Sentence Structure: Combining Clauses Correctly
Core concepts
Sentence Structure questions ask you to recognize and repair the four building blocks: the independent clause, the subordinate clause, coordination (and, but, or, so, yet, for, nor), and subordination (because, although, while, since, if, which, that). You must also spot fragments, run-ons (comma splices and fused sentences), and errors of word order, especially with adverbs and inverted question forms.
Common traps
- Comma splice: two independent clauses joined by only a comma. Repair with a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus coordinating conjunction.
- Fused sentence: two independent clauses with no punctuation at all.
- Fragment: a subordinate clause or participial phrase standing alone, as in Because the bus was late.
- Double connectors: Although it rained, but we went uses two subordinators for one relationship.
- Faulty parallelism: She likes hiking, swimming, and to cook should end with cooking.
- Misplaced adverbs such as only or almost, which change meaning with position.
Rule of thumb
If a word group opens with a subordinator (because, although, when, if, since, while), it cannot stand alone; it must attach to an independent clause. Compare The game was canceled because the field was flooded (correct) with The game was canceled. Because the field was flooded (fragment). To test any sentence, cover the opening word: if what remains can stand alone, the clause is independent.