Real-world examples of SyntaxError in Python examples (and how to fix them)

Starting with real examples of SyntaxError in Python examples

Let’s start the way Python does: by complaining loudly. Here are some of the best examples of SyntaxError in Python examples that developers run into within their first few weeks of writing code.

## Example 1: Missing colon in an if statement
age = 20
if age >= 18
    print("You can vote")

Running this gives:

  File "example.py", line 3
    if age >= 18
                ^
SyntaxError: expected ':'

Python’s parser is pointing under the 18 because that’s where it realizes something is wrong. The problem is one character earlier: there is no colon. This is one of the most common real examples of SyntaxError in Python examples that show up in beginner questions on Stack Overflow.

Fix:

age = 20
if age >= 18:
    print("You can vote")

Notice how the error message literally tells you what it expected. With SyntaxError, reading that message slowly is half the battle.

Classic example of SyntaxError: unmatched quotes and parentheses

Another cluster of examples of examples of SyntaxError in Python examples comes from forgetting to close something you opened: quotes, parentheses, brackets, or braces.

Unclosed string literal

message = "Hello, world!
print(message)

Error:

  File "example.py", line 1
    message = "Hello, world!
                               ^
SyntaxError: EOL while scanning string literal

Python hit the end of the line (EOL) still looking for a closing quote. In 2024 you’ll still see this in quick scripts, Jupyter notebooks, and even production code during refactors.

Fix:

message = "Hello, world!"
print(message)

Unmatched parentheses around function calls

print("Result:", 1 + 2

Error:

  File "example.py", line 1
    print("Result:", 1 + 2
                          ^
SyntaxError: '(' was never closed

The interpreter now gives a much clearer message than older Python versions did. This is one of the cleaner examples of SyntaxError in Python examples where the fix is obvious: close what you opened.

Fix:

print("Result:", 1 + 2)

Examples include indentation errors that become SyntaxError

Python’s whitespace rules are famous, and not always in a good way. While many indentation problems raise IndentationError, that class actually inherits from SyntaxError, so they’re part of the same family.

Mixed tabs and spaces

def greet(name):
    print("Hello, " + name)  # tab
    print("Welcome!")       # spaces

Error (Python 3):

  File "example.py", line 3
    print("Welcome!")
    ^
IndentationError: unindent does not match any outer indentation level

Different editors can silently insert tabs or spaces. This is one of the best examples of SyntaxError in Python examples that only show up after you switch editors or copy code from the web.

Fix: configure your editor to use spaces only, then re-indent:

def greet(name):
    print("Hello, " + name)
    print("Welcome!")

Unexpected indent

print("Start")
    print("This is indented for no reason")

Error:

  File "example.py", line 2
    print("This is indented for no reason")
    ^
IndentationError: unexpected indent

Python thinks you’re starting a block, but there’s no if, for, while, or def above it. Among real examples of SyntaxError in Python examples, this often appears when people paste code into the wrong spot in a file.

Fix: remove the stray indentation or wrap it in a proper block.

Real examples of SyntaxError in Python examples with colons and control flow

Control structures (if, for, while, def, class, try, except) all end their header line with a colon. Forgetting that colon is a classic mistake.

Missing colon in a function definition

def add(a, b)
    return a + b

Error:

  File "example.py", line 1
    def add(a, b)
                  ^
SyntaxError: expected ':'

Another simple example of SyntaxError: the interpreter expects a colon after the function signature.

Fix:

def add(a, b):
    return a + b

Misplaced colon inside a condition

value = 10
if (value > 5:)
    print("Big enough")

Error:

  File "example.py", line 2
    if (value > 5:)
                   ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

The colon belongs at the end of the line, not inside the parentheses. These small punctuation issues are very common examples of examples of SyntaxError in Python examples because they’re easy to miss visually.

Fix:

value = 10
if value > 5:
    print("Big enough")

Examples of SyntaxError in Python examples caused by commas and trailing syntax

Sometimes the problem is a single extra or missing comma.

Extra comma in a function call

result = max(1, 2,, 3)

Error:

  File "example.py", line 1
    result = max(1, 2,, 3)
                       ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

There’s no legal way to interpret 2,, 3. These are small but realistic examples of SyntaxError in Python examples that happen when editing long argument lists.

Fix:

result = max(1, 2, 3)

Trailing comma in lambda arguments

f = lambda x, : x * 2

Error:

  File "example.py", line 1
    f = lambda x, : x * 2
                 ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Lambdas don’t allow a trailing comma after the last parameter. This trips up people who are used to trailing commas in lists and dicts.

Fix:

f = lambda x: x * 2

F-strings and Python 3-only syntax: modern examples include these

As of 2024, many of the most interesting examples of SyntaxError in Python examples come from mixing Python 2 habits with Python 3 features, or from misusing f-strings.

Using Python 3 f-strings in Python 2

In a Python 2 interpreter:

name = "Alice"
print(f"Hello, {name}")

Error:

  File "example.py", line 2
    print(f"Hello, {name}")
                         ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Python 2 has no idea what an f-string is. In real-world environments where old systems are still around, this is one of the best examples of SyntaxError in Python examples caused by version mismatch.

Fix: run the code with Python 3, or avoid f-strings in Python 2.

Invalid expression inside an f-string

Even in Python 3, f-strings can produce SyntaxError if the expression inside {} is invalid.

value = 10
print(f"Value is {value:)" )

Error:

  File "example.py", line 2
    print(f"Value is {value:)" )
                          ^
SyntaxError: f-string: invalid syntax

The : inside the braces tells Python to expect a format specifier, but the syntax is incomplete. These are newer examples of SyntaxError in Python examples that you’ll see more often as f-strings dominate formatting style.

Fix:

print(f"Value is {value}")
## or with a valid format specifier
print(f"Value is {value:04d}")

Import-related examples of SyntaxError in Python examples

Even imports can trigger SyntaxError when the statement is malformed.

Using reserved keywords as module names incorrectly

import for

Error:

  File "example.py", line 1
    import for
           ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

for is a reserved keyword, not a valid identifier. While you probably won’t name a module for, you can run into similar issues with other reserved words. These edge cases still count as real examples of SyntaxError in Python examples that appear in linters and CI logs.

Fix: rename the module to a valid identifier and update the import.

Misusing from ... import syntax

from math import

Error:

  File "example.py", line 1
    from math import
                     ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Python expects at least one name after import.

Fix:

from math import sqrt

Modern tooling: why SyntaxError is easier to debug in 2024–2025

If you look at Stack Overflow trends and GitHub issues in 2024–2025, you’ll notice fewer mysterious SyntaxError questions than a decade ago. The errors still happen, but the messages have improved, and so have the tools.

Recent Python versions:

• Pinpoint the exact character that caused the problem far more accurately.
• Provide messages like "'(' was never closed" instead of a generic invalid syntax.
• Distinguish between IndentationError and other syntax issues.

Modern editors and IDEs (VS Code, PyCharm, etc.):

• Highlight unmatched brackets and quotes as you type.
• Run static analysis tools like flake8 or pylint on save.
• Offer quick fixes for common indentation and formatting problems.

For deeper language details, the official Python documentation on lexical analysis and the language reference at docs.python.org remain the best starting points. Universities such as MIT and Harvard also publish Python teaching material (for example, Harvard’s CS50 Python track at cs50.harvard.edu) that showcase real examples of SyntaxError in Python examples and how to interpret them.

Practical strategy: using examples of SyntaxError in Python examples to debug your own code

When you hit a SyntaxError, don’t just stare at the line the interpreter reports. Use the patterns from the examples above:

• If the error mentions expected ':', scan the end of the previous line for a missing colon.
• If it complains about EOL while scanning string literal, look for an unclosed quote.
• If you see was never closed, count your parentheses, brackets, or braces.
• If the error is unexpected indent or unindent does not match, compare indentation levels and check for tabs vs spaces.
• If the error appears after you pasted code from a blog or Q&A site, look for invisible characters or odd indentation.

The more real examples of SyntaxError in Python examples you’ve seen, the faster you’ll map the error message to the underlying pattern. That’s why studying examples—including the small, boring ones—is worth the time.

FAQ: common questions about examples of SyntaxError in Python

Q: Can you give an example of a SyntaxError that only happens in Python 3?
Yes. Using the Python 3 async and await keywords as identifiers is a good example of SyntaxError that appears only in modern Python:

async = 5

In newer Python versions this raises:

SyntaxError: invalid syntax

because async is now a reserved keyword.

Q: Why does Python sometimes point to the wrong character in a SyntaxError?
The parser reports where it noticed the problem, which might be slightly after where the real mistake happened. For instance, in if x == 10 print(x), the missing colon belongs before print, but the caret appears under p. That’s why comparing your code to known examples of SyntaxError in Python examples is so helpful—you learn where to look around the reported position.

Q: Are indentation errors always SyntaxError?
Technically, IndentationError is a subclass of SyntaxError. So while the message is more specific, they’re part of the same category. Many style guides and university courses (for example, Python courses referenced from nist.gov and other .gov training resources) treat them as syntax errors in practice.

Q: How can I avoid repeating the same SyntaxError patterns?
Use a modern editor, enable linting, and run your code frequently in small chunks. Reading through best examples of SyntaxError in Python examples—like the ones above—also trains your eye to spot missing colons, bad indentation, and unmatched delimiters before you even hit Run.

Q: Do type hints cause SyntaxError?
They can, if you use syntax from a newer Python version on an older interpreter. For example, the list[int] style annotations require Python 3.9+. Running them on 3.7 may give you a SyntaxError. Always match your code’s syntax level to the interpreter version, and when in doubt, check the official docs at docs.python.org.