Understanding sentences

How to correct run-on sentences, comma splices, and fragments

What is a sentence?

SentenceSubject

Verb

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.

Lawson Ho works on his team’s entry to a Seismic Design Competition in Anchorage.

Conner Morris drives the Cal Poly Pomona Formula SAE car during a test session at Cable Airport in Upland.

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) sentences1. 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.

SENTENCE FRAGMENTS…are “pieces” of sentences

fragment: a small part broken or separated off something

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.