Eos Usage

Errors Found

Rule 5: Comma Splices

Rule 6: Sentence Fragments

Rule 11: Dangling Modifiers

Rule Reference

1. Form the possessive singular by adding 's — Charles's friend, Burns's poems, the witch's malice. Exceptions: ancient proper names ending in -es or -is (Jesus', Moses'), and common idioms (for conscience' sake).

2. In a series of three or more, use a comma after each term except the last — red, white, and blue. The serial comma prevents ambiguity.

3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas — "The best way to see a country, unless you are pressed for time, is to travel on foot." If the interruption is slight, commas may be omitted.

4. Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause — "The early records are obscure, but they suggest..." This rule applies when both clauses are independent (could stand alone).

5. Do not join independent clauses with a comma — This error is the "comma splice." Wrong: "It is cold, we should go inside." Right: "It is cold; we should go inside" or "It is cold. We should go inside."

6. Do not break sentences in two — Avoid sentence fragments. "I met them on a Cunard liner many years ago. Coming home from Liverpool to New York." The second part should not stand alone.

7. Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list, appositive, amplification, or illustrative quotation — "The situation is perilous: our enemies are many, our supplies few."

8. Use a dash to set off an abrupt break or to announce a long appositive or summary — "His first thought on getting out of bed—if he had any thought at all—was to get back in again." Use sparingly; frequent dashes give writing a breathless quality.

9. The subject and verb must agree in number — "The bittersweet flavor of youth—its trials, its joys, its adventures, its challenges—are not soon forgotten" is wrong; use "is."

10. Use the proper case of pronoun — "between you and I" is wrong; use "between you and me." In compound constructions, test each pronoun alone.

11. A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject — "Walking down the street, the trees were beautiful" is wrong (trees weren't walking). Fix: "Walking down the street, I noticed the beautiful trees."

Summary

Grammar Accuracy: [Clean/Minor Issues/Significant Errors]

Most Common Error Type: [error category]

Corrections Needed:

1. [Highest priority fix]
2. [Second priority]
3. [Third priority]

Guidelines

• Not all comma usage is covered by these rules—focus on the specific patterns described
• Rule 2 (serial comma) is a style choice in some guides; Strunk & White advocate for it
• Some fragments are intentional for effect in creative writing
• Technical writing may have different conventions for colons and lists

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