Fixing Fragments & Run-On Sentences THE CCAC LEARNING COMMONS

Objectives Review the essential parts of a sentence Identify and correct sentence fragments Identify the two main types of run-on sentences and explore different ways to correct them

Fragments & Run-Ons: A Learning Commons Digital Workshop Slideshow Instructions: Slideshow Instructions: Speaker IconUpper Left Corner Click the Speaker Icon in the Upper Left Corner for the audio track that accompanies each slide. Arrow Icon Lower Right Corner Click the Arrow Icon in the Lower Right Corner to advance to the next slide. Left Arrow Key – OR – Use the Right Arrow Key to advance and the Left Arrow Key to go back. To control the volume To control the volume, hover your mouse over the playback scroll and click the speaker icon or use your computer’s internal volume controls.

Sentence What is a Sentence, anyway? complete thought A sentence is a group of words that tells a complete thought. subjectverb It contains a subject and verb It tells who or what the sentence is about. It tells what happened. It begins with a capital letter. It ends with a punctuation mark (. ! ? ) Example: The Steelers are The Steelers are going to the Super Bowl this year. Ms. Jones caught Ms. Jones caught her daughter trying to steal a cookie before dinner.

Subjects& Verbs Subjects & Verbs subject  The subject of a sentence is always a noun (a person, place or thing). A gerund, or a noun created by adding –ing to a verb, can also be a subject. subjectsthe Grand CanyongroceriesAliceswimming Examples of subjects: the Grand Canyon, groceries, Alice, or swimming verbsaction verbslinking verbs  There are two types of verbs : action verbs, and linking verbs Action verbs subject doesrunscreamjump Action verbs are things that the subject does, like run, scream, or jump defeated Example: The Steelers defeated the Ravens in last night’s game. Linking verbs Amisarewaswerebebeingbeenconnect the subject Linking verbs (Am, is, are, was, were, be, being and been) connect the subject to some information about it are Example: The Steelers are the best team in the NFL.

Independent Clauses independent clause A complete sentence can be an independent clause, or it might be made up of multiple clauses. An independent clause is a group of words that expresses a complete thought, has a subject and verb, and could stand alone as a sentence. Independent clauses are the building blocks of compound or complex sentences. ◦I wanted to mow the lawn ◦The mower was out of gas independent clauses compound sentence comma + conjunction semicolon Multiple independent clauses can be joined together into a compound sentence using either a comma + conjunction or a semicolon: ◦I wanted to mow the lawn, but the mower was out of gas. ◦I wanted to mow the lawn ; the mower was out of gas.

Dependent Clauses dependent independent clause  Some clauses are dependent—they depend on being attached to an independent clause to create a complete thought. subordinating conjunctions independent clause dependent  When certain words/phrases, called subordinating conjunctions, are attached to an independent clause, the cause it to become dependent. subject verb dependent clauses  Even if they contain a subject and verb, these dependent clauses cannot stand on their own as complete sentences. (Complete, Independent) I drove to the grocery store. (Complete, Independent) After(Dependent,Fragment) After I drove to the grocery store. (Dependent,Fragment) After I drove to the grocery store, I walked the dog. (Complete) (Complete, Independent) We left for the concert. (Complete, Independent) As soon as (Dependent, Fragment) As soon as we left for the concert. (Dependent, Fragment) As soon as we left for the concert, my mother called. (Complete)

Good Complete Sentences complete simple sentence subjectaction verb:  A complete simple sentence with subject and action verb: studentcompleted The student completed her homework. complete simple sentence subjectlinking verb:  A complete simple sentence with subject and linking verb: studentwas The student was confused by the assignment. complete compound sentence subjectverb  A complete compound sentence with two independent clauses that each have a subject and a verb: teacherassignedstudentswere The teacher assigned the homework, but the students were confused. dependentindependent  A complete compound sentence with a dependent and independent clause: Although the teacher assigned the homework, the students were confused. Although the teacher assigned the homework, the students were confused.

NOTcomplete thought NOT  A fragment does NOT express a complete thought and is NOT a sentence.  A fragment is a group of words that does not tell a complete thought. who whatwhat happened  It is missing the who, or what, or what happened. capital letter end with a punctuation mark.  It may or may not begin with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark. fragmentsentence A fragment is a piece of a sentence

Fragments Fragments: Something’s Missing NOTexpress a complete thoughtNOTa sentence.  A fragment does NOT express a complete thought and is NOT a sentence. subject verb  It may be missing a subject (the thing the sentence is about), a verb (the action), or both. dependent clause.  It may be a naked dependent clause.

idea complete thought You get the idea, but not the complete thought What’s missing? What’s missing? 1. Every day after school. 2. An enormous, heavy boulder. 3. Although I arrived early. Source: writeyourbest.blospot.com

fix fragment? How do you fix a fragment? subjectverb Be sure you have both a subject and a verb complete thought. Be sure your sentence expresses a complete thought. subordinating conjunction dependent clause If there is a subordinating conjunction (since, because, although, when, etc.) and dependent clause, make sure the thought is complete. Sincewe didn’t have any tickets Example: Since we didn’t have any tickets, we didn’t go to the play.

Imperatives imperative An imperative is a command or directive: Stop throwing paper airplanes. Do your homework. ARE The subject, you is implied. Imperative sentences ARE complete, even though it looks like the don't have a subject. The subject, you is implied. (You) (You) Stop throwing paper airplanes. (You) (You) Do your homework.

run-on sentence “runs onto” A run-on sentence is one sentence that “runs onto” another sentence independent clauses It contains two or more independent clauses that are joined incorrectly punctuation coordinating conjunction It needs either punctuation or a coordinating conjunction to be correct the comma splice the fused sentence Run-ons come in two flavors: the comma splice and the fused sentence CSFS run ons (RO) Some teachers mark them as CS and FS, while others simply call them all run ons (RO)

Fused Sentences fused sentence independent clauses  A fused sentence occurs when independent clauses are joined with no punctuation at all: Grandma still rides her motorcycle her poodle balances in a basket on the handlebars. OR Grandma still rides her motorcycle and her poodle balances in a basket on the handlebars. fused sentence  Fix a fused sentence by doing one of the following: commacoordinating conjunction Using a comma and a coordinating conjunction semicolon Using a semicolon independent clauses separate sentences period. Breaking the independent clauses into separate sentences with a period.

Fixing Fused Sentences Fix a fused sentence by doing one of the following: comma and a coordinating conjunction 1. Using a comma and a coordinating conjunction:, and ◦Grandma still rides her motorcycle, and her poodle balances in a basket on the handlebars. semicolon 2. Using a semicolon: ; ◦Grandma still rides her motorcycle ; her poodle balances in a basket on the handlebars. period 3.Breaking the independent clauses into separate sentences with a period:. ◦Grandma still rides her motorcycle. Her poodle balances in a basket on the handlebars.

Comma Splices comma splice independent clauses comma conjunction: A comma splice occurs when independent clauses are joined with only a comma and without a conjunction: The dishwasher is broken, now I have to wash the dishes by hand. comma comma splice The comma on its own isn’t strong enough to hold the clauses together. Fix a comma splice by doing one of the following: conjunctioncomma Adding a conjunction after the comma commasemicolon Changing the comma to a semicolon independent clauses separate sentences period Breaking the independent clauses into separate sentences by using a period.

Comma Splices comma splice independent clauses only a comma A comma splice occurs when multiple independent clauses are joined with only a comma: wanted to mow the lawn, the mower was out of gas. ◦I wanted to mow the lawn, the mower was out of gas. ◦Grandma still rides her motorcycle, her poodle balances in a basket on the handlebars. ◦The dishwasher is broken, now I have to wash the dishes by hand.

FixingComma Splices Fixing Comma Splices The comma on its own isn’t strong enough to hold the clauses together. Fix a comma splice by doing one of the following: conjunction 1.Adding a conjunction after the comma: so ◦The dishwasher is broken, so now I have to wash the dishes by hand. semicolon 2.Changing the comma to a semicolon ; ◦The dishwasher is broken ; now I have to wash the dishes by hand. period. 3.Breaking the independent clauses into separate sentences by using a period.. ◦The dishwasher is broken. Now I have to wash the dishes by hand.

Review subjectverba complete thought. A complete sentence has a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete thought. sentence fragment A sentence fragment occurs when the thought is incomplete, and might be missing the subject, verb, or both. subjectverb complete thought. To correct a fragment, make sure your sentence has a subject and verb, and that it expresses a complete thought. run-on sentence A run-on sentence occurs when independent clauses are not joined correctly. appropriate punctuation coordinating conjunction independent clauses To correct a run-on, make sure you use the appropriate punctuation and, if necessary, a coordinating conjunction to join independent clauses together.

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