Sentence Structure in English

Different parts of a sentence come together through sentence structure. Sentence structure determines the punctuation, word choice, and the arrangement of words. To write clear and well-structured sentences there are a number of factors you must consider the first being word order rules.

There are two common mistakes that writers make when constructing sentences. These are:

• Run-on sentences- these are sentences with the wrong punctuation joining their parts
• Sentence fragments- these, on the other hand, are sentences that are missing vital components that make the sentence grammatically correct

Sentence structure involves not just grammar but also word flow and style. Academic writing has a very specific style that involves a variety of structures and sentence lengths. When writing these pieces, use concise and clear sentences. Overly long sentences tend to confuse a reader whereas too many short sentences make your piece look disjointed.

Table of Contents

1. Run-on sentences
2.  Sentence fragments
3. Sentence length variation
4.  Fixing sentence structure using a paraphrasing tool
5. Sentence structure tips

1.       Run-on Sentences

There are different types of clauses in the English language. An independent clause refers to a group of words that have meaning and can stand alone as a sentence. You can join independent clauses in your writing using punctuation marks or conjunctions.

Run-on sentences occur when independent clauses are joined using wrong punctuation. The length of a run-on sentence does not matter as short sentences could also have this problem. It’s a matter of grammar. The two common mistakes made in run-on sentences are:

 Comma Splice

You cannot join independent clauses using a comma alone. This kind of sentence is called a comma splice. An example of a comma splice sentence is,

      The project run over the deadline, data processing was extensive- Incorrect

There are three ways to fix this error:

Splitting the two sentences- The project run over the deadline. Data processing was extensive.

Using a semicolon or a colon- The project run over the deadline; data processing was extensive

Using a conjunction- The project run over the deadline because data processing was extensive.

 Mixing a Comma with a Coordinating Conjunction

There are seven coordinating conjunctions in grammar. They include for, and, or, but, yet, so, and nor. When using a conjunction to join two independent clauses, you must use a comma before it.

A sentence without a comma before the conjunction is called a run-on sentence. This type of sentence can be quite confusing as it has no breaks and it can be quite difficult to tell the discrepancy between the two clauses. Using a comma helps your reader to understand that the next part is a new but related thought. For example,

     Data was gathered through questionnaires, and selected respondents participated in interviews.

2.       Sentence Fragments

For words to be considered a sentence, it must contain a subject and a predicate. A fragment however, is a group of words that lack necessary components to form a grammatically correct sentence.

Sentence fragments are common and acceptable in creative writing. However, they are not appropriate in academic and formal writing.

 Subjects and Predicates

The subject in a sentence refers to the noun or the person or thing doing an action. The predicate is the verb or the action being done. Every complete sentence needs to have both a subject and a predicate.

In some sentences, there is more than one noun and verb. Regardless of the number, the subject-predicate position remains. The ratio is 1:1 meaning every subject needs to have its predicate and vice versa.

·       Missing Predicate

The most common form of sentence fragments is a missing predicate. A noun phrase alone is grammatically incorrect and it needs a main verb to make it complete. To revise this type of sentence fragment, you can either use appropriate punctuation such as a colon or semicolon or rewrite the sentence and include a predicate.

·       Dependent clause on its own

A dependent clause has both the subject and the predicate. However, it cannot express a complete thought. To form a full sentence, it has to be attached to an independent clause.

Subordinating conjunctions such as when, while, although, since, after, and if form dependent clauses. Inserting these words at the beginning of an independent clause turns it into a dependent one. For example,

              The sky was dark- Independent clause

              While the sky was dark- Dependent clause

An independent clause has meaning and can stand on its own. A dependent clause is a sentence fragment and needs to be joined to another clause for it to have meaning.

               They wanted to travel while the sky was dark.

3.       Sentence Length Variation

In academic writing, you can use long or short sentences depending on the context. However, an extreme of both reduces the quality of your work and confuses your reader. Sometimes a long sentence may be grammatically correct but due to its length, it becomes difficult to follow.

Splitting Overly Long Sentences

An average sentence should be around 15-25 words. A sentence that exceeds 30-40 words is considered an overly long sentence and you should consider revising it. One way you can shorten the sentence is by removing redundancies and unnecessary phrases. In cases where all the words are essential, you should consider splitting it into two or more sentences.

Linking Overly Short Sentences

A majority of writers think brief and clear sentences are grammatically correct. This is not always the case. Overly short sentences make your work look disjointed and choppy. To avoid this, make use of transition words to show your reader how your ideas fit together and also to form longer, clearer sentences.

4.       Fixing Sentence Structure Using a Paraphrasing Tool

When writing a paper, it may be difficult to remember all the sentence structure rules. Paraphrasing tools make your work easier as they go through your work and fix all sentence structure mistakes at the click of a button.

5.       Sentence Structure Tips

The above are basic sentence structure rules. You can also use other techniques to ensure your sentence structure is top-notch. These include:

• Fixing dangling modifiers
• Using parallel structure
• Fixing misplaced modifiers