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Everything you need to know about the

Parse Syntax Error

What is causing it, and how can it be prevented and fixed?

Parse error syntax error

What's Causing The Parse Syntax Error?

A syntax error in WordPress occurs when the code you have added has incorrect punctuation, meaning it does not follow the language’s rules and regulations.

This may be as minute as a missing comma, extra section, or misplaced quotation mark.

These minor syntax errors might overwhelm a fresher in these codings within WordPress.

You will most likely encounter this problem when adding code snippets from tutorials; even the tiniest mistake can break your whole site.

If you have seen the dreaded “Sentence structure error, unexpected…” message, there’s a good reason to go ballistic—you’ve finally reached the right place! We have often encountered and corrected this mistake on our sites and know how to help you tackle it.

This guide will teach you how to correct syntax errors in WordPress. At the end of it all, you will have your site up and working in record time.

Grammar errors should be considered frequently because they can affect your website. If they are not corrected, visitors will receive an error message instead of viewing your beautifully designed website. This will affect user experience and may hurt the site’s credibility.

In addition, syntax errors can make accessing your WordPress admin area impossible. This can be very annoying if you are uncomfortable with coding and have no idea how to fix the problem.

Language structure blunders are small but vital mistakes in your code that can impact your site. Identifying and fixing these will be important in web design and keeping your site running smoothly and looking professional.

Here are some potential mistakes:

Missing or Extra Characters

if ($x = 5 { // Missing closing parenthesis

Instead of:

if ($x = 5 {} // fixed

Incorrect Quotes or Brackets

echo "Hello world; // Missing closing quote

Instead of:

echo "Hello world"; // fixed

Unexpected Tokens

function myFunction( { // Missing closing bracket

Instead of:

function myFunction() { // fixed

How to prevent the Parse Syntax Error from happening in the future?

Because a typo or incorrect code causes a syntax error, we can take several proactive steps to prevent it from happening again.

The first thing is to make sure you always use codes from reliable sources.

Many WordPress blogs with extensive tutorials provide functions and codes to improve your website. Although many websites are legit and offer the correct codes, others may be outdated and host codes that can break your website.

Second, once you get the correct code, use an online PHP syntax error check tool to ensure validity. BairesDev is a solid tool that tells you whether your code has syntax errors.

Paste your PHP code on the left window and click the Analyze button to use that tool.

BairesDev will analyze the code for you and point out any errors if found.

Next, I recommend trying the codes on a demo rather than a live website. You can contact your hosting provider (or us) to create a testing website before deploying the code live. Alternatively, you can also make a temporary WordPress website to run tests with tastewp.com.

Lastly, when pasting the code into your WordPress website, placing it in a dedicated plugin rather than the functions.php file of your child theme is best practice.

Pluginception is an excellent choice for this task. It allows you to create a specific plugin for each code snippet.

By doing so, you can activate or deactivate each code snippet based on your needs.

The plugin also includes a code syntax error checker and will deactivate any function that could break your website.

Taking the few steps explained in this section can drastically decrease the chance of getting a syntax error.

However, if your website has already triggered a syntax error, please read the next section and learn how to fix it.

Error with core files

The server cannot process the script because a character is missing or incorrect.

Faulty code snippet

Using a code snippet from an unreputable source.

Updated plugin or theme

The error can happen after updating a plugin or theme.

FixingWP widget banner

Did you know...

The Parse Syntax Error occurs when the server cannot process the script because a character is missing or incorrect.

How to fix the Parse Syntax Error?

Because a syntax error is caused by faulty code, we need to access and fix the code.

If you paste the code into the Theme File Editor screen, you will be locked out of your website and unable to use the backend to access the code and fix it. You can purchase our One-Time Fix to get you out of this mess. 🙂

However, you can still access the code using your hosting provider’s file editor interface or FTP software like FileZilla.

Once the WordPress root folder is accessed, navigate to the wp-content folder and into the Plugins or Themes folder (depending on where the faulty code is).

Plugins and Themes Folder in WordPress

For example, let’s assume the faulty code is inside the functions.php file of your child theme.

In that case, enter the child-theme folder, right-click on the functions.php file, and select Edit.

Edit the Theme Functions PHP File

Inside the code editor, find the syntax error (the error will direct you to exactly which file and line is causing the error), and comment it out, fix it, or delete it completely.

Delete Code Snippet

After performing one of the above actions, please save the file and revisit your website to ensure it works correctly.

Parse Syntex Error – Frequently Asked Questions

What does a parse syntax error mean in WordPress?

This means there is an issue with PHP syntax in one of your theme, plugin, or WordPress core files. The server cannot process the script because a character is missing or incorrect.

What causes a parse syntax error in WordPress?

Common causes include missing parentheses, brackets, semicolons, or incorrect quotes (single vs. double).

How do I fix a parse syntax error in WordPress?

Check the error message. It usually points to the exact file and line number; you should then delete or fix the code.

Where can I find the error log for a parse syntax error?

If debugging is enabled (WP_DEBUG_LOG), check the /wp-content/debug.log file. If you’re using the cPanel, check error_log in public_html.

Can a plugin cause a parse syntax error?

Yes. A plugin that contains a syntax mistake that is corrupted or incompatible with your PHP version can trigger a parse error.

Can a WordPress update cause a parse syntax error?

Yes. A syntax error may appear if your theme or plugin is outdated and incompatible with the new WordPress or PHP version.

How do I fix a parse syntax error if I can’t access the WordPress dashboard?

Use FTP or cPanel File Manager. Then, navigate to /wp-content/themes/your-theme/ or /wp-content/plugins/ and edit or rename the file, causing the error.

Access the faulty code

Use FTP software to access the file that contains the faulty code.

Take action

Fix, comment, or delete the function causing the error.

Save and test

Save the file and refresh your website to ensure the problem is fixed.

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