Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
“The pen is the
tongue of the mind.”
Writing with
complete and
proper
sentences shows
your command
of Conventions
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
What is a
Sentence Fragment?
A group of words that does not express a complete
thought is a Sentence Fragment.
A Sentence Fragment fails to be a sentence in the
sense that it cannot stand by itself. It does not contain
even
one
independent
clause.
Any group of words
Sentence Fragment.
that cannot stand
alone is a
A Sentence Fragment is a sentence that is still “under
construction”.
Examples
1.
2.
3.
In the classroom.
Although I did my homework.
Because it was hot outside.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
“The pen is the
tongue of the mind.”
There are several reasons why a group
of words may seem to act like a
sentence but still not be a complete
thought.
It may locate something in time and place with a
prepositional phrase or a series of such phrases, but it's
still lacking a proper subject-verb relationship within an
independent clause:
In school, during the last quarter and just before the
summer.
This fragment accomplishes a great deal in terms of
placing the reader in time and place, but there is no
subject, no verb.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
“The pen is the
tongue of the mind.”
There are several reasons why a group
of words may seem to act like a
sentence but still not be a complete
thought.
It describes something,
subject-verb relationship:
but
there
is
no
Working far into the night in an effort to
finish her essay.
This is a verbal phrase that wants to modify
something, the real subject of the sentence
(about to come up), probably the she who was
working so hard.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
“The pen is the
tongue of the mind.”
There are several reasons why a group
of words may seem to act like a
sentence but still not be a complete
thought.
It may have most of the makings of a sentence
but still be missing an important part of a verb
string:
Some of the students working in the
laboratory
last
semester.
Remember that an -ing verb form without an
auxiliary form to accompany it can never be a
verb.
PowerEd Plans 2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
“The pen is the
tongue of the mind.”
There are several reasons why a group
of words may seem to act like a
sentence but still not be a complete
thought.
It may even have a subject-verb relationship, but it has
been subordinated to another idea by a dependent word
and so cannot stand by itself:
Even though he had the better arguments and was
by
far
the
more
powerful
speaker.
This sentence fragment has a subject, he, and two verbs,
had and was, but it cannot stand by itself because of the
dependent word (subordinating conjunction) even
though. We need an independent clause to follow up this
dependent clause: . . . the more powerful speaker, he lost
the case because he didn't understand the jury.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
Let’s Practice
Change the following
fragments
into complete sentences.
1. In the middle of the night.
The door slammed suddenly in the middle
of the night.
2. Watching T.V..
Watching T.V. prevented the young man
from completing his homework.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
What is a
Run-on Sentence?
Two or more complete sentences that are
not properly joined or separated.
A Run-on Sentence has at least two parts, either one of
which can stand by itself (in other words, two
independent clauses), but the two parts have been
smooshed together instead of being properly connected.
A Run-on Sentence just keeps going on and on and . . .
Examples:
1.
I went to the Smoky Mountain National Park I
climbed up to Laurel Falls.
2. Laurel Falls is only a 1.3 mile hike one way it
is much harder to climb to the falls than to
climb down.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
happen typically under
the following circumstances:
When an independent clause gives an
order or directive based on what was
said in the prior independent clause:
This next chapter has a lot of difficult
information in it you should start studying
soon.
We could put a period after “it” and start a new
sentence.
A semicolon would also work there.
Adding a comma after “it” and a conjunction such as
“so” after the comma would correct this run-on
sentence.
PowerEd Plans 2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
happen typically under
the following circumstances:
When an independent clause gives an
order or directive based on what was
said in the prior independent clause:
When two independent clauses are connected by a
transitional expression (conjunctive adverb) such as
however, moreover, nevertheless.
Mr. Johnson has sent his four children to ivy-league
colleges, however, he has sacrificed his health working day
and night in that dusty bakery.
Again, where that first comma appears, we could have used
either a period — and started a new sentence — or a
semicolon.
PowerEd Plans 2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
happen typically under
the following circumstances:
When the second of two independent
clauses contains a pronoun that
connects it to the first independent
clause.
This computer doesn't make sense to me it came
without a manual.
Although these two clauses are quite brief, and
the ideas are closely related, this is a run-on
sentence. We need a period or a semi-colon
“me”.
Also, we could add a comma and a
conjunction such as “and” after “me”.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
happen typically under
the following circumstances:
When the second of two independent
clauses contains a pronoun that
connects it to the first independent
clause.
Most of those computers in the Learning
Assistance Center are broken already this
proves my point about American computer
manufacturers.
Again, two nicely related clauses, incorrectly
connected — a run-on. Use a period to cure this
sentence.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
can be corrected in the
following ways:
Completely separate each of the
two independent clauses with a
period.
I love to write papers I would write
one every day if I had the time.
I love to write papers. I would write
one every day if I had the time.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
can be corrected in the
following ways:
Join
each
independent
semi-colon.
of
the
two
clauses with a
I love to write papers I would write
one every day if I had the time.
I love to write papers; I would write
one every day if I had the time.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
can be corrected in the
following ways:
Join
each
of
the
two
independent clauses with a
comma and a conjunction.
I love to write papers I would write
one every day if I had the time.
I love to write papers, and I would
write one every day if I had the time.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
Let’s Practice
Change the following Run-ons
into complete sentences.
1. I went to the Smoky Mountain National Park I climbed
up to Laurel Falls.
I went to the Smoky Mountain National Park; I
climbed up to Laurel Falls.
I went to the Smoky Mountain National Park. I
climbed up to Laurel Falls.
I went to the Smoky Mountain National Park, and I
climbed up to Laurel Falls.
PowerEd Plans
2014
Avoiding
Fragments and
Run-ons
Let’s Practice
Change the following Run-ons
into complete sentences.
1. Laurel Falls is only a 1.3 mile hike one way it is much
harder to climb to the falls than to climb down.
Laurel Falls is only a 1.3 mile hike one way. It is
much harder to climb to the falls than to climb down.
Laurel Falls is only a 1.3 mile hike one way; it is
much harder to climb to the falls than to climb down.
Laurel Falls is only a 1.3 mile hike one way, and it is
much harder to climb to the falls than to climb down.
PowerEd Plans
2014