WRITING: RUN ON SENTENCES AND FRAGMENTS

Definitions and examples

What is it?
• A run-on is a sentence in which two or more
independent clauses (i.e., complete sentences) are
joined without appropriate punctuation or conjunction.
For example:

• It is nearly half past five we

cannot reach town before dark.
Correcting run – on sentences
There are several ways to correct a run-
on sentence.

•Change the comma to a semicolon or

dash:
•Write the two clauses as two separate
sentences :
 More ways to correct:
• Insert a coordinating conjunction (so, and
but) with a comma:
• Make one clause dependent on the other:
– Because it is nearly half past five, we
cannot reach town before dark.
– It is nearly half past five, which means we
cannot reach town before dark.
 What is wrong with these sentences?

• These sentences have incomplete ideas and

end too quickly.  They are called sentence
fragments.
 Ways to correct fragments
• Attach the sentence fragment to another
sentence.  That other sentence could be
before or after the sentence fragment. 
• Add a subject, verb, or both to make the
sentence complete.
• Take away the word or phrase that makes it
a sentence fragment.