In which sentence is there a grammatical error: "The barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house, it was frosty"?

In which sentence is there a grammatical error: "The barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house, it was frosty"? - briefly

The sentence "The barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house, it was frosty" contains a grammatical error. The error lies in the use of a comma to separate two independent clauses, which should be joined by a coordinating conjunction or separated by a semicolon.

The correct sentence could be: "The barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house, and it was frosty" or "The barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house; it was frosty."

In which sentence is there a grammatical error: "The barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house, it was frosty"? - in detail

To identify the grammatical error in the sentence "The barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house, it was frosty," it is essential to analyze the structure and components of the sentence.

The sentence consists of two independent clauses:

1. "The barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house"
2. "it was frosty"

Each of these clauses can stand alone as a complete sentence. The issue arises from the way they are connected. In English, when two independent clauses are joined by a comma, they should be connected by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or by a semicolon. This rule ensures that the relationship between the two clauses is clear and grammatically correct.

In the given sentence, the comma alone is insufficient to connect the two independent clauses. This results in a comma splice, which is a type of grammatical error. To correct this error, one can use a coordinating conjunction or a semicolon.

Here are the corrected versions of the sentence:

1. "The barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house, for it was frosty."
2. "The barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house; it was frosty."

In the first corrected version, the conjunction "for" is added to explain the reason why the barking dog wouldn't let anyone into the house. In the second corrected version, a semicolon is used to connect the two closely related independent clauses.

Understanding the rules for connecting independent clauses is crucial for maintaining grammatical accuracy in writing. By recognizing and correcting comma splices, one can ensure that sentences are clear, coherent, and grammatically sound.