ESL 403 Workshop
COMMA SPLICES
FRAGMENTS
RUN-ONS
3 COMMON BUT SERIOUS SENTENCE
STRUCTURE MISTAKES
This is how your
instructors sometimes
feel when we read too
many comma splices,
run-ons, or fragments.
If you can fix your own
fragments, run-ons and
comma splices, it can
really make a difference
in the quality of your
writing and your grade!
What’s a fragment, comma-splice or
run-on? How can you fix them?
Some terms you need to know
Comma splice/Run on
Fragment (piece)
 Independent clause =
 Dependent clause
Simple Sentence

SV. / SVV. / SSV. / SSVV.
 Compound Sentence



SV, ___ SV.
SVV, ___ SSV.
…
 Coordinating
conjunction (FANBOYS)

NEVER start a sentence!
 Complex Sentence
 Independent + dependent
 Dependent, independent
 Subordinating
conjunction


Starts the dep clause
while, if, because, after…
Fix this run-on sentence in 3 ways
Tw o hu n dred p eop l e w en t t o hi s
w eddi n g t hre e p eop l e w en t t o hi s f u n eral .
✔Two hundred people went to his wedding ; three people
went to his funeral.
✔Two hundred people went to his wedding, but three
people went to his funeral.
✔ Two hundred people went to his wedding. Three people
went to his funeral.
Fix this comma splice in 3 ways
Spanish is spoken in more countries,
Chinese is spoken by more people.
✔Spanish is spoken in more countries ; Chinese is spoken by
more people.
✔Spanish is spoken in more countries , but Chinese is
spoken by more people.
✔Spanish is spoken in more countries. Chinese is spoken by
more people.
Do you see a pattern?
HOW DO YOU FIX A RUN-ON?
HOW DO YOU FIX A COMMA SPLICE?
THE 3 WAYS TO FIX A RUN-ON / COMMA SPLICE ARE:
1.
2.
3.
Fragments
HE HAD TO LEAVE THE PARTY. BECAUSE HE
HAD EATEN AND DRUNK TOO MUCH.
I LOVE EATING DESSERTS. SUCH AS ICE
CREAM AND APPLE PIE.
AFTER I GOT INTO THE HOT BATH. I
REALIZED THERE WAS NO SOAP. I DIDN’T
WANT TO GET OUT AGAIN.
To fix: usually connect fragment to the other sentences or add more
information to make the idea a complete thought.
Practice – correct/frag/ro/cs?
1. The president, worried about a possible energy shortage in
the future.
2. Jody is moving to New York, she can’t even finish her classes.
3. I was watching a documentary on TV about tigers in India.
4. I’m lost when I add many long numbers without a calculator.
5. These people who are moving to the US because they want to
find a better job.
6. The students haven’t finished their homework yet they have
decided to go have some coffee.
7. Since the holiday is on Thursday, we will have no class on
Friday.
8. A plane zoomed overhead, it was so noisy we couldn’t hear
each other talking.
Worksheet – Step 1 (answers)
Shopping malls have spread throughout the
country / they have replaced many main
streets / some malls have hundreds of stores /
some malls only have a few / malls include
restaurants as well as stores/ many people go
there/ malls give a safe and attractive
atmosphere for shoppers / some people can
spend too much money there.
Step 2 of worksheet (answers vary)
Shopping malls have spread throughout the
country ____ they have replaced many main
streets____ some malls have hundreds of stores
_____ some malls only have a few ___malls
include restaurants as well as stores_____many
people go there ____ malls give a safe and
attractive atmosphere for shoppers_____some
people can spend too much money there.