Correcting Run-on Sentences What is a run-on sentence? Correcting a run-on sentence Separate sentences Compound sentence Complex sentence Review A Review B

What is a run-on sentence? Sometimes, when little kids tell a story, all their sentences run together—into one long “sentence.” And Daddy I saw an elephant Daddy it was real big it spit some water and we got some popcorn too I got to ride on the merry-go-round and . . . Sometimes, in writing, students do something similar.

What is a run-on sentence? If your essay comes back from your teacher with this comment: Work on eliminating run-on sentences. What should you do to revise the essay? Where should you start?

What is a run-on sentence? A run-on sentence is two or more complete sentences run together into one. Run-on sentences can be confusing because they do not show where one idea ends and another one begins. Examples Lightning flashes in our eyes thunder sounds in our ears. We cannot hear and see both at the same time, we sense these events separately.

What is a run-on sentence? Where are the complete sentences in the examples below? Lightning flashes in our eyes thunder sounds in our ears. We cannot hear and see both at the same time, we sense these events separately.

What is a run-on sentence? Lightning flashes in our eyes thunder sounds in our ears. This run-on sentence is an example of a fused sentence. There is no punctuation between the two sentences. Sentence 1 Sentence 2

What is a run-on sentence? We cannot hear and see both at the same time, we sense these events separately. This run-on sentence is an example of a comma splice. There is only a comma between the two sentences. , Sentence 1 Sentence 2

What is a run-on sentence? On Your Own Identify the following items as correct sentences (C) or run-ons (R). Be prepared to explain your answers. ___ 1. Exercise can increase the efficiency of your muscles, as well as your muscles’ strength and size. ___ 2. Aerobic exercise helps your heart pump more efficiently, then the number of blood vessels in your muscles increases. ___ 3. ATP is a complex molecule scientists consider it the cell’s fuel. [End of Section]

Correcting a run-on sentence To fix a run-on sentence, you need to do one of two things: Cut it apart. Join it properly. OR

Correcting a run-on sentence How you revise a run-on sentence depends upon the relationship you want to show between the ideas. If then ideas are NOT closely related make two sentences ideas ARE closely related make a compound sentence and ideas ARE equally important

Correcting a run-on sentence How you revise a run-on sentence depends upon the relationship you want to show between the ideas. If ideas ARE closely related then make a complex sentence but the ideas are NOT equally important [End of Section]

Correcting a run-on sentence Separate sentences Strategy 1: Make two sentences Break a run-on into two separate sentences when the ideas are not closely related or at least one sentence is long or complex or separate sentences flow better in the paragraph in which they appear Ernest Hemingway based many of his stories on his experiences during World War I. Before the United States entered the war, Hemingway worked as an ambulance driver for the Italian army. Ernest Hemingway based many of his stories on his experiences during World War I, before the United States entered the war, Hemingway worked as an ambulance driver for the Italian army.

Correcting a run-on sentence Separate sentences Strategy 1: Make two sentences To make two separate sentences Put an end mark after the first complete sentence. Then, capitalize the first word of the next complete sentence. Next door to the school, a new building was under construction. Trucks and construction materials covered much of the parking lot. Next door to the school, a new building was under construction, trucks and construction materials covered much of the parking lot.

Correcting a run-on sentence Separate sentences On Your Own Revise the following sentences by making each into two separate sentences. Be prepared to explain your answers. 1. The weather was terrible yesterday we had to cancel band practice. 2. Next summer I will travel to Argentina on a study program the program requires students to stay with a local family. 3. Domestic canaries are usually yellow, if red peppers are part of their diet, canaries may be bright orange. [End of Section]

Correcting a run-on sentence Compound sentence Strategy 2: Make a compound sentence When the complete thoughts in a run-on sentence are closely related and are of equal importance, you may want to make a compound sentence. There are three common ways to make a compound sentence.

Correcting a run-on sentence Compound sentence Strategy 2: Make a compound sentence You can make a run-on sentence into compound sentence by using a comma and a coordinating conjunction. Jaya ran to catch the train, but she missed it by two minutes. Jaya ran to catch the train she missed it by two minutes.

Correcting a run-on sentence Compound sentence Strategy 2: Make a compound sentence You can make a run-on sentence into a compound sentence by using a semicolon. Jaya ran to catch the train; she missed it by two minutes. Jaya ran to catch the train she missed it by two minutes.

Correcting a run-on sentence Compound sentence Strategy 2: Make a compound sentence You can make a run-on sentence into a compound sentence by using a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb followed by a comma. Jaya ran to catch the train; however, she missed it by two minutes. Jaya ran to catch the train she missed it by two minutes.

Correcting a run-on sentence Compound sentence On Your Own Revise the following run-on sentences by making each into a compound sentence. Be prepared to explain your answers. 1. This book is taking a long time to read the characters are really interesting. 2. Send me an e-mail about the club meeting I might not remember to come. Karla is making a fruit salad for the party I’ll bring some raw vegetables and dip. 4. Maya trained hard all summer she won her event in the cross-country meet.

Correcting a run-on sentence Complex sentence Strategy 3: Make a complex sentence When the complete thoughts in a run-on sentence are closely related but are not equally important, you may want to make a complex sentence.

Correcting a run-on sentence Complex sentence Strategy 3: Make a complex sentence Bats are usually harmless creatures, some people think they are dangerous. Step 1: Break the run-on into two independent clauses. Bats are usually harmless creatures. Some people think they are dangerous.

Correcting a run-on sentence Complex sentence Strategy 3: Make a complex sentence Step 2: Decide which idea is more important (or which idea you want to emphasize). The more important idea will be the independent clause in the sentence. If you want to focus on… Use this as your independent clause. the harmlessness of bats Bats are usually harmless creatures. some people’s fear of bats Some people think they are dangerous.

Correcting a run-on sentence Complex sentence Strategy 3: Make a complex sentence Step 3: Make the less important clause a subordinate clause. Subordinate Clause = LESS important idea Although bats are usually harmless creatures, some people think they are dangerous. Independent Clause = MORE important idea A subordinating conjunction begins this subordinate clause and connects it to the independent clause.

Correcting a run-on sentence Complex sentence On Your Own Revise the following run-on sentences by making one of the clauses into a subordinate clause. Be prepared to explain your answers. 1. The baseball game was stopped in the seventh inning heavy lightning began. 2. I got up early this morning, I was still late for school. The Spanish explorer Cortes landed in Mexico, he and his men marched to the Aztec capital. 4. The baby stopped crying his mother fed him a bottle. On Your Own [End of Section]

Review A Identify the following items as correct sentences (C) or run-ons (R). Be prepared to explain your answers. ___ 1. Elizabeth Blackwell was born in 1821, she died in 1910. ___ 2. Her family was poor, she and her mother started a boarding school. ___ 3. A friend encouraged her to become a doctor, at first, she rejected this suggestion. ___ 4. Graduating at the head of her class in 1849, she became the first woman in the U.S. to earn an M.D. ___ 5. She did graduate work in Europe she established a hospital in New York that was staffed by women. [End of Section]

Review B Revise each run-on sentence by making two separate sentences, a compound sentence, or a complex sentence. Be prepared to explain your answers. 1. The transcontinental railroad was being built during the 1850s, cheap labor was in great demand. 2. Chinese immigrants came seeking prosperity, they found only hard work and discrimination. 3. Ten thousand laborers built the Union Pacific Railroad, nine thousand of them were Chinese. 4. The railroad builders favored Chinese immigration when they needed laborers that changed when the railroads were finished. [End of Section]

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