Transcript Fragments and Run

Fragments and
Run-on Sentences
Fragments-What are they?
 A SENTENCE FRAGMENT fails to be a
sentence. It cannot stand by itself. It does
not contain even one independent
clause. There are several reasons why a
group of words may seem to act like a
sentence but not have “what it takes” to
make it as a complete thought.
It might be a fragment if…
 It is missing a subject:
Ex. Working far into the night in an effort to
salvage her little boat.
 It is missing a verb phrase:
Ex. Some of the students working in Professor
Espinoza's laboratory last semester.
 It is not a complete thought:
Ex. Even though he had the better arguments
and was by far the more powerful speaker.
Run-On Sentences
 A run-on sentence occurs when 2
clauses have been connected incorrectly.
It really has nothing to do with the length
of the sentence.
Ex. Some students think that they can
study for an exam by “cramming” all
night, they are probably wrong.
Ex.
Some students think that they can
study for an exam by “cramming” all
night, they are probably wrong.
This is a run-on because there is a comma
splice (when two independent clause are
connected with just a comma)
The rule for connecting two independent clauses
is that you use a comma & a conjunction or a
semi-colon
Correcting Run-On due to
a comma splice:
 1. Make the clauses into two separate
sentences.
Some students think that they can study for
an exam by “cramming” all night. They are
probably wrong.
 2. Add a comma & a conjunction:
Some students think that they can study
for an exam by “cramming” all night, but
they are probably wrong.
 3. Add a semi-colon:
Some students think that they can study
for an exam by “cramming” all night; they
are probably wrong.