Run-ons, Fragments, & Complete Sentences

Remember that a sentence has a subject & a verb, and it expresses a complete thought.

Another term for a sentence is an independent clause.

A run-on is created when two complete sentences (independent clauses) are joined together incorrectly (without proper punctuation) and are written as one sentence.

Do you remember what an independent clause is? 

Separate the two sentences using a period. (Ex: Today was very hot. It was 100 degrees.) 

Make a compound sentence.   (Ex:  Kelly likes pizza, but Ally likes to eat hot dogs.) 

Connect the two ideas with a semi‐colon. (Ex:  It was very hot today; it was 100 degrees.) 

Create a complex sentence.   (Ex:  Kelly likes pizza; however, Ally likes to eat hot dogs.)             

The sky is dark, it will rain soon.

It's spring the weather is warm flowers are blooming.

We watched a movie and we ate popcorn and sang songs.

School is fun I like science the best and math next.

A sentence must have two characteristics

1. It must have a subject and a verb; 

2. It must have independence or completeness. 

If either of these characteristics are missing from a group of words written as a sentence, the result is an error called a sentence fragment. 

Sylvia feels happy this morning.  Because the sun is shining. She is leaving early to take a walk in the woods. 

What do you think the fragment is? 

Fragment: I couldn't fall asleep.  Although I was tired. Correct : Although I was tired, I couldn't fall asleep.

Fragment: I bought a 16-pound turkey.  Which wasn't enough food. Correct : I bought a 16-pound turkey, which wasn't enough food.