Sentence Correction Routines
Level B2–C2 · spotting & fixing errors; self-editing
◎What you'll master
- Scan your own writing for the nine high-frequency error categories the TOEFL rewards you for fixing.
- Run a step-by-step proofreading routine — one pass per error type — instead of reading vaguely for "mistakes".
- Repair run-ons and comma splices three ways: a period, a semicolon, or a comma + coordinating conjunction.
- Turn fragments into full sentences by supplying the missing subject, verb, or main clause.
- Catch the quiet errors — subject–verb agreement, verb form, articles, prepositions, word form, and plurals — before the clock runs out.
1Why a routine beats 'just re-reading'
Most test-takers "check" their writing by reading it once and trusting their ear. The ear misses what it expects to hear. A routine replaces that vague pass with a set of targeted scans — you hunt for one type of error at a time, so nothing hides behind the meaning. The nine categories below are where TOEFL essays lose points most often.
| Error category | How to spot it | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Subject–verb agreement | Match each verb to its real subject (ignore the words in between) | Singular subject → singular verb: The list is… |
| Verb tense & form | Check every verb: right tense? right form after to / -ing / have / did? | Use one consistent timeline; base form after modals/did |
| Articles | Every countable singular noun needs a/an/the or another determiner | Add a/an (first mention) or the (specific) |
| Prepositions | Read verb + preposition pairs; do they collocate? | Learn them as chunks: depend on, interested in |
| Run-ons & comma splices | Two full sentences joined by nothing (run-on) or only a comma (splice) | Period, semicolon, or comma + and/but/so… |
| Fragments | A "sentence" with no subject, no main verb, or only a dependent clause | Add the missing part or attach it to a full clause |
| Word form | Is the word the right part of speech for its slot? | success (n.) → successful (adj.) → successfully (adv.) |
| Plurals | Count nouns after numbers/many/several need -s | Add the plural ending: three reasons |
| Word order | Subject–verb–object; adverbs and adjectives in their normal place | I often read, not I read often books |
2Subject–verb, tense & form: the first two passes
Pass 1 — every subject–verb pair
Find the real subject of each verb and make them agree. The danger is a phrase between the subject and the verb that pulls your ear toward the wrong noun.
Each of the students has a laptop. · Each of the students have a laptop.
Pass 2 — every verb tense & form
Ask two questions of each verb: is the tense right for the timeline, and is the form right for what comes before it? After to, use the base; after a modal or did, use the base; after have, use the past participle; after be for the continuous, use -ing.
3Articles & prepositions: the quiet third pass
Articles
Do one sweep looking only at nouns. Every singular countable noun needs a determiner — a/an for a first or general mention, the when the noun is already specific or shared knowledge.
Prepositions
Prepositions rarely follow logic — learn them as fixed chunks with the words they attach to. On your sweep, check each verb, adjective, or noun that is usually followed by a set preposition.
| Chunk | Example |
|---|---|
| depend on | Success depends on effort. |
| interested in | She is interested in biology. |
| good at | He is good at maths. |
| reason for | The reason for the delay was traffic. |
4Sentence boundaries: run-ons, splices & fragments
Run-on (two sentences, no punctuation)
A run-on jams two independent clauses together with nothing between them.
Comma splice (two sentences, only a comma)
A comma splice is the same problem, but with a lone comma doing a job it cannot do.
Three ways to repair both
| Fix | Result |
|---|---|
| Period (two sentences) | The exam was hard. I still passed. |
| Semicolon (close link) | The exam was hard; I still passed. |
| Comma + conjunction | The exam was hard, but I still passed. |
Fragment (not a full sentence)
A fragment is missing a subject or a main verb, or it is only a dependent clause left standing alone. Fix it by adding the missing piece or joining it to a full clause.
5Word form, plurals & word order: the last polish
On your final read, check that each word is the right part of speech, that countable nouns carry the plural -s when needed, and that the order of words is natural.
| Problem | Wrong → Right |
|---|---|
| Word form | a success company → a successful company |
| Word form (adverb) | She sings beautiful. → She sings beautifully. |
| Plural | many student → many students |
| Word order | I read often the news. → I often read the news. |
6Putting it together: edit a messy sentence
Watch the routine repair one sentence carrying several errors. Fix one category at a time and the sentence rebuilds itself.
Agreement: Each … has · Article: an essay · Boundary: comma splice → essay; they · Preposition: discuss two (no about) · Plural: two reasons.
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✎Fix the Error
Each sentence has one mistake in the underlined word. Type the correction and check.
1.The list of applicants are on my desk.
2.She wants to improving her writing.
3.The lecture was long, I still enjoyed it.
4.We should discuss about the results tomorrow.
5.He gave three reason for his decision.