Sentence Errors: Run-on and Comma Splice
Learning Goal: By the end of this lesson, students will understand what constitutes and run-on sentence and learn the four ways to fix and avoid run-on sentences in their own writing.
Run-on Sentences: Fused Sentences and Comma Splices
Run-on sentences occur when independent clauses are not joined properly. There are two types of run-on sentence: the fused sentence and the comma splice.
►Fused sentences occur when there is no punctuation and no coordinating conjunction between two independent clauses.
Example: The snow needs to be shovelled get going on it right away.
►Comma splices occur when two independent clauses are joined with a comma that is not followed by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet).
Example: The snow needs to be shovelled, get going on it right away.
Run-on sentences can be revised in one of four ways:
►Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction to join the dependent clauses.
Example: The snow needs to be shovelled, so get going on it right away.
►Use a semicolon to join the dependent clauses
Example: The snow needs to be shovelled; get going on it right away.
►Turn each independent clause into a separate sentence.
Example: The snow needs to be shovelled. Get going on it right away.
►Turn one of the independent clauses into a dependent clause.
Example: Since the snow needs to be shovelled, get going on it right away.
Practice Exercise
Revise the following sentences to eliminate fused sentences or comma splice errors (in your notebook or word document)
1. Many North American cars cost less than foreign cars however, foreign cars get better mileage.
2. Traffic jams in major cities have gotten out of hand car pools should be mandatory.
3. Three-dimensional television movies have recently become popular, 3-D glasses
can be purchased at most convenience stores.
4. The restaurant looks tacky to me, all the tablecloths are made of plastic.
5. We’ve spent all our money, therefore; we won’t be dining out tonight.
6. The abacus is an ancient computational device, in skilful hands, it can calculate sums as quickly as most modern gadgets.
7. The woman’s skills are perfect for the new position we intend to promote her.
8. The team lost seven games in a row, consequently, the coach was fired.
9. Here is the chief administrator, he will solve our problems.
10. He phoned his fiancée repeatedly but she refused to return his calls.
11. I have good ideas I can’t put them into a sentence.
12. The elephant quit the circus he was tired of working for peanuts.
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Run-on sentences occur when independent clauses are not joined properly. There are two types of run-on sentence: the fused sentence and the comma splice.
►Fused sentences occur when there is no punctuation and no coordinating conjunction between two independent clauses.
Example: The snow needs to be shovelled get going on it right away.
►Comma splices occur when two independent clauses are joined with a comma that is not followed by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet).
Example: The snow needs to be shovelled, get going on it right away.
Run-on sentences can be revised in one of four ways:
►Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction to join the dependent clauses.
Example: The snow needs to be shovelled, so get going on it right away.
►Use a semicolon to join the dependent clauses
Example: The snow needs to be shovelled; get going on it right away.
►Turn each independent clause into a separate sentence.
Example: The snow needs to be shovelled. Get going on it right away.
►Turn one of the independent clauses into a dependent clause.
Example: Since the snow needs to be shovelled, get going on it right away.
Practice Exercise
Revise the following sentences to eliminate fused sentences or comma splice errors (in your notebook or word document)
1. Many North American cars cost less than foreign cars however, foreign cars get better mileage.
2. Traffic jams in major cities have gotten out of hand car pools should be mandatory.
3. Three-dimensional television movies have recently become popular, 3-D glasses
can be purchased at most convenience stores.
4. The restaurant looks tacky to me, all the tablecloths are made of plastic.
5. We’ve spent all our money, therefore; we won’t be dining out tonight.
6. The abacus is an ancient computational device, in skilful hands, it can calculate sums as quickly as most modern gadgets.
7. The woman’s skills are perfect for the new position we intend to promote her.
8. The team lost seven games in a row, consequently, the coach was fired.
9. Here is the chief administrator, he will solve our problems.
10. He phoned his fiancée repeatedly but she refused to return his calls.
11. I have good ideas I can’t put them into a sentence.
12. The elephant quit the circus he was tired of working for peanuts.
Click here for Answers