Menifee Valley Campus
Writing Center
Directed Learning Activity:
Run-on Sentences
Mount San Jacinto Community College, Menifee Valley
Campus
Writing Center
There are two types of run-on sentences: the fused sentence and the comma splice. In this
directed learning activity, you will learn how to identify these sentence errors and how to correct
them.
First, go to http://owl.english.purdue.edu and click on “OWL Exercises” on the right hand side of
the page. Then, click on “Sentence Structure” on the left side of the page. Click on “Sentence
Clauses” and read the page entitled “Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses.” Once
you have finished reading and taking notes, continue reading the information below.
Fused sentence: A fused sentence consists of two complete thoughts run together with no
punctuation between them. A complete thought can be an independent clause or an independent
and dependent clause together. See the examples below:
The boys at the slumber party stayed up all night they were exhausted the next day.
(This fused sentence consists of two independent clauses run together with no punctuation
between).
Sheila had to write her papers at the writing center because her computer had crashed she
got much more work done at the center.
(This fused sentence consists of an independent and dependent clause forming a complete
thought run next to an independent clause).
Comma splice: A comma splice is like the fused sentence except there is a comma placed
between the complete thoughts. This is the most common type of run-on sentence because
students usually know when a thought is complete, and they throw in the comma to show
separation between the thoughts.
The boys at the slumber party stayed up all night, they were exhausted the next day.
Sheila had to write her papers at the writing center because her computer had crashed, she
got much more work done at the center.
***A comma shows the break between the complete thoughts, but you still have a run-on. A
comma alone is not enough.
To fix fused sentences and comma splices, there are four methods of correction:
1) comma plus a coordinating conjunction between complete thoughts
2) period between complete thoughts
3) semicolon between complete thoughts
4) subordinating conjunction (make one of the thoughts a dependent clause)
Here is the first run-on shown corrected by each method:
The boys at the slumber party stayed up all night they were exhausted the next day.
1) The boys at the slumber party stayed up all night, and they were exhausted the next day.
2) The boys at the slumber party stayed up all night. They were exhausted the next day.
3) The boys at the slumber party were up all night; they were exhausted the next day.
4) Because the boys at the slumber party stayed up all night, they were exhausted the next
day.
Now, use the four methods to correct the second run-on:
Sheila had to write her papers at the writing center because her computer had crashed, she
got much more work done at the center.
1)
2)
3)
4)
Now, go to http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ and click on the drop-down menu for
“Word and Sentence Level.” Scroll down to “Run-on Sentences.” Read through that page
and then take the quizzes “Avoiding Comma Splices” and “Repairing Run-on Sentences.”
Print out the quizzes after you have completed them and discuss any questions you may have
with a tutor or instructor in the writing center.
After your discussion, both of you sign here:
Student: ____________________________________________________________
Tutor/Instructor: ______________________________________________________
Date: _______________________________________________________________
Written by Christine Sandoval, Assistant Professor of English