1. “The pen is the tongue of the mind.”
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Writing with complete and proper sentences shows your command of Conventions
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2. What is a Sentence Fragment?
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
A group of words that does not express a complete thought is a Sentence Fragment.
A Sentence Fragment fails to be a sentence in the sense that it cannot stand by itself. It does not contain even one independent clause.
Any group of words that cannot stand alone is a Sentence Fragment.
A Sentence Fragment is a sentence that is still “under construction”.
Examples
1. In the classroom.
2. Although I did my homework.
3. Because it was hot outside.
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3. “The pen is the tongue of the mind.”
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
There are several reasons why a group of words may seem to act like a sentence but still not be a complete thought.
It may locate something in time and place with a prepositional phrase or a series of such phrases, but it's still lacking a proper subject-verb relationship within an independent clause:
In school, during the last quarter and just before the summer.
This fragment accomplishes a great deal in terms of placing the reader in time and place, but there is no subject, no verb.
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4. “The pen is the tongue of the mind.”
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
There are several reasons why a group of words may seem to act like a sentence but still not be a complete thought.
It describes something, but there is no subject-verb relationship:
Working far into the night in an effort to finish her essay.
This is a verbal phrase that wants to modify something, the real subject of the sentence (about to come up), probably the she who was working so hard.
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5. “The pen is the tongue of the mind.”
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
There are several reasons why a group of words may seem to act like a sentence but still not be a complete thought.
It may have most of the makings of a sentence but still be missing an important part of a verb string:
Some of the students working in the laboratory last semester.
Remember that an -ing verb form without an auxiliary form to accompany it can never be a verb.
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6. “The pen is the tongue of the mind.”
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
There are several reasons why a group of words may seem to act like a sentence but still not be a complete thought.
It may even have a subject-verb relationship, but it has been subordinated to another idea by a dependent word and so cannot stand by itself:
Even though he had the better arguments and was by far the more powerful speaker.
This sentence fragment has a subject, he, and two verbs, had and was, but it cannot stand by itself because of the dependent word (subordinating conjunction) even though. We need an independent clause to follow up this dependent clause: the more powerful speaker, he lost the case because he didn't understand the jury.
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7. Let’s Practice Change the following fragments into complete sentences.
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Change the following fragments into complete sentences.
In the middle of the night.
The door slammed suddenly in the middle
of the night.
Watching T.V..
Watching T.V. prevented the young man
from completing his homework.
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8. What is a Run-on Sentence?
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Two or more complete sentences that are
not properly joined or separated.
A Run-on Sentence has at least two parts, either one of which can stand by itself (in other words, two independent clauses), but the two parts have been smooshed together instead of being properly connected.
A Run-on Sentence just keeps going on and on and . . .
Examples:
I went to the Smoky Mountain National Park I climbed up to Laurel Falls.
2. Laurel Falls is only a 1.3 mile hike one way it
is much harder to climb to the falls than to
climb down.
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9. Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
happen typically under
the following circumstances:
When an independent clause gives an order or directive based on what was said in the prior independent clause:
This next chapter has a lot of difficult information in it you should start studying soon.
We could put a period after “it” and start a new sentence. A semicolon would also work there. Adding a comma after “it” and a conjunction such as “so” after the comma would correct this run-on sentence.
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10. Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
happen typically under
the following circumstances:
When an independent clause gives an order or directive based on what was said in the prior independent clause:
When two independent clauses are connected by a transitional expression (conjunctive adverb) such as however, moreover, nevertheless.
Mr. Johnson has sent his four children to ivy-league colleges, however, he has sacrificed his health working day and night in that dusty bakery.
Again, where that first comma appears, we could have used either a period — and started a new sentence — or a semicolon.
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11. This computer doesn't make sense to me it came without a manual.
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
happen typically under
the following circumstances:
When the second of two independent clauses contains a pronoun that connects it to the first independent clause.
This computer doesn't make sense to me it came without a manual.
Although these two clauses are quite brief, and the ideas are closely related, this is a run-on sentence. We need a period or a semi-colon “me”. Also, we could add a comma and a conjunction such as “and” after “me”.
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12. Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
happen typically under
the following circumstances:
When the second of two independent clauses contains a pronoun that connects it to the first independent clause.
Most of those computers in the Learning Assistance Center are broken already this proves my point about American computer manufacturers.
Again, two nicely related clauses, incorrectly connected — a run-on. Use a period to cure this sentence.
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13. Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
can be corrected in the
following ways:
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Completely separate each of the two independent clauses with a period.
I love to write papers I would write one every day if I had the time.
I love to write papers. I would write one every day if I had the time.
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14. Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
can be corrected in the
following ways:
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Join each of the two independent clauses with a semi-colon.
I love to write papers I would write one every day if I had the time.
I love to write papers; I would write one every day if I had the time.
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15. Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Run-on Sentences
can be corrected in the
following ways:
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Join each of the two independent clauses with a comma and a conjunction.
I love to write papers I would write one every day if I had the time.
I love to write papers, and I would write one every day if I had the time.
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16. Let’s Practice Change the following Run-ons into complete sentences.
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Let’s Practice
Change the following Run-ons
into complete sentences.
1. I went to the Smoky Mountain National Park I climbed up to Laurel Falls.
I went to the Smoky Mountain National Park; I
climbed up to Laurel Falls.
I went to the Smoky Mountain National Park. I
climbed up to Laurel Falls.
I went to the Smoky Mountain National Park, and I
climbed up to Laurel Falls.
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17. Let’s Practice Change the following Run-ons into complete sentences.
Avoiding Fragments and Run-ons
Let’s Practice
Change the following Run-ons
into complete sentences.
1. Laurel Falls is only a 1.3 mile hike one way it is much
harder to climb to the falls than to climb down.
Laurel Falls is only a 1.3 mile hike one way. It is
much harder to climb to the falls than to climb down.
Laurel Falls is only a 1.3 mile hike one way; it is
much harder to climb to the falls than to climb down.
Laurel Falls is only a 1.3 mile hike one way, and it is
much harder to climb to the falls than to climb down.
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