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Fragments
and Run-Ons
Identifying and
Correcting
Sentence Errors
Fragments
 Fragments look like sentences but
are missing a subject or a verb, or
they are put together incorrectly.
Fragment
Told everyone to get out
of the way.
Disposable lighter in his
hand.
Error
No subject
Before he lit the fuse.
A dependent
clause by itself
No verb
Correcting Fragments
 Subjects or verbs can be added
 Fragments can be joined together
 All of the following are correct



With his disposable lighter in his hand, he told
everyone to get out of the way. Then he lit the fuse.
Pulling out his disposable lighter, Fred told everyone
to get out of the way before he lit the fuse.
He pulled out his disposable lighter. Fred told
everyone to get out of the way and then he lit the
fuse.
Run-ons
 Run-ons (fused sentences)
occur when clauses are joined
incorrectly.
Comma
splice
Run-on
He didn’t throw the firecracker, he placed
it between his legs, he wanted to put the
lighter away first.
The fuse burned too quickly before he could
throw it the explosive blew up between his
legs.
Four Ways to Correct Run-ons
1. Join the clauses with a comma and a
coordinating conjunction


For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
He wanted to put the lighter away first, so Fred
placed the firecracker between his legs, and he
didn’t throw it.
2. Join the clauses with a subordinating
conjunction


Because, although, if, when, since, after
Because the fuse burned too quickly before he
could throw it, the explosive blew up between his
legs.
These are the subordinate
conjunctions.










after
although
as
because
before
even though
if, even if
in order that
once
provided that










since
so [that implied], so that
than
that
though
unless
when, whenever
where, wherever, whereas
whether
while
Four Ways to Correct Run-ons
3. Make the clauses into separate
sentences
X Fred fell down screaming when the
smoke cleared we all expected to see
a bloody mess.
 Fred fell down screaming. The smoke
cleared. We all expected to see a
bloody mess.
 Fred fell down screaming. When the
smoke cleared, we all expected to see
a bloody mess.
Four Ways to Correct Run-ons
4. Join two independent clauses with a
semicolon (;)if they are closely related.


You may include a conjunctive adverb along with
the semicolon:
however, for example, therefore, moreover,
indeed, consequently
X Fred hadn’t taped the tube properly and most of the

force was released out the ends of the tube the
explosion did direct some pressure against his groin.
Fred hadn’t taped the tube well and most of the force
was released out the ends of the tube; however, the
explosion did direct some pressure against his groin.
Notice how the sentence
is punctuated