Sentence Boundaries

By: Allie, Toni, Bryan and Brittany

Sentence Boundaries

 Includes: Fragments, run-on sentences and comma splices.  They are incomplete sentences that are commonly used in conversation but are not appropriate for academic writing.  They make the meaning of your sentence confusing and distracting to readers.

To correct sentence boundaries

 To correct fragments you can combine them with near by clauses or add words t make them a complete sentence.  Wrong: NBC will broadcast the debates

. With

discussions afterwards.  Correct: NBC will broadcast the debates

, with

discussions afterwards.

 The problem was with the period breaking the sentence up when it should be one whole sentence.

More examples

 Wrong: Jane didn’t return to work for three weeks after her surgery

. To

let her knee fully heal.  Correct: Jane didn't return to work for three weeks

. She

wanted to let her knee fully heal.

 Wrong: William Shakespeare wrote many plays

. Such

as Hamlet and Macbeth.  Correct: William Shakespeare wrote many plays

, such

as Hamlet and Macbeth.

Run-on Sentences

 A run-on sentence is a sentence that results form joining two or more independent clauses without using correct punctuation.  The best way to fix a run-on sentence is too separate them into two sentences.  Example: My mother likes to work in the

garden she

beautiful sunflowers. grows  Correct: My mother likes to work in the garden

. She

grows beautiful sunflowers.

Comma Splices

 A comma splice occurs when independent clauses are separated only by a comma.  Essentially a run-on sentence that is separated into by a comma when it should be two complete sentences.  Example: John hikes a different section of the Appalachian Trail every year

, it’s

his favorite way to spend summer break.

 Correct: John hikes a different section of the Appalachian Trail every year

. It’s

his favorite way to spend summer break.

Comma Splices

 If the ideas in the two clauses are closely related, you can join them with a comma and a coordinating conjunction or semicolon.  Example: I woke up with a headache

, I

took some aspirin.

 Correct: I woke up with a headache

, so

I took some aspirin.

Comma Splices

 It is important to remember to add a coordinating conjunction or you are just using a comma splice again.  Example: I need to pay my

tuition I

don’t have enough money.

 Correct: I need to pay my tuition

, but

I don’t have enough money.

Work Cited

 Lunsford, Andrea A., ed. The St. Martin’s Handbook: Seventh Edition. Boston, New York: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2011. Print.

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/sentence-patterns/ © 2010-2012 by The Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill.