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Review Some Terms
• Subject
• A subject is a part of a sentence that contains the person or thing performing the action
(or verb) in a sentence.
• Predicate
• The predicate is what comes after the subject. In a simple sentence, the predicate can be just a
verb (the action happening in the sentence): Ex: She cried. Ex: He kicked the ball.
• Phrase
• A phrase is a group of words that works together in a sentence but does not contain a subject
or a verb. Often phrases are used for descriptions of people, things, events, or verbs. Phrases
are bold typed in the following sentences.
• Filled with joy, the girl jumped up and down.
• The man with the red jacket is my father.
• He performed the song with a smile on his face.
• He created the experiment to test the embryo’s sensitivity to outside light.

Review some terms – Cont’d
• Clause
• A clause is a group of words working together that contains both a subject and a verb.
• Independent Clause
• An independent clause can stand on its own as a complete sentence.
• The athlete completed the marathon.
• Dependent Clause
• A dependent clause must be attached to another clause in order for it to be a complete
sentence; it cannot stand on its own.
• Because he was not thinking about the consequences, the toddler chose to
touch the hot stove.

Three Errors to Avoid/Fix
Comma splices
Fragments Run-ons

Three Errors to Avoid - Fragments
Mosaics from the Tetrapylon Street in Aphrodisias (5th
century)
• Incomplete sentence (subject or verb is
missing)
• Does not express a complete thought
• -ing phrases (gerunds)
• Fixing his car
• To fragments
• To avoid making my parents angry
• Noun + relative pronoun
• The dog that lives next door
• Incomplete predicates (transitive vs.
intransitive verbs)
• It was a long drive, but I enjoyed.
• Dependent clauses
• After I arrived home
• Because she was tired
Fragment

Fragments – Participials vs. Gerunds
Gerunds mixed with participles
• Seeing these people suffer as they struggle to feed themselves and their
children. It is truly heartbreaking.
• (the first one is a gerund used as subject and is missing predicate)
children is truly heartbreaking. (gerund subject + predicate)
children, some volunteers quit due to a lack of hope.
• (When they see these people suffer….some volunteers quit…)
• Subject of the ing- participial and the second clause is the same:
some volunteers)
Participles do not have a subject. The subject of the participle must be the
same as the subject they describe.
• Walking along the trail, a fallen tree blocked our way. (incorrect)
• A fallen tree is the subject of the second clause, but cannot be the subject
of the participial, so this sentence is incorrect)
• Walking along the trail, we saw a fallen tree blocked our way.
• Both the participial and the second clause have “we” as their subject,
so it is correct.

Fragments – Real Examples
Leading them to perhaps make different choices, including the career path
they choose to go into.
(A gerund as subject missing predicate)
Where most women like to be able to have the freedom to express
themselves in different ways, writing, drawing, talking, and so on.
(a dependent clause – if not joined to an independent clause, it’s
incomplete.)
In this essay, “Why Do Women shun STEM?” by Barbara Oakley. She
argues there are not many women that choose STEM.
(the first one is a phrase and cannot stand alone. Change to: In the
article, “Why…”, Barbara Oakley argues …”
Feminism, which first emerged in the 19th century, aimed to equalize
women’s social image and rights with those of men, also advocated for
women’s emancipation and practical equality through the expansion of
women’s rights.
Omit ‘also’ and the fragment is fixed.
Because women do not receive enough encouragement during their early
childhood years and later at school, which lose confidence in their
abilities and think they cannot compete with men in STEM field.
Two dependent clauses. Change “which” to “they” and it’s fixed.

How to fix fragments?
Often, you can fix a fragment by joining it to the previous or the
following sentence, change the punctuation, add the missing
part, or even omit the extra element that causes the clause to
turn into a dependent clause.
Jet lag which is simply the urge to sleep at inappropriate times.
(Omit the conjunction.) -> Jet lag is simply the urge to sleep at
inappropriate times.
->There are different ways to make college affordable. Such as
providing more student support and cutting unnecessary costs.
(Change the punctuation.)
-> There are different ways to make college affordable, such as
providing more student support and cutting unnecessary costs.

Three Errors to
Avoid
• One sentence runs into another.
• The results of the study were inconclusive
more research needs to be done.
• The results of the study were inconclusive
therefore more research needs to be
done.
• On this occasion, women frequently hear
that they do not have enough
competencies they are also paid less than
men.

Three Errors to Fix
Comma Splices
Two complete sentences are separated with a
comma.
• The attitude of professors can affect a
student’s life, those professors can make
women decide to choose social sciences
or humanities.
• I agree with her, women face lots of
difficulties getting into STEM because they
face gender bias and stereotypes.

How to fix run-ons and comma splices?
• Use a period.
• Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)
• Joe waited for the train, the train was late.
• Use a semicolon, a conjunctive adverb, and a comma.
• Students must take final exams they will receive a grade of Incomplete.
• Use a subordinating conjunction (Because, when, where/wherever, although, after/before,
until, since).
• Because the weather is warm in Arizona, they moved there.
• Although she was tired, she stayed up and worked.
To add similar idea To show contrast
Also, besides, furthermore, moreover,
in addition
However, nevertheless, nonetheless,
still
On the other hand, in contrast
Result To give an alternative possibility,
often negative
As a result, therefore, thus,
consequently, hence
otherwise

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