What's wrong with my sentence?

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Anonymous

#491941 Sat, 22 Mar 08 08:47 PM

I'm typing a paper for my history class using Microsoft Word, and I found that this sentence is underlined in green and is considered a fragment: In 1972, smallpox immunization ceased in the United States due to the vaccine’s incredible effectiveness in eliminating smallpox. Help would be great.

Anonymous

Clive

#491952 Sat, 22 Mar 08 09:45 PM

Hi,

Just add a comma as I've shown, and the green will go away. Smile

In 1972, smallpox immunization ceased in the United States, due to the vaccine’s incredible effectiveness in eliminating smallpox.

For style, I would replace the second word 'smallpox' with the pronoun 'it'.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Forum Guru (19,223)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

Commas, Nouns, Pronouns

Cool Breeze

#491953 Sat, 22 Mar 08 09:46 PM

I see nothing ungrammatical in your sentence.

Cool Breeze

Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006

Helsinki, Finland

Advanced Member (2,440)

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Anonymous

#491977 Sun, 23 Mar 08 01:22 AM

Ok, Clive, but the comma didn't make the green go away. Is it just the computer being a computer or is there some super-advanced grammar rule I'm violating?

Anonymous

Commas, Grammar

Grammar Geek

#491986 Sun, 23 Mar 08 02:24 AM

This is one of the times you right click and choose "ignore."

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Forum Guru (14,497)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Susankay

#491993 Sun, 23 Mar 08 02:31 AM

shouldn't it be smallpox immunizations ?

Susankay

Joined on Sat, Jan 19 2008

Regular Member (201)

Anonymous

#491996 Sun, 23 Mar 08 02:36 AM

Well, the extra "s" didn't do anything for me, so I suppose I'll just have to ignore it. Thanks. Smile

Anonymous

Clive

#492010 Sun, 23 Mar 08 04:44 AM

Hi again,

Ok, Clive, but the comma didn't make the green go away. Is it just the computer being a computer or is there some super-advanced grammar rule I'm violating?

I tried your sentence in my version of MS Word and got the green. Then I added the comma and the green vanished. We must have different versions of Word.

I wouldn't'say a comma is absolutely necessary, although I rather think I'd put one. Just ignore the green if you want to.

Clive

Commas, Grammar