following in your sentences:

 the first word of a sentence
 the first-person singular pronoun (i.e., I)
 proper nouns (specific people, places, and organizations) (e.g., Kate, London, British Council, etc.)
 nationalities, languages, and religions (English, Spanish, Islam)
 days of the week and months of the year (with or without a specific date) (Friday, September, etc.)

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Remember to use the correct punctuation mark at the end of your sentences. Use:
 a period/full stop (.) at the end of a statement
e.g., India is home to a diverse culture.
 a question mark (?) at the end of a question
e.g., Is it true that the Pamplona Bull Run involves running in front of bulls?
 an exclamation mark (!) at the end of a statement that expresses strong emotions or surprise.
e.g., What a coincidence!

f. Spelling mistakes

 Spelling is important in that it helps you communicate more clearly and accurately. When words
are spelled correctly, it is easier for others to understand your message. Good spelling also helps
with pronunciation because English often has tricky and unpredictable spelling rules.
 Learning the correct spelling of words can also improve reading and writing skills. Additionally,
correct spelling gives a good impression in both academic and professional settings, showing that
the learner is knowledgeable and careful. Therefore, focusing on spelling is a key part of mastering
the English language.

Here are some of the commonly misspelt words:

Common misspelling Correct spelling
collegue colleague
appearence appearance
embarass embarrass
occassion occasion
untill until
accomodation accommodation

TASK 4. Some of the sentences below are incorrect. Write:

* (Cap.) if there is a capitalization mistake. * (CS) if there is a comma splice.
* (P) if there is a punctuation mistake. * (//) if there is unparallelism.
* (Fr.) if there is a fragment. * (RO) if it is a run-on sentence.
* (S/V) if there is subject-verb disagreement. * (Sp.) if there is a spelling mistake.

Then, correct the sentences. Put a tick () if the sentences are correct.
(Suggested answers)

Fr. 1. Last night, after I finished my homework.

Last night, after I finished my homework, I took a hot shower.
Cap. 2. One of the most famous entrepreneurs in the united states is mark zuckerberg.
One of the most famous entrepreneurs in the United States is Mark Zuckerberg.
// 3. Being active is an important part of staying healthy, keeping fit, and weight loss.
Being active is an important part of staying healthy, keeping fit, and losing weight .
RO _4. My roommate wants to win the Tour de France someday he spends hours riding his bicycle.
My roommate wants to win the Tour de France someday, so he spends hours riding his
bicycle.

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 P 5. You don’t have to stay here however if you do you may see him
You don’t have to stay here; however, if you do, you may see him.
 6. Come on! Please join us so that we can finish this earlier.
CS 7. Some people prefer to work in an office, others prefer to work outdoors.
Some people prefer to work in an office, but others prefer to work outdoors.
S/V 8. A high fever and an upset stomach is symptoms of the disease.
A high fever and an upset stomach are symptoms of the disease.
// 9. Traveling to a country and to meet new people can be a wonderful experience.
Traveling to a country and meeting new people can be a wonderful experience.
Sp. 10. Their going to loose the race if they don't practice alot.
They’re going to lose the race if they don't practice a lot.
Fr. 11. Strong forms of artificial intelligence have a kind of real intelligence and closer to human beings
than weak forms.
Strong forms of artificial intelligence have a kind of real intelligence and are closer to human
beings than weak forms.

TASK 5. In about 50 words, give information about your personal interests and someone that you admire or
find very successful/inspiring in one of the areas you are interested in.
(e.g., your personal interest area is music, and you find Lana del Rey inspiring.) Pay attention to
capitalization, punctuation, subject verb agreement, and parallelism. Avoid run-on sentences and
fragments.
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