Write Correct Sentence to Improve Clarity

Language is a system of communication that has structures and conventions. Thus, anyone using a particular language must conform to these conventions to communicate effectively. If you don’t know how to write a correct sentence in a language, you have no business writing in that language.

This article explains how to write a correct sentence in English and some pitfalls to avoid. We also show you a few tools that will help you correct your sentences.

How to Write a Correct Sentence

Writing a correct sentence is not hard. You only have to follow the rules of the language and avoid errors. The best writer will always follow these rules religiously. Below are some of the most common mistakes that affect your ability to write correct sentences.

1. Sentence Fragments

By definition, a sentence is a string of words that is complete in itself. It must convey complete meaning. A sentence fragment contains a string of words too. However, it doesn’t have a complete meaning. They are often dependent clauses. Let’s check a few examples:

• Before John arrived
• If we see him
• When he called me

The three statements above are perfect examples of sentence fragments. They have subjects and verbs but are incapable of standing alone as full sentences. Uttering these statements will elicit further questions. Compare them to these:

• I cooked before John arrived
• If we see him, I’ll smile.
• When he called me, I didn’t answer.

To avoid this problem, always read your sentences again to ensure they make complete sense.

2. Punctuation Errors

Punctuation marks are silent markers a person puts in their writing to aid smooth comprehension. Correct use of punctuation marks is not a topic that can be extensively explained in this article. But these tips should help:

• Use a period at the end of a declarative sentence
• Separate items in a list with commas
• Use question marks at the end of interrogative statements
• Semi-colons are used to connect two independent clauses
• Exclamation points are used to emphasize a point

3. Subject-Verb Agreement

The subject and verb must agree in terms of number in every sentence. This means that a singular subject must take a singular verb. In addition, a plural subject must take a plural verb. For example:

• The boy plays in the morning (singular noun and singular verb)
• The boys play in the morning (plural noun and plural verb)
• He sleeps at 10 pm (singular pronoun and plural verb)
• They sleep at 10 pm (plural pronoun and plural verb)

When you use a pronoun, the pronoun should agree in number with its antecedent (the noun it refers to). For example:

• The man has his secret plan (“his” agrees in number with its antecedent “the man”)
• The men have their secret plan (“their” agrees in number with its antecedent “the men”)

Wrong Use of Similar Words

This problem occurs when words have similar sounds or spelling. There are many examples of such words in English. Some are:

• to and too
• lose and loose
• there, their, and they’re
• your and you’re
• affect and effect
• lay and lie
• breath and breathe
• farther and further

Overall, writing error-free sentences requires a lot of work, but grammar rules should be followed to avoid any awkward sentences.

AI Tools to Help You Write Correct Sentences

The best writers make mistakes, so don’t feel bad when you make them. Nevertheless, you should have all the help you can get in writing correct sentences.

Thus, you need to co-opt an AI writing tool like INk into your writing routine. These tools scan your writing and pick out defective sentences in seconds. 

INK Editor

INK Editor is the ultimate AI writing tool for anyone serious about boosting their productivity. With a distraction-free interface and an array of tools, writers are in safe hands. You can download INK Editor on your Windows, macOS, and Linux computers. 

This editor can spot spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors in real time. It is like having an assistant that reads as you write and picks out mistakes.

Other Features

• SEO optimizer
• Identifies hard-to-read sentences
• Headline optimizer
• It has a Chrome extension
• Compatible with top websites
• Text generator and text rewrite
• More than 120 writing tools

Grammarly

Grammarly is a popular AI-powered tool for proofreading and editing written content. It not only detects grammar mistakes and typos but also offers corrections and suggestions for punctuation, spelling, and other mistakes.

Grammarly also detects tone and makes sure you’re consistent in your orthography and punctuation.

Other Features

• Plagiarism checker
• It has a mobile keyboard

QuillBot

QuillBot is better known for its paraphrasing service. However, it has a free grammar checker that can help you create a more flawless piece of writing. The tool checks your writing for problems related to structure, spelling, and punctuation.

On the web interface, users paste their text into the box provided. QuillBot underlines parts of the text that need fixing. You can either fix all errors and accept QuillBot’s suggestion or check out each suggestion.

Other Features

• Chrome and Microsoft Word extension
• Analyzes error percentage and sentiment

ProWritingAid

This is another great tool for checking grammar and spelling. It is described as a grammar checker, style editor, and writing mentor in one package. The free version of ProWritingAid offers a few style suggestions.

Other Features

• Offers software integration with many tools
• Gives a detailed writing report
• Offers synonym suggestions

Conclusion

The benefit of learning how to write a correct sentence is that it makes you a good writer. If you learn fundamental skills like grammar, punctuation, and word choice, you’ll benefit from improved clarity.

You’ll no longer feel as if you’re writing like a high schooler. Your audience needs to be able to understand your message. Remember to always make sure pronouns agree in number with the noun they refer to. Never forget to end sentences with the appropriate punctuation marks.

AI tools that correct sentence errors help you create better articles. They save you time and enhance your output. Many of these tools work in real-time, allowing you to rid your writing of errors immediately.