5 Kinds of Sentence Errors

1. Comma splice – the improper use of a comma instead of a conjunction, a  period, or a semi-colon to connect two independent clauses. A comma splice creates a  run-on sentence. 

Error: The doctor was unavailable, she went on vacation. 
Corrections: The doctor was unavailable because she went on vacation. 
The doctor was unavailable. She went on vacation. 
The doctor was unavailable; she went on vacation. 

2. Modification error – occurs when the modifying clause is not adjacent to the  noun it is modifying. 

Error: Leaving us alone, the door was closed by Mom. 
Correction: Leaving us alone, Mom closed the door. 

3. Parallel construction error – using a different type of word to make a list,  resulting in an illogical sentence. 

Error: Joe likes singing, to walk, and diving. 
Correction: Joe likes singing, walking, and diving. 

4. Pronoun-noun agreement error – using a noun and a pronoun that do not agree  in number or gender. 

Error: Each boy rode their bike to school. 
Correction: Each boy rode his bike to school. 

5. Sentence-fragment – an incomplete sentence, missing either a subject or a  conjugated verb, or both. Correction involves either adding the missing part or  changing the structure of the sentence-fragment to create a complete sentence, as in  the first corrected sentence below. 

Error: The cat, which drank all the milk. 
Corrections: The cat drank all the milk. 
The cat, which drank all the milk, purred.