Identifying and Correcting Sentence Errors Fragments and Run-Ons Identifying and Correcting Sentence Errors

Fragments Fragments look like sentences but are missing a subject or a verb, or they are put together incorrectly. Fragment Error Told everyone to get out of the way. No subject Disposable lighter in his hand. No verb Before he lit the fuse. A dependent clause by itself

Correcting Fragments Subjects or verbs can be added Fragments can be joined together All of the following are correct With his disposable lighter in his hand, he told everyone to get out of the way. Then he lit the fuse. Pulling out his disposable lighter, Fred told everyone to get out of the way before he lit the fuse. He pulled out his disposable lighter. Fred told everyone to get out of the way and then he lit the fuse.

Run-ons Run-ons (fused sentences) occur when clauses are joined incorrectly. He didn’t throw the firecracker, he placed it between his legs, he wanted to put the lighter away first. Comma splice The fuse burned too quickly before he could throw it the explosive blew up between his legs. Run-on

Four Ways to Correct Run-ons Join the clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so He wanted to put the lighter away first, so Fred placed the firecracker between his legs, and he didn’t throw it. Join the clauses with a subordinating conjunction Because, although, if, when, since, after Because the fuse burned too quickly before he could throw it, the explosive blew up between his legs.

These are the subordinate conjunctions. since so [that implied], so that than that though unless when, whenever where, wherever, whereas whether while after although as because before even though if, even if in order that once provided that

Four Ways to Correct Run-ons Make the clauses into separate sentences Fred fell down screaming when the smoke cleared we all expected to see a bloody mess. Fred fell down screaming. The smoke cleared. We all expected to see a bloody mess. Fred fell down screaming. When the smoke cleared, we all expected to see a bloody mess.

Four Ways to Correct Run-ons Join two independent clauses with a semicolon (;)if they are closely related. You may include a conjunctive adverb along with the semicolon: however, for example, therefore, moreover, indeed, consequently Fred hadn’t taped the tube properly and most of the force was released out the ends of the tube the explosion did direct some pressure against his groin. Fred hadn’t taped the tube well and most of the force was released out the ends of the tube; however, the explosion did direct some pressure against his groin. Notice how the sentence is punctuated