Dangling modifiers and parallel structure our mission is to provide a free, worldclass education to anyone, anywhere. Fragments, runons, and comma splices what you need to know written for the student learning center by thelma sorrentino, september 2007 updated january 2010 and august 21010. Runons and comma splices i 95 runons and comma splices i. A runon sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are combined without correct punctuation.
Written for the student learning center by thelma sorrentino, september 2007. Your writing may be confusing or unclear if independent clauses are joined incorrectly. Maria exceeded her sales quota, she received a bonus. Worksheets 2 and 3 provide 16 exercises each, with ample space for students to write out the answers in complete sentences. Run on sentences and comma splices worksheets lesson. Fragments, comma splices, and runons return to writing strategies download a pdf version of this resource. Joseph cornell was an innovative american artist known for his shadow boxes and collages, his art became more famous after his death in 1972. Dont worry about them until your draft is finished. The comma spliceconsists of two independent clauses with only a comma between them. Combining clauses to avoid comma splices, runons, and fragments. As seen in the above examples, runon sentences can be relatively short.
Commas beyond commas other punctuation marks sentence patterns. Sentence fragments, comma splices and runon sentences fragments, comma splices and runons, the most common problems faced by writers, may be caught by proofreading. Identifying runons and comma splices a runon, or fused, sentence is actually two or more sentences all crammed together without the proper connective punctuation. An excellent practice worksheet to help students understand what a comma splice is and to practice correcting them. Not all long sentences are runons, and not all runons are long sentences. An independent clause is a complete, simple sentence, meaning that it contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought. Combining clauses to avoid comma splices, runons, and. The example just above about the sunscreen is a commasplice. Runons and comma splices in order to be complete, a sentence must have a subject and predicate that form an independent clause.
The runon differs from the comma splice in only one respect. Comma splices and runons are major sentence errors that interfere with efficient transmission of thought from writer to reader. Sentence fragments, comma splices and runon sentences. Comma splices and runon sentences are caused by punctuation errors and are corrected in similar ways. This handout defines various sentence structures, presents sample sentences, and provides strategies for correcting runons, comma splices, and fragments. Every sentence needs a subject and a verb, and if one of these elements is missing, the meaning is unclear. Comma splices, runons, and fused sentences are all names that refer to compound sentences that arent punctuated properly. Return to all guides the data are inconclusive the researchers will repeat their experiment. An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a sentence, as in, the dog runs. In fiction, for instance, you might use a comma splice to convey a characters racing thoughts or observations. A fused sentence occurs when independent clauses run together with no marks. A runon or fused sentence is two independent clauses run or fused together with no punctuation. Like runons, comma splices can be confusing to the reader because of the way they incorrectly emphasize words and the way they distort the pace with which you want readers to read your sentences.
A sentence must have a subject and a verb, and it must express a complete thought. Voiceover so that is how you identify and fix runons and comma splices. Worksheets are, run on sentences and comma splices work 1, fragments and run ons, grammar homework 1 run on sentences comma splices, comma splices run ons and fragments, fragments comma splices run ons, run on sentences comma splices and fragments, fix run on sentences. Sentences and comma splices are specific types of runon sentences. Although this skill is introduced in 4th5th grade, students often may have trouble correcting comma splices into adulthood, therefore, practice is applicable at all grade levels. I love watching movies i am a regular customer at blockbuster. This powerpoint presentation will reinforce their learning of correct sentence structures and help them edit their own writing for sentence errors. Maverick waves are the best waves to surf, and surfng is exciting. Voiceover right, the commas being used but we need some bigger punctuation in place of the comma, something like a semicolon, in order to make a distinction between those two independent clauses. Runons, comma splices, and fragments consider using a conjunction and a comma, just like with the runon examples. Fragments and runons this module will cover run on sentences, comma splices and fragments.
Runons fused sentences comma splices the above are all names given to compound sentences that are not punctuated correctly. You should avoid comma splices in formal writing, but now that you know the rule, you can sometimes break it in more artistic types of writing. It will enable the student to identify potential runons and fragments as well as determine the appropriate way to fix them fragments are sentences that are incomplete. Being able to judge the difference between an acceptable and unaccept able sentence fragment comes. Runons and comma splices occur when a writer accidentally joins two or more complete sentences also called independent clauses. Long sentences might actually be beautifully written. The only criterion is that the sentence contains more than one independent clause joined incorrectly. My brothers roommate at college is a really nice person, but he needs to bathe more. S3a identifying comma splices write cs after each item that contains a comma splice and no cs after those that do not. By turning your runons and comma splices into compound sentences, you will greatly improve the readability of your writing. You may want to refer to the fix runons and comma splices handout to help you spot the correct sentences in the online exercises. A comma by itself cannot join two independent clauses. A fused sentence occurs when two independent clauses are joined together without any connecting punctuation.
Exercise in the blanks provided, indicate whether the following sentences are correct c or contain a comma splice cs or a runon r0. Every main clause contains an independent subject and verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence. It includes eight sentences for students to work with. Sentence fragments, comma splices, and runon sentences are three of. This lesson examines the two types of runon sentences fused sentences and comma splices and explains how to identify and correct them in your writing. They are problem sentences that contain two or more main clauses incorrectly joined together. Comma splices and runon sentences pearson custom publishing. Runon sentences, comma splices, fragments when 2 or more simple sentences are joined together in the wrong way, the result is either a runon sentence subject verb subject verb or a comma splice subject verb, subject verb. You may always use a period to separate independent clauses. Wcu writing and learning commons editing to eliminate fragments, runons, and comma splices fragments, runons, and comma splices should be edited from your paper once you have a complete draft.
Do not use a semicolon before a transitional word that does not begin a main clause. There is a difference between a sentence that is grammatically a runon and a complex sentence that is correctly punctuated, but long and unwieldy nevertheless. Comma splices a comma splice occurs when two independent clauses or complete sentences are joined by a comma. The subject is a noun or pronoun that names the topic of the sentence. Worksheet 1 provides an explanation of comma splices, along with directions on correcting them. Test 4 in each group below, one sentence is punctuated correctly. Click on popout icon or print icon to worksheet to print or download. A comma splice occurs when two or more complete sentences are joined only with a comma, which is not strong enough punctuation. A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses. Research shows that students often learn best when they. A comma splice occurs when a writer joins two independent clauses with only a comma, which on its own is insufficient coordination.
Shudder the bane of every students existence what are they. In this video, we will discuss runon sentences and comma splices in english. You have a couple more, but still limited, options for joining them with coordination. Because the flow of thought is interrupted, you can more easily look at each. Rules for finding and fixing comma splices and fused. A runon or fused sentence occurs when no punctuation at all separates. Practice activities are included to help build skills in sentence clarity and variety. First, practice identifying runons and comma splices. Complete sentence independent clause table of contents part i.
If one of these requirements is missing, the group of words is a sentence fragment. In order to be complete, a sentence must have a subject and predicate that form an independent. Utah valley university uvu does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation. Incorrect how to find comma splices and runons in your own writing. A fragment is missing either a subject or a verb, making it just a fragment of a sentence rather than a. It is correct to join two main clauses with a comma and a transitional word.
Correcting runons and comma splices runon sentences and comma splices confuse readers by eliminating natural pauses and necessary words. Dogs are one of the best pets a person can have, they are loving and loyal. Runon sentences problem a runon sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are not joined correctly. The runon sentence and comma splice are common punctuation errors that can create confusion in your writing. More on compound sentences a comma splice occurs when a comma. This document should only be used as a reference and should not replace assignment guidelines. When you use a comma to connect two independent clauses, it must be accompanied by a little conjunction and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so. Runons and comma splices occur when a writer accidentally joins two or more complete sentences also called independent clauses incorrectly. Write the letter of that sentence in the space provided.
A runon sentence occurs when multiple independent clauses are unpunctuated or lack connections in a single sentence, while a comma splice occurs when a. The above are all names given to compound sentences that are not punctuated correctly. Complete sentence independent clause table of contents. Wcu writing and learning commons editing to eliminate. Fragments, runons, and comma splices sentence fragments a fragment is an incomplete statement. Comma splices, runons, and fragments search this guide go. Begin with your last sentence and read your paper backwards one sentence at a time.
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