Identifying Run-on Sentences

What are Run-on Sentences?

• A run-on sentence is a sentence that contains two or more independent clauses (i.e., clauses that could stand alone as separate sentences) that are not separated by proper punctuation.

Examples of Run-on Sentences:

• I went to the store and I bought some milk. (Two independent clauses joined without proper punctuation)
• The dog is barking the cat is hissing. (Two independent clauses joined without proper punctuation)

How to Fix Run-on Sentences:

• Use a period to separate the independent clauses into two separate sentences.
• Use a semicolon to separate the independent clauses.
• Use a conjunction (e.g. and, but, or) to connect the independent clauses.
• Use a subordinating conjunction (e.g. because, although) to connect the independent clauses.

Examples of Corrected Sentences:

• I went to the store. I bought some milk. (Two separate sentences)
• I went to the store; I bought some milk. (Using a semicolon)
• I went to the store, and I bought some milk. (Using a conjunction)
• I went to the store because I needed to buy milk. (Using a subordinating conjunction)

Run-on Sentences

• A sentence that contains two or more independent clauses without proper punctuation.
• Independent clauses are clauses that could stand alone as separate sentences.

Examples of Run-on Sentences

• I went to the store and I bought some milk.
• The dog is barking the cat is hissing.

Fixing Run-on Sentences

• Use a period to separate independent clauses into two separate sentences.
• Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses.
• Use a conjunction (e.g. and, but, or) to connect independent clauses.
• Use a subordinating conjunction (e.g. because, although) to connect independent clauses.

Corrected Sentences

• I went to the store. I bought some milk.
• I went to the store; I bought some milk.
• I went to the store, and I bought some milk.
• I went to the store because I needed to buy milk.

Sentence Fragments

• A sentence fragment is a group of words that lacks a subject, verb, or both
• Examples of sentence fragments include phrases that lack a subject, such as "Running down the street", and phrases that lack a verb, such as "The big red car"
• Sentence fragments can be corrected by adding a subject or verb, or by combining them with another sentence

Run-on Sentences

• A run-on sentence is two or more independent clauses joined without proper punctuation
• Run-on sentences can be corrected using four methods:
  • Separating the sentences into two separate sentences
  • Using a semicolon to join two independent clauses
  • Using a conjunction to join two independent clauses
  • Making one clause dependent on the other using a subordinating conjunction

Punctuation Rules

• Commas are used to separate items in a list, but not to join two independent clauses
• Semicolons are used to separate two independent clauses that are closely related in meaning
• Colons are used to introduce a list, quotation, or explanation

Clauses and Phrases

• An independent clause is a clause with a subject and a verb that can stand alone as a sentence
• A dependent clause is a clause with a subject and a verb that cannot stand alone as a sentence
• A phrase is a group of words that functions as a single part of speech, such as a noun, verb, or adjective

Sentence Structure

• A simple sentence consists of one independent clause
• A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses joined using a conjunction
• A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses
• A compound-complex sentence consists of multiple independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses

Learn to recognize and fix run-on sentences, which contain two or more independent clauses without proper punctuation. Understand examples of run-on sentences and how to correct them.