Sentence Fragments and Run-on Sentences

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______________ ______________ Each of the following word groups is a sentence fragment. In your notebook, rewrite the fragment into a complete sentence. You may add words before, after, or both before and after. You may use any end punctuation mark, along with any commas you may need in the sentence. Star Wars was one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. ______________ ______________

______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ Mary answered the question in a quiet voice. ______________ ______________ The safe can be found on the wall behind the shelves. ______________ ______________

______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ Because he is the tallest boy in the school, Mr. Ruivo would like him to try out for the basketball team. ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ When the storm began, the dog freaked out and bit Julian The dog freaked out and bit Julian when the storm began. ______________ ______________

Everyone should have a private place to visit a person needs to be alone sometimes.

The sentences may be separated by a comma, which is not a strong enough mark to break the ideas apart. Here is another run-on sentence. A private place might be a rock by a forest stream, it could be a soft chair in the corner of a room.

One way to fix a run-on is to break it into two separate sentences, adding end punctuation and capitalization. How can we fix our first example sentence below. Everyone should have a private place to visit a person needs to be alone sometimes. Everyone should have a private place to visit. A person needs to be alone sometimes.

Another way to fix a run-on is to break it into two clauses with a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so. For example: A private place might be a rock by a forest stream, or it could be a soft chair in the corner of a room.

If the sentences are closely connected in meaning, a semi-colon can separate them. For example: Everyone should have a private place to visit; a person needs to be alone sometimes.

If one of the ideas is subordinate to the other, try revising the sentence using a conjunction such as if, because, since, although, or when. Can you suggest how that might be done with our examples below? Everyone should have a private place to visit a person needs to be alone sometimes. Everyone should have a private place to visit because a person needs to be alone sometimes.

If one of the ideas is subordinate to the other, try revising the sentence using a conjunction such as if, because, since, although, or when. Can you suggest how that might be done with our examples below? A private place might be a rock by a forest stream, it could be a soft chair in the corner of a room. Although a private place might be a rock by a forest stream, it could be a soft chair in the corner of a room.

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______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ Each of the following word groups is a run-on sentence. In your notebook, rewrite the run-on into a complete sentence. 1. David always arrives late he claims that everyone else is always early. David always arrives late, but he claims everyone else is always early. ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________

______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ 2. First read the directions carefully, than gather the tools you will need. First read the directions carefully. Then gather the tools you will need. ______________ ______________ 3. Have television commercials become more moronic then ever, are my standards too high? Have television commercials become more moronic than ever, or are my standards too high? ______________ ______________ ______________

______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ 4. The American athlete Bob Beamon set long-jump record at the New Mexico Olympics in 1968, the record remained unbroken for twenty-four years. After the American athlete Bob Beamon set the long-jump record at the New Mexico Olympics in 1968, the record remained unbroken for twenty-four years. ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________

______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ 5. A century ago, people read aloud for an evenings entertainment few people read aloud today. A century ago, people read aloud for an evening’s entertainment; few people read aloud today, however. ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________