Fragments & Run-on Sentences Scott Chapin Paco Gonzalez Yuan Li Lucio Maldonado Tyler Smith

Fragment A sentence fragment is a phrase or a clause punctuated as though it were a complete sentence. Example 1: And yawned loudly enough to make everyone in the class turn around. Example 2: After Gabriel ate half a box of donuts. Example 3: In Japan, during the last war and just before the armistice. Exceptions: Resume, Ads, and Poems

Run-On Sentence A run-on sentence is two independent clauses jointed with only a comma or with no punctuation at all. Example 1: I love to write papers, I would write one every day if I had the time. Example 2: I love listening to hip-hop, I love listening to EDM and country too. Example 3: Kelly likes to cook, she makes chicken every day. Exceptions: Poems

Three ways of correcting fragment 1. Attach the fragment to a nearby complete sentence. -Fragment: I forgot to eat breakfast. On the morning of my driver’s test. -Correct: I forgot to eat breakfast on the morning of my driver’s test. 2. Revise the fragment by adding whatever is missing: subject, verb or complete though. -Fragment: Joe to train everyday. (Verb is missing. Also “to train” is the wrong verb form.) -Correct: Joe trains everyday for the marathon next month. 3. Rewrite the fragment or the entire passage that contains the fragment. -Fragment: Our new landlord was expected to make changes. Such as fixing the plumbing, installing a new washer, and replacing the security gate. Has not done any of it yet and weeks have passed. -Correct: Our new landlord was expected to make changes, such as fixing the plumbing, installing a new washer, and replacing the security gate lock. Weeks have passed, and he still has not done any of it yet.

Four ways of correcting Run-on Sentence 1. Make it into two simple sentences. -Run-on: Adam is a sweet boy he really loves animals. -Correct: Adam is a sweet boy, he really loves animals. 2. Sometime two sentences are very closely related in a meaningful and full end-stop punctuation may seem too strong. A semicolon can then be used to divide the two sentences. -Run-on: It was a beautiful day there was not a cloud in the sky. -Correct: It was a beautiful day; there was not a cloud in the sky. 3. A run-on sentence can sometimes be prevented by using a comma and joining word (coordinate conjunction) to join sentences together. -Run-on: John went to the movie Star Trek Sue stayed home. -Correct: John went to the movie Star Trek, and Sue stayed home. 4. Another way to correct a run-on sentence is to change the run-on to a complex sentence by placing a subordinating conjunction before one of the clauses. -Ron-on: I don’t play tennis well I have a poor backhand. -Correct: I don’t play tennis well because I have a poor backhand