SPARK

The most important quality of a sentence is that it clearly communicate the writer’s meaning to the reader.

Using appropriate style and grammar is important because it contributes to clarity. Clarity is also affected by various elements of sentence structure such as sentence complexity, punctuation and verb tense.

Review the sections below to view some common issues that arise concerning sentence structure and clarity. You can also review the "Creating Complex Sentences" document located in the 'Resources' tab. 

A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence. Often a sentence fragment is missing one of these three components,

1. a subject – ex. Quickly ran to class. (Who ran to class?)
2. a verb -  ex. My favorite professor. (What did the professor do?)
3. a completed thought – After they left the theatre. (What did they do after they left the theatre?)

Sentences must have subjects and verbs; if you lack one or the other, the meaning of your sentence might be unclear. We call sentences that lack subjects or verbs 'sentence fragments' are, while they sometimes occur in creative writing pieces or popular media, they are not appropriate for an academic essay.

A good way to detect a sentence fragment read each sentence out loud to yourself. If the sentence can be understood on its own without the aid of other sentences, then you likely have a complete sentence.

Run-on sentences are very common and can often be difficult to recognize. It occurs when two independent clauses are joined together without proper punctuation or appropriate conjunctions. In other words, a run-on sentence is two sentences that have been incorrectly joined together into one.

A run-on sentence can be corrected one of three ways. (Sentences in red are incorrect. Sentences in green are correct)

1. Separate the two ideas into separate sentences. If the two sentences are separated by a comma, this is referred to as a comma splice.

The exam is on Monday, I am studying all weekend.

The exam is on Monday. I am studying all weekend.

2. Introduce the proper punctuation, such as a comma or semi-colon to separate the two ideas

The exam is on Monday I am studying all weekend.

The exam is on Monday, so I’ll be studying all weekend.

The exam is on Monday; I am studying all weekend.

3. Adding the proper conjunction between the two independent clauses

The exam is on Monday I am studying all weekend

I am studying all weekend because the exam is on Monday.

Personal pronouns are a wonderful tool for avoiding the need to repeat names. However, if a writer is not careful when using personal pronouns, a reader will have trouble determining who is meant by “he,” “them,” or other pronouns used in the essay.

Here are examples of sentences in which it is unclear what is meant by the pronouns “he,” “them,” and “this”:

• Raj looked carefully at Edwin because he had never been this sad. (Who is sad—Raj or Edwin?)
• Jelena raised rabbits with her parents, and her teacher asked if she would bring them to school one day. (Who does “them” refer to—her parents or her rabbits?)
• When parents try to ignore inappropriate attempts to gain their attention, children often escalate to more extreme tactics. This prompts considerable anxiety. (What prompts the anxiety—trying to ignore the children or the children’s extreme tactics?)

As you can see, relying too much on personal pronouns can really make it difficult for your reader to figure out what you are trying to say.

Generally speaking, the first sentence establishes the verb tense that is used throughout the entire sentence. Do not switch between past, present and future tense in academic assignments unless doing so aids the communication of meaning.

Shifting from one verb tense to another anywhere in an essay should only be done when ideas or argument clearly require it.

Example of tense switch within a sentence: (Red sentence represents an incorrect verb tense. Green sentence represents a correct verb tense)

• Darwin traveled to the Galapagos Islands on his ship, the Beagle, where he observes many varieties of finches. 
• Darwin travelled to the Galapagos Islands on his ship, the Beagle, where he observed many varieties of finches.