How to Write a Sentence: The Essential Rules Every Writer Needs to Master

Key Takeaways

Master the fundamentals of sentence construction to elevate your entire writing craft, from basic grammar to sophisticated storytelling.

• Every complete sentence requires a subject and verb working together to express a full thought that stands independently.

• English follows strict Subject-Verb-Object word order because it lacks grammatical markers other languages use to show relationships.

• Mix all four sentence types (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) to create rhythm and avoid monotonous writing.

• Choose active voice over passive constructions to reduce word count, clarify responsibility, and make writing more direct.

• Read your work aloud to catch errors that look fine on paper but sound clunky when spoken aloud.

• Build daily writing practice starting with just 15 minutes or 200 words to develop instinctive sentence-writing skills over time.

The difference between mediocre and compelling writing often comes down to sentence-level mastery. While writers obsess over plot and character development, the sentence itself remains the fundamental building block of the craft. By understanding core components (subjects, verbs, objects), avoiding critical errors (run-ons, fragments, misplaced modifiers), and varying sentence structure deliberately, you transform mechanical writing into instinctive skill that readers remember. Writers obsess over plot and character development, yet we often overlook the most fundamental building block of our craft: the sentence itself^[22]. Every sentence requires at least a verb and a subject working together to form a complete thought^[23][24]. Understanding how to write a sentence means grasping these components and the rules that govern them. This piece will walk you through everything from basic sentence structure to the four main types of English sentence structure. You’ll transform writing sentences from a mechanical task into an instinctive skill that lifts your entire manuscript.

The Foundation: What Is a Good Sentence

A student once turned in an essay where half the “sentences” weren’t sentences at all. “Because the rain fell heavily.” “Running through the park with my dog.” “After the game ended.” These fragments sat on the page looking official, dressed up with capital letters and periods, but something was missing.

Complete Thoughts vs. Incomplete Thoughts

A complete thought expresses a full idea and stands alone without leaving questions unanswered. When you read “They waited,” you understand what happened^[1]. The sentence delivers a clear message with a subject and a verb working together. Compare that to “Because hungry sharks flashed on the surface of the waves”^[25]. Your mind asks: what happened next? What did someone do about those sharks?

This phrase lacks what grammar experts call a main clause. Without one, you’ve written a fragment, not a sentence^[25]. The difference becomes obvious when you see the revision: “Because hungry sharks flashed on the surface of the waves, Mike and Sarah decided to return their surfboards to the car”^[25]. The thought feels finished now.

Complete thoughts provide clarity and allow readers to learn your meaning without confusion. Incomplete thoughts create ambiguity and force readers to fill in gaps you should have bridged. Read “Spilling the hot spaghetti sauce all over his new shoes” and you’ll wonder who performed this unfortunate act^[25]. The fragment disappears when you add the missing main clause: “Leonardo grabbed the pot handle with his bare hands, spilling the hot spaghetti sauce all over his new shoes”^[25].

Why Sentences Need Both Subject and Verb

Strip away a subject, and readers lose track of who or what performs the action. “Sat on the keyboard” prompts the question: who sat there^[26]? Remove the verb instead, and you get “The cat on the keyboard,” which makes readers ask what the cat did^[26].

These two elements form the sentence structure’s core. A sentence must contain a subject and a verb to express a complete thought^[27]. Some sentences accomplish this with brevity. “Birds fly” qualifies as a complete sentence because it has both required components^[3]. “Susan jumped” works just as well^[28].

Certain verbs demand additional information to make sense. You can’t write “The cat sat on” and call it finished^[26]. The transitive phrasal verb “to sit on” requires an object answering the question “on what?” The cat sat on the keyboard. The sentence works now.

Sentences with action verbs position the subject as the actor doing whatever the verb describes, and they must have a subject and verb^[28]. State-of-being verbs follow a different pattern, where the verb and following words describe or equal the subject^[28].

The Role of Punctuation in Sentence Boundaries

A complete sentence has three characteristics worth memorizing^[25]. First, it begins with a capital letter. Second, it has an end mark: a period, question mark, or exclamation point^[25]. Most important, the complete sentence contains at least one main clause with a subject and verb that together express a complete thought^[25].

Punctuation acts like road signs guiding readers through your ideas^[4]. These marks tell readers when to slow down, speed up, and stop. Punctuation contains and structures your thoughts by breaking up your sentences^[4].

Writers sometimes slap a capital letter at the beginning and a period at the end, assuming that makes a sentence. “To buy nice jewelry for his greedy girlfriend Gloria”^[25]. The punctuation looks right, but the main clause never appears. The revision fixes this: “Danny sold half of his comic book collection to buy nice jewelry for his greedy girlfriend Gloria”^[25].

Note that fragments often appear when writers disconnect dependent clauses from main clauses^[1]. “For example, a mailbox stuffed with bills, two dozen messages on the answering machine, an angry cat, and a dead lawn” contains no main clause^[25]. Add one and the fragment transforms: “For example, April found a mailbox stuffed with bills, two dozen messages on the answering machine, an angry cat, and a dead lawn”^[25].

Writing sentences means understanding that punctuation marks boundaries, not sentences themselves. The real sentence lives in the complete thought your words create.

Breaking Down Sentence Components

A teacher handed back my first college essay with red ink circling random words. “Find your verbs first,” she scribbled in the margin. I had no idea what she meant. Verbs show action, right? Wrong. That definition had failed me for years.

Identifying the Verb in Any Sentence

Verbs carry the time of the sentence^[29]. This single fact changes everything about how you write a sentence. Forget hunting for action words because nouns, adjectives, and adverbs can all show action^[29]. The verb is the word that changes when you move the sentence from past to future.

Take this sentence: “Taking dangerous risks seems to frighten most hardworking people”^[29]. Which word shows action? You might pick “taking” or “frighten.” Both feel active. But change the time by adding “Last year” at the beginning^[29]. Only one word moves: “seemed.” That’s your verb.

Try this technique on any sentence. Put “Last year” or “Next year” in front and watch which word changes^[29]. The word “took” becomes “will take” in the future when you look at “I took a big risk in applying for a new job”^[29]. The word that changes always reveals the verb.

Words ending in “-ing” by themselves never function as main verbs^[29]. Neither do infinitives starting with “to”^[29]. These forms need helping verbs to work. “Am hoping” contains a complete verb, but the part carrying the time is what matters most^[29].

Finding the Subject That Does the Action

The subject becomes simple to find once you locate the verb. Ask “who” or “what” performs the action^[30]. Ask yourself who is giving when you see “Jane is giving a tour of the CCC Library”^[30]. The answer is Jane.

Ask what is available with “Biology classes are available on the Harmony campus”^[30]. Biology classes. The word “classes” serves as the simple subject, while “biology” modifies it^[30].

The subject appears as a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun^[31]. Every complete sentence contains a subject^[31]. Remove it and you’re left with a phrase, not a sentence.

Gerunds can act as subjects^[32]. So can infinitives^[32]. “Running builds endurance” uses a gerund as the subject. “To swim requires practice” uses an infinitive. Both qualify as proper sentence structure.

Watch out for trick constructions. The words “there” and “here” never serve as subjects^[32]. The subject is “coffee shop,” not “there” when you see “There is a coffee shop in town”^[30].

Working with Transitive Verbs and Objects

Transitive verbs demand direct objects to complete their meaning^[33]. Write “We need” and you’ve created an incomplete thought^[34]. Add the object and clarity emerges: “We need a bigger boat”^[34]. The phrase “a bigger boat” receives the action and answers “what is needed”^[34].

The sentence collapses when you remove the direct object from a transitive verb^[34]. “I brought” leaves readers hanging. “I brought my laptop to my grandma’s house” delivers the full picture^[34].

Intransitive verbs work different. They stand alone without objects^[34]. “The shark swam around the boat” uses an intransitive verb^[34]. Nothing receives the action because intransitive verbs don’t transfer action to anything.

Some verbs switch between transitive and intransitive depending on context^[34]. “Dad cooks the turkey on Thanksgiving” uses “cooks” as a transitive verb^[34]. “Dad cooks on Thanksgiving” uses the same verb as intransitive^[34].

Ditransitive verbs take both direct and indirect objects^[34]. “A question” is the direct object and “the teacher” receives it as the indirect object when you see “The student asked the teacher a question”^[34].

Pronouns in Subject and Object Positions

Subject pronouns include I, you, he, she, we, they, and who^[35]. These perform the action. Object pronouns include me, you, him, her, us, them, and whom^[35]. These receive the action.

The confusion hits when pronouns combine. “Jim and I” or “Jim and me”? Remove Jim from the sentence^[36]. “I would like to help” sounds right^[36]. “Me would like to help” grates on your ears^[36]. Use the same test for object positions. “Prizes were given to I” fails^[36]. “Prizes were given to me” works^[36].

Subject pronouns appear before verbs^[35]. Object pronouns follow verbs or prepositions^[35]. Master this pattern and pronoun errors vanish from your writing.

Core Rules of English Sentence Structure

My editor once returned a manuscript with every sentence numbered. “Rearrange the words in sentence 47,” she wrote. I stared at it: “The book read the girl.” Each word was correct grammatically. The structure was wrong.

Standard Word Order: Subject-Verb-Object

English sentences follow a strict pattern. The subject comes first, the verb comes second, and the object comes last^[37][38]. This structure allows readers to understand instantly who performs the action and what receives it.

“Sam ate apples” demonstrates this pattern perfectly^[39]. Sam is the subject performing the action. Ate is the verb showing what happened. Apples is the object receiving the action. Flip this order and confusion results. “Apples ate Sam” changes the entire meaning.

English relies on this rigid structure because the language lacks the grammatical markers other languages use^[39]. Russian or Latin can scramble word order without losing meaning because their word endings show relationships between words. English cannot. Word position determines meaning in English sentence structure then.

The simple pattern works for simple constructions: “Students read books”^[37]. “Mary loves novels”^[40]. “They are going to the park”^[40]. Subject, verb, object. This foundation supports everything else you build.

Some sentences just need a subject and verb. “He ran” forms a complete thought^[41]. “Sarah writes” does the same^[41]. But most writing sentences requires all three components working in their proper positions.

Making Subjects and Verbs Agree

Singular subjects just need singular verbs. Plural subjects just need plural verbs^[23]. This agreement rule trips up writers more than any other aspect of English sentence structure.

Use a plural verb when two nouns connect with “and”^[42]. “The dog and the cat are sleeping” works because two subjects require the plural form. But when “or” or “nor” joins singular nouns, use a singular verb^[42]. “The dog or the cat is sleeping” follows this pattern.

Words like “each,” “everyone,” “everybody,” and “nobody” fool writers into using plural verbs^[42]. These pronouns are singular. “Everyone is ready” sounds right. “Everyone are ready” grates on the ear.

Phrases between the subject and verb create traps^[42]. “The box of chocolates sits on the table” confuses writers who want to match “sits” with the plural “chocolates.” The verb agrees with “box,” not with the object of the preposition. Strip away “of chocolates” and the correct form becomes obvious: “The box sits on the table.”

Sentences beginning with “there is” or “there are” reverse the typical order^[42]. The subject follows the verb in these constructions. “There are three reasons” uses a plural verb because “reasons” is plural. “There is one reason” switches to singular.

Starting and Ending Sentences Correctly

Capitalize the first letter of the first word^[23]. This rule holds whatever word starts your sentence. Period. No exceptions apply.

End every sentence with a period, question mark, or exclamation point^[23]. These marks signal completion and guide readers through your ideas.

You can end sentences with prepositions despite what old grammar books claim^[43]. Writers Joshua Poole and John Dryden invented this “rule” in the 17th century and tried to force English into Latin patterns^[43]. Latin cannot end sentences with prepositions structurally, but English can. Modern usage guides agree that terminal prepositions work fine^[43]. “What are you waiting for?” sounds natural. “For what are you waiting?” sounds pompous.

Write sentences that communicate clearly. Follow the standard word order. Match subjects with verbs. Start with capital letters and end with proper punctuation. These core rules of how to write a proper sentence support everything else.

How Independent and Dependent Clauses Work

A screenwriting professor once rejected my scene because I’d written, “When Sarah opened the door.” He circled it. “And then what?” he scribbled. I’d forgotten the rest of the sentence.

Building Complete Sentences with Independent Clauses

An independent clause contains both a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought^[44]. It can stand alone as a sentence^[45]. “The dog barked” works^[46]. “She sighed” delivers everything readers need^[47]. These clauses form the backbone of how to write a sentence.

You can stretch an independent clause across multiple words without breaking it. “The quick, red fox jumped over the lazy, brown dog” remains a single independent clause^[46]. “The professor always comes to class fully prepared” stands alone despite its length^[48]. Length doesn’t determine independence. Completeness does.

Think of independent clauses as Batman^[49]. They fight crime solo. They need no sidekick to save the city.

Adding Detail with Dependent Clauses

Dependent clauses play Robin to Batman’s lead^[49]. They contain a subject and verb but cannot stand alone^[44]. “When the dog barked” leaves readers hanging^[46]. “Although I completed my essay” feels unfinished^[50]. Something is missing.

These clauses depend on independent clauses to form complete thoughts^[45]. Attach them and meaning emerges. “When the dog barked, my sister started crying” makes sense^[46]. “Although I completed my essay, I have not submitted it” delivers the full picture^[50].

Dependent clauses add information to sentences but cannot function as their own sentences^[51]. They modify or explain the main clause and create richer, more sophisticated writing^[52]. “The fox, even though it was injured, jumped over the dog” shows how dependent clauses insert detail^[46].

Recognizing Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions transform independent clauses into dependent ones^[53]. Add “when” to “we arrived early to the party” and you create a dependent clause that cannot stand alone^[47]. The subordinating conjunction does two jobs. First, it provides a transition that shows time, place, or cause and effect^[53]. Second, it reduces the importance of one clause and makes it subordinate to the main idea^[53].

Common subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, even though, if, once, since, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, and while^[44][54][55]. To cite an instance, “because” shows cause and effect^[49]. “Before” and “after” signal time relationships^[49]. “Where” and “wherever” show place^[49].

So you can spot dependent clauses by identifying these words at the beginning^[47]. “Since the store doesn’t open until 10:00 AM” needs an independent clause to complete it^[47]. “Although the forecast calls for rain” leaves readers expecting more information^[47].

Connecting Clauses Without Creating Errors

A comma splice happens when you join two independent clauses with only a comma^[50]. “The court dismissed the case, the evidence was insufficient” demonstrates this error^[56]. You need more than a comma to connect independent clauses^[57].

Fix comma splices by replacing the comma with a period to create two sentences^[44][58]. You can also use a semicolon when the clauses relate closely^[57][56]. Add a coordinating conjunction after the comma: “The court dismissed the case, for the evidence was insufficient”^[56]. Or insert a subordinating conjunction to make one clause dependent: “Because the evidence was insufficient, the court dismissed the case”^[44].

When a dependent clause starts a sentence, place a comma after it^[45][53]. “Although the forecast calls for rain, we are going ahead with our plans for the hike” follows this pattern^[47]. When the independent clause comes first, skip the comma^[45]. “We are going ahead with our plans for the hike although the forecast calls for rain” needs no comma.

Mastering how to write a proper sentence means understanding these clause relationships and punctuation rules.

Mastering the Four Sentence Structure Types

I wrote my first novel using only one sentence type. Every sentence looked like “The hero walked. He opened the door. The villain appeared.” My critique group called it “See Spot Run for adults.”

Simple Sentences: The Right Time

A simple sentence consists of one independent clause^[59]. Nothing more. “I like coffee” works perfectly^[59]. “Mary likes tea” does the same^[59]. These sentences express complete thoughts with efficiency^[60].

Simple sentences create emphasis and express a single thought without confusion^[60]. Writers who pack too much into one sentence lose readers. Simple sentences cut through complexity. They deliver clarity. So they work best for opening paragraphs, making strong points, or providing relief after longer constructions.

Stringing too many simple sentences together makes writing sound choppy^[60]. Simple sentences underpin all other sentence structures^[61]. Become skilled at them first before moving to more complex forms.

Compound Sentences with FANBOYS

Compound sentences contain two or more independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions or semicolons^[59]. The seven coordinating conjunctions spell FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so^[62].

“I like coffee and Mary likes tea” demonstrates this pattern^[59]. Both clauses stand independently. The conjunction “and” links them as equals. “Dogs want attention, so they bark” shows another example^[60]. Place a comma before the coordinating conjunction that joins independent clauses^[62].

These sentences show equal relationships between ideas^[60]. Two thoughts that deserve equal weight call for them. “Our car broke down; we came last” uses a semicolon instead of a conjunction^[59]. Both methods work.

Complex Sentences for Sophisticated Writing

Complex sentences contain one independent clause and at least one dependent clause^[63]. They add sophistication to writing and allow you to convey nuanced, related ideas^[63]. “Because the rain was heavy, the game was canceled” showcases this structure^[63].

The independent clause “the game was canceled” stands alone^[63]. The dependent clause “because the rain was heavy” cannot^[63]. Subordinating conjunctions like because, although, when, and if introduce dependent clauses and signal relationships between ideas^[64].

Complex sentences provide more detail and background than simple sentences^[63]. They help connect ideas and create smoother flow^[63]. Formal writing such as academic papers needs complex sentences to explain complicated relationships between ideas^[63].

Compound-Complex Sentences for Advanced Writers

Compound-complex sentences contain at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses^[65]. They combine compound and complex structures into one sophisticated unit. “When they observed fossils and rock strata, ancient humans puzzled about them, but no one understood their significance” demonstrates this pattern^[66].

These sentences show relationships between multiple ideas^[66]. The dependent clause can appear at the beginning, middle, or end^[66]. Too many complex sentences confuse readers, so don’t use much of either^[60].

Practical Techniques for Writing Sentences

An agent once told me my manuscript read like a textbook. “Your sentences all sound the same,” she said. “Dead on arrival.” I rewrote the entire thing using four techniques that transformed my writing.

Choosing Active Verbs Over Passive Constructions

Passive voice buries your meaning. The subject receives action instead of performing it^[8]. Look for “be” verbs paired with past participles: “was written,” “is being reviewed,” “were examined”^[8]. These constructions add unnecessary words and confuse readers about who does what^[11].

Active voice puts the actor first. “John Adams wrote the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution” beats “The 1780 constitution of Massachusetts was written by John Adams”^[8]. The active version cuts words and clarifies responsibility. Active constructions reduce word count and make writing more direct^[11].

Mixing Short and Long Sentences

Sentences of similar length create monotony^[12]. Long sentences work for complex ideas and scene-setting. Short sentences punch hard^[5]. Use them to begin paragraphs, end stories, or emphasize significant points^[5].

Vary your rhythm^[12]. A short sentence after a long one punctuates the ideas that came before^[5]. Starting with a punchy sentence jars readers awake^[5]. Too many short sentences lower the reading level. Too many long sentences sound like textbooks^[5].

Removing Deadwood from Your Writing

Empty phrases clog sentences. “As a matter of fact,” “all things considered,” and “in my opinion” add nothing^[2][13]. Cut them.

Use active verbs instead of converting them to nouns. “The students explained their thesis” beats “The explanation of the students’ thesis”^[2]. Replace vague nouns like “thing,” “aspect,” and “situation” with specific words^[2][243].

Starting Sentences in Different Ways

Too many sentences starting with “The,” “It,” “This,” or “I” make prose tedious^[12]. Changing openings refreshes your writing and alters emphasis^[12]. Start with prepositional phrases, infinitives, or adverbs. Mix your patterns to maintain reader interest^[14].

Avoiding Critical Sentence Errors

My journalism professor failed my first assignment. Not because of bad research. The problem was simpler: I’d crammed three separate ideas into sentences that never stopped.

What Makes a Run-On Sentence

A run-on sentence occurs when two independent clauses run together without proper punctuation or appropriate conjunctions^[6]. Two types exist. Fused sentences join clauses with no punctuation at all^[15]. “My brother just graduated from high school he will attend St. Petersburg College” demonstrates this error^[15]. Comma splices use only a comma to connect independent clauses^[6]. “I was tired from working late, I had to go to class anyway” shows this mistake^[15].

You can fix run-ons by dividing clauses into two sentences^[6]. Use a semicolon between clauses that relate closely^[6]. Add a comma with coordinating conjunctions like and, but, or, so, for, yet, nor^[6]. Insert a subordinating conjunction such as when, while, because, as, although, if, though, or since to make one clause dependent^[6].

Fragments That Lack Complete Thoughts

Fragments are incomplete sentences^[7]. They lack either a subject or a main verb^[7]. “Such as electrical, chemical, and industrial engineering” cannot stand alone^[7]. Remove the period between the fragment and main clause to fix it^[7].

Dependent clauses that masquerade as sentences create the most common fragments^[1]. “Because the one I have now isn’t working out too well” needs an independent clause^[7]. Attach it: “I need to find a new roommate because the one I have now isn’t working out too well”^[7].

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Modifiers should be placed next to the words they modify^[16]. Misplaced modifiers create confusion^[16]. “The student walked her dog in blue sweatpants” suggests the dog wore the pants^[16]. Move the modifier: “The student in blue sweatpants walked her dog”^[16].

Dangling modifiers describe something missing from the sentence^[17]. “Having finished the assignment, the TV set was turned on” makes the TV finish homework^[17]. Fix it by naming the doer: “After Jill finished the assignment, she turned on the TV set”^[17].

Developing Your Sentence Writing Skills

Reading fiction changed how I understood sentence structure. Not grammar books. Stories.

Learning from Published Writers

Keep a journal of sentences you encounter^[10]. Write it down at the time something strikes you. Study how authors build their sentences. Fiction masters use techniques worth stealing. Their sentence models reveal patterns you can apply to your own work^[10].

Using Grammar References Effectively

Garner’s Modern English Usage belongs on every writer’s desk^[18]. One expert calls it the book you need before you can write anything^[18]. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary serves as the dictionary of record in publishing^[18]. These references show you not just rules, but why they exist.

Testing Your Sentences by Reading Aloud

Read your work out loud^[19]. What sounds well worded in your head turns clunky at the time you speak it^[19]. Reading aloud slows you down and increases awareness of each word^[9]. Sentences that require multiple reads signal complexity problems^[9]. You need punctuation if you run out of breath^[9]. This technique reveals rhythm, flow and gaps in your writing^[9].

Building a Daily Writing Practice

Write every morning for 15 minutes^[20]. Daily habits build creative muscle^[20]. Set a word count goal^[21]. Start with 200 words, then increase. Write at the same time each day. Pick your metric and stick to it^[21].

Conclusion

Becoming skilled at writing a sentence takes practice. You won’t transform overnight. The simple rules remain: subjects need verbs, thoughts need completion, and variety keeps readers awake. Choose one technique from this piece. Active voice works better than passive constructions. Read your work aloud tomorrow and notice fragments before you publish. Each sentence you write builds skill. Grammar books gather dust on shelves, but daily practice makes the difference. Tomorrow morning, write 200 words. Then write 200 more the day after. The sentences you craft today become the stories readers remember tomorrow.

FAQs

Q1. What are the essential components every sentence must have? Every sentence requires at least two fundamental elements: a subject and a verb. The subject identifies who or what performs the action, while the verb shows what happens or describes a state of being. Together, these components must express a complete thought that can stand independently. Additionally, sentences must begin with a capital letter and end with appropriate punctuation (period, question mark, or exclamation point).

Q2. How can I identify the verb in a sentence? The most reliable method to identify a verb is to change the time frame of the sentence. Add “Last year” or “Next year” to the beginning and observe which word changes form. The word that transforms when you shift from past to future tense is your verb. For example, in “Taking dangerous risks seems to frighten people,” only “seems” changes to “seemed” when you add “Last year,” revealing it as the verb.

Q3. What is the standard word order in English sentences? English follows a strict Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) pattern. The subject comes first, the verb second, and the object last. This rigid structure is essential because English lacks the grammatical markers found in languages like Latin or Russian. Word position determines meaning, so “Sam ate apples” conveys a completely different idea than “Apples ate Sam.”

Q4. What’s the difference between independent and dependent clauses? An independent clause contains both a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause also has a subject and verb but cannot stand independently—it relies on an independent clause to complete its meaning. Dependent clauses typically begin with subordinating conjunctions like “when,” “because,” “although,” or “if.”

Q5. How can I fix run-on sentences in my writing? Run-on sentences occur when two independent clauses connect without proper punctuation or conjunctions. You can fix them in several ways: divide them into two separate sentences, use a semicolon between closely related clauses, add a comma with a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, for, yet, nor), or insert a subordinating conjunction to make one clause dependent on the other.

References

[1] – https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/fragments-and-run-ons/
[2] – https://www.tckpublishing.com/deadwood-phrases/
[3] – https://quizlet.com/study-guides/understanding-complete-and-incomplete-thoughts-bfd76563-9f4c-477b-9415-d415f7d9aba6
[4] – https://libguides.reading.ac.uk/writing/punctuation
[5] – https://wordsbyevanporter.com/how-to-use-varied-sentence-lengths-for-better-writing/
[6] – https://www.niu.edu/writing-tutorial/punctuation/run-on-sentences.shtml
[7] – https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/sentence_fragments.html
[8] – https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conciseness-handout/
[9] – https://www.fourthwallcontent.com/blog/improve-the-quality-of-your-writing-by-reading-it-out-loud
[10] – https://www.writersknowhow.org/articles/sentence-models-for-creative-writing-full-review
[11] – https://www.editage.com/blog/active-vs-passive-voice-academic-writing/
[12] – https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/sentence_variety/index.html
[13] – https://www.thoughtco.com/ways-to-cut-the-clutter-in-writing-1692721
[14] – https://medium.com/philosophy-logic/creative-and-powerful-ways-to-start-your-sentences-and-weak-sentence-starters-to-avoid-e1c5ecab35b6
[15] – https://spcollege.libguides.com/gum/runons
[16] – https://www.niu.edu/writing-tutorial/grammar/misplaced-modifiers.shtml
[17] – https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/dangling_modifiers_and_how_to_correct_them.html
[18] – https://fivebooks.com/category/language/grammar-books/
[19] – https://writingcooperative.com/why-you-should-read-your-writing-out-loud-a166396b4697
[20] – https://annhandley.com/how-to-build-a-daily-writing-habit/
[21] – https://gretchenrubin.com/articles/tips-for-building-a-writing-routine/
[22] – https://medium.com/a-writers-life/how-to-write-great-sentences-d2ed79ede0e9
[23] – https://www.grammarly.com/blog/sentences/sentence-structure/
[24] – https://gallaudet.edu/student-success/tutorial-center/english-center/grammar-and-vocabulary/learn-to-write-good-sentences/
[25] – https://chompchomp.com/terms/completesentence.htm
[26] – https://theshortstoryeditor.com/what-is-a-complete-sentence/
[27] – https://tutoring.ucdavis.edu/agg/sentence-boundaries
[28] – https://laspositascollege.edu/raw/lpcraw-completesentences.php
[29] – https://www.deanza.edu/english/resources/verb-identification.html
[30] – https://human.libretexts.org/Courses/Clackamas_Community_College/Editing_for_Better_Writing/04%3A_Subject-Verb_Agreement/4.02%3A_Identifying_Subjects_and_Verbs_in_Sentences
[31] – https://www.grammarly.com/blog/sentences/subject-of-a-sentence/
[32] – https://libguides.daltonstate.edu/c.php?g=267539&p=2457903
[33] – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transitive_verb
[34] – https://www.grammarly.com/blog/parts-of-speech/transitive-verbs/
[35] – https://www.scribbr.com/nouns-and-pronouns/subject-and-object-pronouns/
[36] – https://open.maricopa.edu/milkherb/chapter/e4-pronoun-agreement-subject-and-object-pronouns/
[37] – https://www.rit.edu/ntid/sea/processes/wordorder/intro
[38] – https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/writing-speaking-resources/basic-sentence-pattern-in-english
[39] – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subject–verb–object_word_order
[40] – https://oxfordlanguageclub.com/page/blog/grammar.-how-to-build-a-sentence-in-english
[41] – https://www.englishclass101.com/blog/2020/08/07/english-word-order/
[42] – https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/subject_verb_agreement.html
[43] – https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/prepositions-ending-a-sentence-with
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[46] – https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/writing-speaking-resources/sentence-types
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[48] – https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/examples-independent-clauses
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[50] – https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/revising/comma-splices/
[51] – https://www.untdallas.edu/learning/writing/grammar/fragments-and-dependent-clauses.php
[52] – https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/centers/writing/seven-sins-of-writing/2
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[55] – https://www.monmouth.edu/resources-for-writers/documents/conjunctions.pdf/
[56] – https://www.briefcatch.com/lessons/punctuation-avoiding-comma-splices
[57] – https://marcom.purdue.edu/?tips-of-the-week=avoid-the-comma-splice
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[63] – https://www.grammarly.com/blog/sentences/complex-sentence/
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[65] – https://www.thoughtco.com/compound-complex-sentence-worksheet-1212348
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