Faulty sentence structure poses problems for both writers and readers. A mixed structure results from beginning a sentence with one grammatical pattern and then switching to another one:
MIXED | The fact that I get up at 5:00 AM, a wake- |
The sentence starts out with a subject (The fact) followed by a dependent clause (that I get up at 5:00 AM). The sentence needs a predicate to complete the independent clause, but instead it moves to another phrase (a wake-
REVISED | The fact that I get up at 5:00 AM explains why I’m always tired in the evening. |
Deleting a wake-
REVISED | I get up at 5:00 AM, a wake- |
Deleting The fact that turns the beginning of the sentence into an independent clause.
Here is another example of a mixed structure:
The dependent clause beginning with Because is followed by a predicate (beginning with explains) without a subject. Deleting explains why changes the predicate into an independent clause.
Quick Help: Editing for consistency and completeness