Recognizing Common Writing Errors

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic/description of a dependent clause?

• a group of words that can stand on its own as a sentence

• cannot stand on its own as a sentence

• a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate but is not a

  complete thought

• is dependent on being attached to an independent clause to form a sentence

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic/description of an independent clause?

• a group of words that can stand on its own as a sentence

• cannot stand on its own as a sentence

• contains a subject and a predicate

• is a complete thought

What is the subject in a sentence?

• The subject modifies a noun.

• The subject tells who or what the sentence is about.

• The subject tells something about the subject.

• The subject relates a noun or pronoun to another word in the sentence.

What is the predicate in a sentence?

• The predicate modifies a noun.

• The predicate tells who or what the sentence is about.

• The predicate replaces a noun.

• The predicate tells what the subject is doing or tells something about the subject.

Which of the following is an effective characteristic/description of a fragment?

• incomplete sentence that lacks the necessary grammatical elements to make an independent clause

• two or more independent clauses (i.e. complete sentences) joined without an appropriate conjunction or mark of punctuation

• two independent clauses that are connected with only a comma

Which of the following is an effective characteristic/description of a comma splice?

• incomplete sentence that lacks the necessary grammatical elements to make an independent clause

• two or more independent clauses (i.e. complete sentences) joined without an appropriate conjunction or mark of punctuation

• two independent clauses that are connected with only a comma

Which of the following is an effective characteristic/description of a run-on?

• incomplete sentence that lacks the necessary grammatical elements to make an independent clause

• two or more independent clauses (i.e. complete sentences) joined without an appropriate conjunction or mark of punctuation

• two independent clauses that are connected with only a comma

Which of the following is an example of a run-on?

• We have been learning about utopian and dystopian societies; soon we will be reading a self-selected dystopian novel.

• We have been learning about utopian and dystopian societies soon we will be reading a self-selected dystopian novel.

• We have been learning about utopian and dystopian societies, soon we will be reading a self-selected dystopian novel.

Which of the following is an example of a comma splice?

• Students are finishing up MAP testing we can then evaluate our own data.

• Students are finishing up MAP testing, and we can then evaluate our own data.

• Students are finishing up MAP testing, we can then evaluate our own data.

Which of the following is an example of a fragment?

• Keep your eye on the weather, temperatures are dropping!

• Because the temperatures are dropping!

• Keep your eye on the weather temperatures are dropping!