Run-ons and Fragments
Correcting Students’ Errors
A fragment means a part or a piece. When a writing teacher says you have a fragment, it means your
sentence is not complete or whole. This usually happens if you forget to include a subject (a noun or
pronoun that says who or what is doing the action), or if you forget the main verb or an auxiliary verb.
These are fragments:
I taking three classes this semester. Is a lot of hard work and time.
Although the first sentence has a subject I and main verb taking, it is missing an auxiliary verb: _____
The second sentence has a main verb is, and it doesn’t need an auxiliary verb, but it is missing a subject.
A fragment can also happen if you have a dependent clause but no independent clause.
These are dependent clauses and cannot stand alone as complete sentences:
Because I woke up late.
So he needs to see a tutor.
But she couldn’t come.
They depend on another clause to complete the idea. Without that other clause, they are fragments.
A run-on sentence means that there is more than one complete sentence or independent clause, but they
have been joined incorrectly. The two most common types of run-ons are the comma splice and the fused
sentence. A comma splice happens when two independent clauses are joined with only a comma. The
best ways to fix this problem is by changing the comma to a period or by adding a conjunction after the
comma. A fused sentence happens when two independent clauses are written one after another with no
punctuation or conjunction between them. This problem can be fixed by separating the two sentence with
a period or by adding a comma and conjunction.
These are run-ons:
I woke up late I didn’t have time to take a shower I just threw on my clothes and jumped in the car.
This is a ____________________________________.
I raced down the street, a police officer saw me and pulled me over, he gave me a speeding ticket.
This is a _____________________________________.
The only time you can have just a comma between clauses is when one clause is dependent and another
clause is independent. For example:
Because I woke up late, I didn’t have time for breakfast.
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Now, look at the sentences below. They come from actual student drafts. Identify what the problem is
(fragment or run-on), label the subjects and verbs in each clause, and rewrite each sentence completely so
that it is correct.
1. I was driving in my car, my mother was cleaning her glasses.
2 I explained to my mom why I was cracking up, she had no clue.
3. The airport in Boston is different, is on the seashore.
4. Costa Rica has beautiful places to visit the beaches are beautiful.
5. When we got to the house we had rented, was a place with very nice private area and we looked around
and everything beautiful but we were surprised.
6. One of the interesting places to visit is the Eiffel Tower. Because its structure is unique and very
impressive.
7. You mix it all up and add one cup of milk you pour it in a pan and put it in the oven.
8. I came off well, I am reminded of that adorable day.
9. Of course I was happy because I had the opportunity to have a job the application had more than 10
pages and had many requirements.
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10. I did my best, it was over.
11. I was a little girl, so understood what was happening.
12. I started going to school, but I had a problem I did not understand the English language.
13. I helped her out of the hole and we left very quickly from there we were very ashamed.
14. I left my family, now my family was my husband and his family.
15. My family lived 5 hours away from the capital that was difficult for me.
16. We went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame this place it was amazing for us because we never thought
that someday we could stay there.
17. Around the time that I was seventeen years old. My friend and I lived in Mexico, and wanted a better
life.
18. My nine months of being pregnant, I was very anxious and excited to see my baby.
19. Had a big cake and lots of food. I talking with my family and friends.
20. When it ten a.m. everything began I didn’t know what have to do but hold my wife’s hand.