Correcting Run-on Sentences

What is a run-on sentence?

How to fix a run-on sentence
Make two separate sentences
Make one sentence
Review A
Review B
 What is a run-on sentence?

Teresa is reading her teacher’s comments on the

first draft of an essay.

Strengths: What is a
Good use of examples. run-on
sentence?
Clear organization.

Areas for improvement:

Avoid run-on sentences.

 What is a run-on sentence?

A run-on sentence is two or more

complete sentences run together as one.
Run-on sentences can be confusing because they
do not show where one idea ends and another
one begins.

Examples
Seahorses are actually fish they have fins and gills.

Some seahorses are partly transparent, you might not

see them in an aquarium.
 What is a run-on sentence?

Where are the complete sentences in the

examples below?

Seahorses are actually fish they have fins and gills.

Some seahorses are partly transparent, you might

not see them in an aquarium.
 What is a run-on sentence?

Seahorses are actually fish they have fins and gills.

This run-on sentence is an example of a fused

sentence. There is no punctuation between the
two sentences.

Sentence 1 Sentence 2
 What is a run-on sentence?

Some seahorses are partly transparent, you might not

see them in an aquarium.

This run-on sentence is an example of a comma

splice. There is only a comma between the two
sentences.

Sentence 1 , Sentence 2
 What is a run-on sentence?
On Your Own
Identify the following items as correct sentences (C) or run-
ons (R). Be prepared to explain your answers.

___ 1. After school I feed the gerbils Kerry takes care of the
fish.

___ 2. The crab hurried into the water because it had seen a
large bird nearby.

___ 3. Coach Mendez runs difficult practices, her teams

usually win their games.

[End of Section]
 How to fix a run-on sentence

To fix a run-on sentence, you need to do one of

two things:

Cut it apart.

OR

Join it properly.
 How to fix a run-on sentence

How you revise a run-on sentence depends on the

relationship you want to show between the ideas.

If Then
Ideas are NOT Make two
closely related sentences

Ideas ARE
closely related
Make one
And
sentence
Ideas ARE
equally important
 How to fix a run-on sentence
Make two separate sentences

Strategy 1: Make two sentences

Break a run-on into two separate sentences when
• the ideas are not closely related or
• at least one sentence is long or complex
art. the
Kite building is an ancient art, The
Chinese made the first kites around
three thousand years ago.
 How to fix a run-on sentence
Make two separate sentences

Strategy 1: Make two sentences

To make two separate sentences
• Put an end mark after the first
complete sentence.
• Then, capitalize the first word
of the next complete sentence.

Sally Ride was the first American woman in space

space . Sahemember
she was of a shuttle
was a member of a crew.
space shuttle
crew.
 How to fix a run-on sentence
Make two separate sentences

On Your Own
Revise the following run-on sentences by making two
separate sentences. Be prepared to explain your answers.

1. We had a big anniversary party for my grandparents,

they have been married 45 years.

2. The Japanese restaurant is popular it serves crowds of

hungry diners every night.

3. In the summertime that bush has purple flowers the bees

and butterflies are attracted to it.

[End of Section]
 How to fix a run-on sentence
Make one sentence

Strategy 2: Make one sentence

When the complete thoughts in a run-on sentence
are closely related and of equal importance, you
may want to attach them properly to make one
correct sentence.
 How to fix a run-on sentence
Make one sentence

Strategy 2: Make One Sentence

You can attach the two parts of a run-on sentence
properly by using a comma and a
coordinating conjunction.

She watered the plants regularly,they

andbecame
they
green
becameand beautiful.
green and beautiful.
 How to fix a run-on sentence
Make one sentence

On Your Own
Make each of the following run-on sentences into a
single correct sentence. Be prepared to explain your
answers.
1. Lee plays basketball he is also on the tennis team.

2. Ms. McIntire tried to grow tomatoes most of them

were eaten by bugs.

3. Tomorrow we can walk to the beach, we can go to

a movie if it rains.

[End of Section]
 Review A

Identify the following items as correct sentences (C) or run-

ons (R). Be prepared to explain your answers.
___ 1. Saturn is a huge planet, it is more than nine times
larger than Earth.
___ 2. Some of the clouds on Saturn are yellow, others are
off-white.
___ 3. Saturn has about twenty moons Titan is the largest.
___ 4. You can use a telescope to view Saturn, or you can
visit a planetarium.
___ 5. The rings of Saturn are less than two miles thick,
they spread out from the planet for a great distance.

[End of Section]
 Review B

Revise each run-on sentence by (1) making two separate

sentences or (2) attaching the ideas to make one correct
sentence. Be prepared to explain your answers.
1. The Louvre is the largest museum in the world it is also
one of the oldest.
2. King Francis I wanted to support the arts, he bought the
Mona Lisa for the Louvre.
3. Other French kings made additions the collections grew.
4. The Louvre is now a state-owned museum new pieces
are either bought by the museum or received as gifts.

[End of Section]
The End