1. ENG4U Grammar Workshop Run-on Sentences & Comma Splices

2. Run-on Sentences are independent clauses that have not been joined correctly. An independent clause is a word group that can stand alone as a sentence.

3. Types of run-on sentences 1. Comma splice – a special type of run-on sentence (discussed separately)

4. Types of run-on sentences 2. Fused sentence – two independent clauses joined with no punctuation Wrong: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream Lisa prefers vanilla.

5. Types of run-on sentences 3. “And” run-on – two or more independent clauses joined with coordinating conjunctions without punctuation Wrong: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream but Lisa prefers vanilla.

6. Comma splices are a special type of run-on sentence where two independent clauses are joined using only a comma (without a coordinating conjunction). Wrong: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream, Lisa prefers vanilla.

7. Correcting run-on sentences AND comma splices There are 5 ways to correct: Join the independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction AND a comma Join the independent clauses with a semicolon if they are closely related Make the independent clauses into separate sentences Restructure the sentence by turning one of the independent clauses into a dependent clause Transform the clauses into a single independent clause

8. Correction method 1 Use a comma and coordinating conjunction Wrong: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream, Lisa prefers vanilla. (Comma splice) Correct: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream, but Lisa prefers vanilla.

9. Correction method 2 Use a semicolon with closely related independent clauses Wrong: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream Lisa prefers vanilla. (Fused Sentence) Correct: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream; Lisa prefers vanilla.

10. Correction method 3 Make the independent clauses into separate sentences Wrong: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream Lisa prefers vanilla. (Fused Sentence) Correct: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream. Lisa prefers vanilla.

11. Correction method 4 Subordinate one of the independent clauses (making it a dependent clause) Wrong: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream, Lisa prefers vanilla. (Comma Splice) Correct: Although Jamie likes chocolate ice cream, Lisa prefers vanilla.

12. Correction method 5 Transform the clauses into a single independent clause Wrong: Jamie likes chocolate ice cream Lisa prefers vanilla. (Fused Sentence) Correct: Jamie, unlike Lisa who prefers vanilla, likes chocolate ice cream.

13. Conjunctions Remember the difference between coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.

14. Coordinating conjunctions draw equal attention to two or more ideas Join independent clauses: My grandmother is blind, but her hearing is sharp.

15. FANBOYS – Use the acronym “FANBOYS” to help you identify coordinating conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

16. Subordinating conjunctions give unequal attention to two or more ideas join a dependent clause to an independent clause: Although my grandmother is blind, her hearing is sharp.

17. A long list! There are many subordinating conjunctions. Here are a few: afterifuntilwhile althoughsincewhenwhich Asthatwherewhom becausethoughbeforeunless