Understanding
sentences
How to correct run-on
sentences, comma splices,
and fragments
What is a
sentence?
Subject
Verb
Sentence
Complete
thought
A sentence
(independent
clause) contains
a subject and
a verb and
expresses a
complete
thought.
President Michael Ortiz
accepts the ALS Ice
Bucket Challenge.
Conner Morris drives the Cal Poly Pomona
Formula SAE car during a test session at
Cable Airport in Upland.
Lawson Ho works on his team’s entry to a
Seismic Design Competition in Anchorage.
Justin Ellerbee competes in the
pole vault at the Mt. SAC Relays.
RUN-ON (FUSED) SENTENCES
…are too much of a good thing.
Run-on sentences
happen when
two sentences
(independent
clauses)
are joined
together
without proper
punctuation.
Example:
After the thunderstorm,
Teresa splashed through
the puddles left on the
street she enjoyed feeling
the cool rainwater on her
hot feet.
After the thunderstorm, Teresa splashed through
the puddles left on the street she enjoyed feeling
the cool rainwater on her hot feet.
Fixing run-on (fused) sentences
1. Use a period: After the thunderstorm, Teresa splashed
through the puddles left on the street. She enjoyed feeling
the cool rainwater on her hot feet.
2. Use a semicolon: After the thunderstorm, Teresa splashed
through the puddles left on the street; she enjoyed feeling
the cool rainwater on her hot feet.
3. Use a comma and a coordinate conjunction*: After the
thunderstorm, Teresa splashed through the puddles left on
the street, for she enjoyed feeling the cool rainwater on her
hot feet.
*The coordinate conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
COMMA SPLICES
…when a comma is not enough.
Comma splices
happen when two
sentences
(independent
clauses) are
joined together
with just a
comma.
Examples:
During the fall semester,
parking on campus is very
difficult, students circle the
lots like vultures, waiting
for an empty space.
Friends should be
supportive, they should be
honest.
Fixing comma splices
1.Use a period (or a semicolon): During the fall
semester, parking on campus is very difficult.
Students circle the lots like vultures, waiting
for an empty space.
2.Insert a coordinate conjunction: Friends
should be supportive, and they should be
honest.
fragment: a small part broken or
separated off something
SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
…are “pieces” of sentences
Fragments are
“pieces” of
sentences. They
lack one or more
of the essential
elements of a
sentence—a
subject, a verb, or
a complete
thought.
Examples:
1. In Japan, during the last war
and just before the cease fire.
2. Working far into the night in
an effort to salvage her little
boat.
3. Last semester some of the
students working in Dr. Salik's
laboratory.
4. Even though he had the better
arguments and was by far the
more powerful speaker.
Fixing sentence fragments
1. Add the fragment (dependent clause) to an independent
clause: Even though he had the better arguments and was by
far the more powerful speaker, he lost the case because he
didn't understand the jury.
2. Take out a subordinating conjunction (after, before, because,
when, if, since, while, etc.): He had the better arguments and
was by far the more powerful speaker.