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engbites1English Bites! are practical, bite-sized tips to help you improve your English for work. Published twice a week, the articles include useful advice covering different aspects of business English including grammar, vocabulary, writing, speaking as well as fun topics. It'll take just a few minutes to read each tip. You can subscribe to English Bites! from the Newsletters link above. After that, you'll receive notifications of all new tips by email.

How to Fix Incomplete Sentences

12 May 2024

buswritingIncomplete sentences consist of word groups rather than complete sentences. Usually, these word groups are not complete sentences because they contain no verb for the subject in the main clause.

Incomplete Sentence

The policies which have proven inadequate in the past and have even angered some employees.

Have proven and have angered are verbs of the dependent which clause. Policies has no verb.

Revised

The policies have proven inadequate in the past and have even angered some employees.

Incomplete Sentence

Although there is no clear authority for any of these procedures outlined in the manual.

The connective although introduces a dependent clause. This dependent clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. If although means on the other hand, the writer must separate it from the rest of the clause with a comma.

To make this sentence complete, either add a verb or connect a dependent clause or phrase to an independent clause.

Revised

Although there is no clear authority for any of these procedures outlined in the manual, we believe they are right for our business.

Here are some more examples of incomplete sentences:

Incomplete Sentence

The lease should be maintained. Although there is no clear authority for doing so.

Revised

The lease should be maintained, although there is no clear authority for doing so.

Incomplete Sentence

We do not think it would be economical to consider a used machine. Because the cost is not much less than for a new one.

Revised

We do not think it would be economical to consider a used machine because the cost is not much less than for a new one.
 

While vs During

28 Mar 2024

grammDuring

During is used to show that something happens inside a period of time; it is followed by a noun phrase usually beginning with the:

During the week, I’m extremely busy.

During the last two years, many efforts have been made to attract young Mainland professionals.

I very much enjoyed meeting you during my trip to Beijing.

Note the difference between:

I’ll be there during the afternoon. (means ‘at some time in the afternoon, but not all the time’)

And

I’ll be there for the afternoon. (means ‘the whole afternoon’)


While

While is similar in meaning to during but is followed by (1) a subject and verb, or (2) a gerund (verb + ing).

I met Mr. Holmes while I was visiting the Trade Centre.  (= during my visit to the Trade Centre)

He jotted down a lot of comments while interviewing the job applicants. (= during his interview with the job applicants)
 

Simplified English Jokes

Business Email: Informing and Notifying

Subcategories

Analysis of Business Writing (4)

Business Etiquette, Culture and Education (8)

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