Chapter Six
Run-Ons
Prepared by Professors Rita Perkins and
Paul Harris
Camden County College
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
The Two Types of
Run-On Sentences
Comma Splices:
Fused Sentences:
They are fused or
joined together as if
they were only one
thought.
Rob exercises everyday he
Error
should be in good condition.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
A comma is used to connect
or “splice” together the
two complete thoughts. A
comma alone is NOT
ENOUGH to connect two
complete sentences.
Rob exercises everyday, he
Error
should be in good condition.
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
How to Correct Run-Ons
•
There are three common methods of
correcting a run-on:
– Use a period and
a capital letter.
Note:
A fourth method of
– Use a comma
plus a joining word (and,
correcting a run-on is to
but, for, or,
so, yet) to connect the
usenor,
subordination.
two complete thoughts.
– Use a semicolon to connect the two
complete thoughts:
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Correcting Run-On Sentences
•
One way of correcting a run-on is to use
a period and a capital letter between the
two complete sentences. Use this method
especially if the thoughts are not closely
related.
• Kristin plays the guitar well she hopes to
start her own band.
• Revision: Kristin plays the guitar well. She
hopes to start her own band.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Correcting Run-On Sentences
•
Another way of correcting a run-on is to
use a comma plus a joining word to
connect the two complete thoughts.
There are seven joining words (also
called conjunctions).
• Kristin plays the guitar well, and she hopes
to start her own band.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Adding a Coordinating Conjunction
One way to remember the seven
coordinating conjunctions is to put them in
this order:
For
But
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
Nor
And
Michael plays the
trumpet well, so he
hopes to be selected
for the jazz band.
Or
“FANBOYS”
Yet
So
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Correcting Run-On Sentences
•
A third method of correcting a run-on is
to use a semicolon to mark the break
between two sentences.
Kristin plays the guitar
• A semicolon looks like a period above a
well; she hopes to start
comma.
her own
band.
Also correct:
Kristin
plays thethe
guitar
• When it is used to correct
run-ons,
well; consequently,
semicolon can be used alone
or with a
she hopes to start
transitional word.
her own band.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Learning to Identify and Correct
Comma Splices
Practice Review: Identify each
entry as correct or incorrect.
(Click to see the answer.)
1. The temperature dropped
below freezing last night.
We had to bring our plants
indoors.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Learning to Identify and Correct
Comma Splices
Practice Review: Identify
each entry as correct or
incorrect.
Correct
1. The temperature
dropped below freezing last
night. We had to bring our
plants indoors.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Learning to Identify and Correct
Comma Splices
Practice Review: Identify
each entry as correct or
incorrect.
Correct
2. The temperature
dropped below freezing last
night; we had to bring our
plants indoors.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Learning to Identify and Correct
Comma Splices
Practice Review: Identify
each entry as correct or
incorrect.
Correct
3. The temperature
dropped below freezing last
night, so we had to bring
our plants indoors.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Learning to Identify and Correct
Comma Splices
Practice Review: Identify
each entry as correct or
incorrect.
Incorrect
4. The temperature
dropped below freezing last
night, we had to bring our
plants indoors.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Learning to Identify and Correct
Comma Splices
Practice Review: Identify
each entry as correct or
incorrect.
Correct
5. Because the temperature
dropped below freezing last
night, we had to bring our
plants indoors.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Learning to Identify and Correct
Comma Splices
Practice Review: Identify
each entry as correct or
incorrect.
Correct
6. If the temperature drops
below freezing tonight, we
must remember to bring
our plants indoors.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Learning to Identify and Correct
Comma Splices
Incorrect
Practice Review: Identify
each entry as correct or
incorrect.
“Therefore” is not one of the
seven coordinating conjunctions,
so it cannot be used with a
comma between two
7.The temperature
independentdropped
clauses.
below freezing
See yourlast
textnight,
for a list
therefore,
we had to words..
bring
of transitional
our plants indoors.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Learning to Identify and Correct
Comma Splices
Practice Review: Identify
each entry as correct or
incorrect.
Incorrect
8.The temperature dropped
below freezing last night,
thus we had to bring our
plants indoors.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 6
Learning to Identify and Correct
Comma Splices
Practice Review: Identify
each entry as correct or
incorrect.
It is a fused sentence.
Incorrect
9.The temperature dropped
below freezing last night
we had to bring our plants
indoors.
Sentence Skills with Readings, 3E
© 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.