WREN Webinar: SST 301 – Sentence Fragments and Fused Sentences / Run-Ons

Mr. Loeb English II Kenwood Academy High School 2014-2015

Our Goals  

•  Kenwood Academy 10th grade writers will… 1.  Achieve 3 points growth between the pre-PLAN and post-

PLAN. 2.  Achieve 85% mastery on all English and Reading College

Readiness Skills covered in the course. 3.  Score an average of 85% on all writing assignments by

the end of the year.

•  Good writers recognize and express complete thoughts in independent clauses (independent sentences).

•  They use conjunctions (FANBOYS and Conjunctive Adverbs) and appropriate punctuation correctly to indicate the beginning, end, or combination of clauses.

•  They revise to fix fragments (incomplete sentences) and fused (run-on) sentences, where two clauses are joined without a conjunction and/or punctuation.

SST 301: Sentence Fragments and Fused Sentences / Run-Ons  

•  A sentence fragment is an error that occurs when an incomplete sentence is punctuated as though it were complete.

Example: •  I wrote a great paper. Without any errors. (Incomplete

thought) •  Although it had a few mistakes. I wrote a great paper.

(Incorrect use of the DC) •  I going to a writing tutor to work on my fragments. (Missing a

subject or verb)

SST 301: Sentence Fragments and Fused Sentences / Run-Ons  

•  There are three things you should look for when you review your work for sentence fragments. 1.  Look for a group of words without a subject. If the

subject is missing, add it. 2.  Look for a group of words that does not express a

complete thought. 3.  Identify your ICs and DCs. Be sure you haven’t

punctuated a DC as if it is an IC. •  Many times you can correct a sentence fragment by

connecting it with an IC. Other times you may need to add words to create / finish the complete thought.

SST 301: Sentence Fragments and Fused Sentences / Run-Ons  

Fragment   Complete  Sentence  

Danielle  is  on  the  basketball  team.  Played  for  fun  as  a  child.    

Danielle  is  on  the  basketball  team.  She  played  for  fun  as  a  child.    

Danielle  scoring  more  points  than  any  other  player.  

Danielle  was  scoring  more  points  than  any  other  player.  

The  injured  Danielle.     The  injured  Danielle  was  taken  to  the  emergency  room.  

Because  she  was  taken  out  of  the  game.  The  opposing  team  won.  

Because  she  was  taken  out  of  the  game,  The  opposing  team  won.  

SST 301: Sentence Fragments and Fused Sentences / Run-Ons  

•  A fused sentence / run-on is two or more complete sentences written as though they were one sentence and usually feature no punctuation and/or conjunctions.

Example: •  My alarm did not go off I was late for school. (Two ICs

combined together without punctuation or conjunctions.) •  Meteorology is fascinating to me, I watch the Weather

Channel every day. (no conjunction connecting the two ICs) •  I walked along the shore and I sat down near the waves. (Two

ICs combined without punctuation.)

SST 301: Sentence Fragments and Fused Sentences / Run-Ons  

•  There are three things you should look for when you review your work for fused sentences / run-ons: 1.  Check to see if there are two independent clauses. 2.  Make sure that the two independent clauses are

connected using either (a) Comma + FANBOYS; (b) Semincolon; (c) Semicolon + Conjunctive Adverb + Comma.

3.  If the two independent clauses are not connected appropriately, use one of the three patterns above to do so.

SST 301: Sentence Fragments and Fused Sentences / Run-Ons  

Example #1

SST 301: Sentence Fragments and Fused Sentences / Run-Ons  

The  Supreme  Court  is  debating  an  important  

issue  in  the  criminal  justice  system.  (1)  Juveniles  

given  life  sentences  for  crimes  that  do  not  

involve  murder?  In  Illinois,  over  100  individuals  

under  18  are  serving  life  sentences  without  

parole  for  nonfatal  crimes  such  as  armed  

robbery.  

 

1.  A.  NO  CHANGE  

             B.  Juveniles  should  be  given  

             C.  Should  juveniles  be  given  

             D.  Juveniles  are  given  

Example #1

SST 301: Sentence Fragments and Fused Sentences / Run-Ons  

In  a  2005  case,  the  Supreme  Court  voted  

5-‐4  that  the  death  penalty  was  cruel  and  

unusual  punishment  for  anyone  under  18.  

Thus,  the  death  penalty  for  juveniles  

became  (1)  unconstitutional  and  they  

abolished  it.  

 

1.  A.  NO  CHANGE  

             B.  unconstitutional,  and  abolished  

             C.  unconstitutional.  And  they  

             D.  unconstitutional,  and  they  

Practice: (1) Identify each item by writing either F for fragment or R for run-on sentence. Then rewrite each item, correcting the error. In some cases, you may have to add words or finish the thought. 1.  Martin’s dog under the porch of the big old house. 2.  Someday I’ll be just like Dorothy Sayers, I’ll write good

mysteries. 3.  Sometimes underestimating the power of a determined

teenager. 4.  Works well is a great value and is very attractive. 5.  Please leave me alone, I’m not in a good mood.

WREN Skills Practice: SST 301