Fragments, Run-ons and Comma Splices Or: What drove us crazy while grading your papers

Sentence Fragments Fragment: a group of words used as a sentence that is not a sentence ◦It lacks a subject, a verb or some other essential part ◦An incomplete thought

Examples: Fragment: Water all over the table. ◦Missing verb Sentence: Water spilled all over the table. Fragment: When Bob served the salad. ◦Missing: What happened? Incomplete thought Sentence: When Bob served the salad, dressing spilled all over the table. What’s wrong? Laughing and wiping up the dressing. Everyone jumped out of the way. ◦Fragment followed by a sentence. How can we fix it? Combine them: Everyone jumped out of the way while laughing and wiping up the dressing.

Assignment: Complete Applications I, II, and III of the yellow packet. For Application IV, look for fragments in your archetype paper.

Run-Ons: A run-on is actually two sentences (independent clauses) joined without correct punctuation or conjunctions.

Three ways to correct run-ons: 1. Separate the two sentences. 2. Use a comma and a conjunction. 3. Use a semicolon. (;)

Examples: I thought the ride would never end my eyes were closed the whole time. How would you fix this? 1. I thought the ride would never end. My eyes were closed the whole time. 2. I thought the ride would never end, and my eyes were closed the whole time. 3. I thought the ride would never end; my eyes were closed the whole time.

Which one should I use? It all comes down to how you want the sentence to read. Often, one solution will sound better than the others.

Your Turn: Run- on Packet

Comma Splices: A comma splice is when two sentences (or independent clauses) are connected, or “spliced”, by a comma. A comma alone is not enough. It can be corrected in the same three ways as a run-on. This mistake is extremely common.

Examples: The concert crowd had been waiting in the hot sun for two hours, many were beginning to show their impatience by chanting and clapping. With a partner near you, correct this sentence three different ways.

Assignment: Comma Splice Packet