If a sentence starts with an -ing phrase that ends in a comma, the word immediately after the comma should be who or what is doing the -ing'ing. NOT OK: Digging in her purse, … See more

She took a pretest because she wanted to know what to study. [no comma] ADVANCED NOTES (See me for a more detailed discussion of these points.): The fragment indicated … See more

Make sure listed items have the same pattern (ending, tense, part of speech, etc.). NOT OK: She likes hiking and to cook. OK: She likes … See more

They went out to dinner, and they had a great time. [COMMA—too heavy for just the connector] <sentence> and <fragment>.1 <sentence> . However, <sentence>. [less common] <sentence> ; however, <sentence>. love the Northeast. However, the winters … See more