Solving ORA-00936: Missing expression

ORA-00936: Missing expression is a common Oracle Database error. It means Oracle expected a valid part of an SQL statement (an “expression”) but didn’t find one. In plain terms: your SQL syntax is incomplete or malformed, so Oracle doesn’t know what value, column, or clause to process.

Why It Happens (Triggers)

1. Incomplete SELECT statement – forgetting to specify columns or values.
2. Missing keyword or value – skipping FROM, VALUES, or a column name.
3. Misplaced operators – extra commas, missing quotes, or broken expressions.
4. Improper subquery or function usage – incomplete parentheses or missing aliases.

Real-Life Examples & Fixes

1. Missing column list in SELECT

Bad Query:

SELECT FROM employees;

Oracle expects a list of columns after SELECT.

Fixed Query:

SELECT employee_id, first_name, last_name FROM employees;

2. Missing VALUES in INSERT

Bad Query:

INSERT INTO employees (employee_id, first_name, last_name) VALUES;

The VALUES keyword is there, but no actual data is provided.

Fixed Query:

INSERT INTO employees (employee_id, first_name, last_name)
VALUES (101, 'John', 'Smith');

3. Extra or misplaced comma

Bad Query:

SELECT employee_id, FROM employees;

The comma before FROM leaves Oracle expecting another column name.

Fixed Query:

SELECT employee_id FROM employees;

4. Broken arithmetic expression

Bad Query:

SELECT salary * FROM employees;

Oracle expects another value or column after *.

Fixed Query:

SELECT salary * 12 AS annual_salary FROM employees;

5. Subquery syntax error

Bad Query:

SELECT first_name FROM employees WHERE department_id = (SELECT department_id FROM);

The inner query is incomplete.

Fixed Query:

SELECT first_name
FROM employees
WHERE department_id = (
    SELECT department_id
    FROM departments
    WHERE department_name = 'Sales'
);

How to Solve ORA-00936 Errors

1. Read the full SQL carefully – Check for missing keywords, column names, or values.
2. Use a formatter or IDE – Tools like SQL Developer or DBeaver can highlight syntax issues.
3. Run smaller parts – Break complex queries into smaller pieces to isolate the problem.
4. Check documentation or table structure – Ensure column names and functions are valid.
5. Enable SQL*Plus feedback – It shows where Oracle stopped parsing.

Quick Debugging Checklist

• Did you list at least one column after SELECT?
• If using INSERT, did you supply the same number of values as columns?
• Are all commas, quotes, and parentheses balanced?
• Are keywords like FROM, VALUES, or WHERE in the correct places?

Summary in Simple Terms:
ORA-00936: Missing expression = “Your SQL is incomplete—Oracle was waiting for a column name, value, or expression, but didn’t get one.”
By double-checking your syntax, matching columns to values, and formatting your queries, you can quickly fix this error.