Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices Practice
The sentences below contain
errors, including run-on sentences
and comma splices. For each
sentence, please choose the
answer below that shows the
appropriate correction. When
you are finished, please see Page
4 for the correct answers and
explanations.
Figure 1. A Wordle collage of terms referenced in this Writing
Center tutorial.
Correcting run-on sentences and comma splices
1.
Every year, the Central High School drama club performs an award-winning
play students, teachers, family members, and members of the community
are invited.
A. Every year, the Central High School drama club performs an awardwinning play; students, teachers, family members, and members of the
community are invited.
B. Every year, the Central High School drama club performs an awardwinning play and students, teachers, family members, and members of
the community are invited.
C. Every year, the Central High School drama club performs. An awardwinning play, students, teachers, family members and members of the
community are invited.
There are three
common ways to
correct run-on
sentences:
1.
Add a
coordinating
conjunction (aka,
FANBOYS: for,
and, nor, but, or,
yet, so) and a
comma.
2. Insert a
semicolon
between the two
complete
sentences.
3. Separate into two
complete
sentences.
There are also three
common ways to
correct comma
splices:
1.
Add a
coordinating
conjunction.
2. Change the
comma to a
semicolon.
3. Separate into two
complete
sentences.
2. Before students can become members of the drama club, they must
demonstrate general acting skills and they must audition before a committee.
A. Before students can become members of the drama club. They must
demonstrate general acting skills and they must audition before a
committee.
B. Before students can become members of the drama club, they must
demonstrate general acting skills, and they must audition before a committee.
C. Before students can become members of the drama club, they must demonstrate general
acting skills, they must audition before a committee.
KUWC Resource Library, Fundamentals Program  Run-on Sentences & Comma Splices Practice  March 2011  Page 1
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3. Mary always enjoyed putting on plays with her little sister and brother so she was excited to
audition for a leading role.
A. Mary always enjoyed putting on plays with her little sister and brother. So she was excited
to audition for a leading role.
B. Mary always enjoyed putting on plays with her little sister and brother; so she was excited
to audition for a leading role.
C. Mary always enjoyed putting on plays with her little sister and brother, so she was excited
to audition for a leading role.
4. Mary has never auditioned before a committee before she was very nervous.
A. Mary has never auditioned before a committee before and she was very nervous.
B. Mary has never auditioned before a committee before, she was very nervous.
C. Mary has never auditioned before a committee before, so she was very nervous.
5. The drama coach told her to take a deep breath and relax but she could only concentrate on the
knots in her stomach.
A. The drama coach told her to take a deep breath and relax, but she could only concentrate
on the knots in her stomach.
B. The drama coach told her to take a deep breath and relax; but she could only concentrate
on the knots in her stomach.
C. The drama coach told her to take a deep breath and relax but she could only concentrate.
On the knots in her stomach.
6. After the audition, Mary worried that she had not done well but she was pleasantly surprised
when she was chosen to be the lead actress for the drama club’s upcoming play.
A. After the audition, Mary worried that she had not done well; but she was pleasantly
surprised when she was chosen to be the lead actress for the drama club’s upcoming play.
B. After the audition, Mary worried. That she had not done well but she was pleasantly
surprised when she was chosen to be the lead actress for the drama club’s upcoming play.
C. After the audition, Mary worried that she had not done well, but she was pleasantly
surprised when she was chosen to be the lead actress for the drama club’s upcoming play.
7. Emily and Josh, Mary’s best friends, also auditioned for the drama club they were selected to
play supporting roles in the play.
A. Emily and Josh, Mary’s best friends, also auditioned for the drama club. They were selected
to play supporting roles in the play.
B. Emily and Josh, Mary’s best friends, also auditioned for the drama club and they were
selected to plays supporting roles in the play.
C. Emily and Josh, Mary’s best friends, also auditioned for the drama club, they were selected
to play supporting roles in the play.
KUWC Resource Library, Fundamentals Program  Run-on Sentences & Comma Splices Practice  March 2011  Page 2
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8.
The drama club’s practices were held every Wednesday and Friday and Mary, Emily, and Josh
attended each practice.
A. The drama club’s practices were held every Wednesday and Friday; and Mary, Emily, and
Josh attended each practice.
B. The drama club’s practices were held every Wednesday and Friday, and Mary, Emily, and
Josh attended each practice.
C. The drama club’s practices were held every Wednesday and Friday, Mary, Emily, and Josh
attended each practice.
9. After each practice, the drama club members went to the local pizza parlor to discuss the upcoming
play however, Mary stayed late to practice her lines.
A. After each practice, the drama club members went to the local pizza parlor to discuss the
upcoming play, however Mary stayed at the school to practice her lines.
B. After each practice. The drama club members went to the local pizza parlor to discuss the
upcoming play however Mary stayed at the school to practice her lines.
C. After each practice, the drama club members went to the local pizza parlor to discuss the
upcoming play; however, Mary stayed at the school to practice her lines.
10. As the performance date grew closer, the cast members became more excited, their annual play
was always a hit in the community.
A. As the performance date grew closer, the cast members became more excited and their
annual play was always a hit in the community.
B. As the performance date grew closer. The cast members became more excited, their annual
play was always a hit in the community.
C. As the performance date grew closer, the cast members became more excited; their annual
play was always a hit in the community.
KUWC Resource Library, Fundamentals Program  Run-on Sentences & Comma Splices Practice  March 2011  Page 3
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Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices: Answers and Explanations
The correct answers are highlighted below with explanations provided in bold.
1.
Every year, the Central High School drama club performs an award winning play students,
teachers, family members, and members of the community are invited.
A. Every year, the Central High School drama club performs an award winning play; students,
teachers, family members, and members of the community are invited.
B. Every year, the Central High School drama club performs an award winning play and
students, teachers, family members, and members of the community are invited.
C. Every year, the Central High School drama club performs. An award winning play, students,
teachers, family members and members of the community are invited.
Explanation: Choice B adds the coordinating conjunction “and,” but without a comma, the
sentence is still a run-on. In Answer C, the period is incorrectly placed. Answer A correctly
combines two closely related sentences with a semicolon.
2. Before students can become members of the drama club, they must demonstrate general acting
skills and they must audition before a committee.
A. Before students can become members of the drama club. They must demonstrate general
acting skills and they must audition before a committee.
B. Before students can become members of the drama club, they must demonstrate general
acting skills, and they must audition before a committee.
C. Before students can become members of the drama club, they must demonstrate general
acting skills, they must audition before a committee.
Explanation: Answer A creates a sentence fragment: “Before students can become members
of the drama club.” Answer C is a comma splice. Answer B is correct because the two
sentences are combined using an appropriate conjunction (“and”) and a comma.
3. Mary always enjoyed putting on plays with her little sister and brother so she was excited to
audition for a leading role.
A. Mary always enjoyed putting on plays with her little sister and brother. So she was excited
to audition for a leading role.
B. Mary always enjoyed putting on plays with her little sister and brother; so she was excited
to audition for a leading role.
C. Mary always enjoyed putting on plays with her little sister and brother, so she was excited
to audition for a leading role.
Explanation: Answer A is incorrect because the second sentence begins with a
coordinating conjunction. In formal writing, sentences rarely begin with coordinating
conjunctions. Answer B is incorrect because sentences cannot be joined with both a
KUWC Resource Library, Fundamentals Program  Run-on Sentences & Comma Splices Practice  March 2011  Page 4
© 2011, Kaplan University Writing Center, All Rights Reserved. Photography © 2011 Jupiterimages Corporation.
semicolon and a coordinating conjunction. Answer C is the correct choice because it uses
a coordinating conjunction (“so”) with a comma.
4. Mary has never auditioned before a committee before she was very nervous.
A. Mary has never auditioned before a committee before and she was very nervous.
B. Mary has never auditioned before a committee before, she was very nervous.
C. Mary has never auditioned before a committee before, so she was very nervous.
Explanation: Sentence A adds a coordinating conjunction (and), but it is still a run-on
sentence because the comma is missing. Sentence B is a comma splice. Sentence C corrects
the run-on by combining the sentences with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (“so”).
5.
The drama coach told her to take a deep breath and relax but she could only concentrate on
the knots in her stomach.
A. The drama coach told her to take a deep breath and relax, but she could only concentrate
on the knots in her stomach.
B. The drama coach told her to take a deep breath and relax; but she could only concentrate
on the knots in her stomach.
C. The drama coach told her to take a deep breath and relax but she could only concentrate.
On the knots in her stomach.
Explanation: Sentence B is not correct because the coordinating conjunction is not needed
when a semicolon is used. Sentence C creates a sentence fragment: “On the knots in her
stomach.” Sentence A successfully joins the sentences because it uses a comma and a
coordinating conjunction (“but”).
6. After the audition, Mary worried that she had not done well but she was pleasantly surprised
when she was chosen to be the lead actress for the drama club’s upcoming play.
A. After the audition, Mary worried that she had not done well; but she was pleasantly
surprised when she was chosen to be the lead actress for the drama club’s upcoming play.
B. After the audition, Mary worried. That she had not done well but she was pleasantly
surprised when she was chosen to be the lead actress for the drama club’s upcoming play.
C. After the audition, Mary worried that she had not done well, but she was pleasantly
surprised when she was chosen to be the lead actress for the drama club’s upcoming play.
Explanation: Sentence A is not correct because it contains a semicolon and coordinating
conjunction. In sentence B, the period is not placed in the correct place. Sentence C correctly
combines the sentences using a coordinating conjunction (“but”) and a comma.
KUWC Resource Library, Fundamentals Program  Run-on Sentences & Comma Splices Practice  March 2011  Page 5
© 2011, Kaplan University Writing Center, All Rights Reserved. Photography © 2011 Jupiterimages Corporation.
7. Emily and Josh, Mary’s best friends, also auditioned for the drama club they were selected to
play supporting roles in the play.
A. Emily and Josh, Mary’s best friends, also auditioned for the drama club. They were
selected to play supporting roles in the play.
B. Emily and Josh, Mary’s best friends, also auditioned for the drama club and they were
selected to plays supporting roles in the play.
C. Emily and Josh, Mary’s best friends, also auditioned for the drama club, they were
selected to play supporting roles in the play.
Explanation: Answer B is still a run-on sentence because the coordinating conjunction
(and) can not alone join two complete sentences. Choice C is a comma splice. Answer A
correctly separates the sentences into two new sentences.
8. The drama club’s practices were held every Wednesday and Friday and Mary, Emily, and Josh
attended each practice.
A. The drama club’s practices were held every Wednesday and Friday; and Mary, Emily,
and Josh attended each practice.
B. The drama club’s practices were held every Wednesday and Friday, and Mary, Emily,
and Josh attended each practice.
C. The drama club’s practices were held every Wednesday and Friday, Mary, Emily, and
Josh attended each practice.
Explanation: Answer A uses a semicolon and the coordinating conjunction “and” to join
the sentence. A semicolon alone would be correct, or a comma and the coordinating
conjunction could be used (as in example B). Sentence C is a comma splice.
9.
After each practice, the drama club members went to the local pizza parlor to discuss the
upcoming play, however, Mary stayed late to practice her lines.
A. After each practice, the drama club members went to the local pizza parlor to discuss
the upcoming play, however Mary stayed at the school to practice her lines.
B. After each practice. The drama club members went to the local pizza parlor to discuss
the upcoming play however Mary stayed at the school to practice her lines.
C. After each practice, the drama club members went to the local pizza parlor to discuss
the upcoming play; however, Mary stayed at the school to practice her lines.
Explanation: Sentence A is a comma splice. Sentence B creates a sentence fragment: “After
each practice”. Sentence C is correct because words like “therefore,” “however,” or
“furthermore” are conjunctive adverbs. When conjunctive adverbs join two independent
clauses into one sentence, the sentence must be punctuated with a semicolon before the
conjunctive adverb (at the end of the first main clause) and a comma after the conjunctive
adverb.
KUWC Resource Library, Fundamentals Program  Run-on Sentences & Comma Splices Practice  March 2011  Page 6
© 2011, Kaplan University Writing Center, All Rights Reserved. Photography © 2011 Jupiterimages Corporation.
10. As the performance date grew closer, the cast members became more excited, their annual play
was always a hit in the community.
A. As the performance date grew closer, the cast members became more excited and their
annual play was always a hit in the community.
B. As the performance date grew closer. The cast members became more excited, their
annual play was always a hit in the community.
C. As the performance date grew closer, the cast members became more excited; their
annual play was always a hit in the community.
Explanation: Sentence A is a run-on sentence because a coordinating conjunction (and) alone
cannot join two complete sentences. Choice B is not correct because it creates a sentence
fragment: “As the performance date grew closer”. The remainder of the sentence is a comma
splice. Answer C uses a semicolon to join the two closely related sentences.
KUWC Resource Library, Fundamentals Program  Run-on Sentences & Comma Splices Practice  March 2011  Page 7
© 2011, Kaplan University Writing Center, All Rights Reserved. Photography © 2011 Jupiterimages Corporation.