Run Together Sentences A/K/A Run-on Sentences What to do when your sentence is JUST TOO LONG!

Definition of a Sentence A sentence is a phrase that includes a SUBJECT and a VERB. Sentences communicate at least one complete thought. If you put more than one complete thought in a sentence, you run the risk of creating a “Run-Together Sentence.”

So what makes a Run-Together Sentence? An “RTS” can be one of two things: 1. FUSED SENTENCE A Fused Sentence is a sentence with more than one complete thought, but no punctuation between them. Grammar is a difficult subject I think I will get it eventually. 2. COMMA SPLICE A Comma Splice is a sentence with more than one complete thought and a comma that separates them, but the comma is not strong enough. Grammar is a difficult subject, I think I will get it eventually. *Hint- Adding a joining word after the comma will make it strong enough. More on that later.

4 methods for correcting RTSs Period + Capital Letter (Two sentences) Comma + Joining Word (Coordination) Semicolon Dependent clause + Comma + Independent Clause (Subordination)

Period + Capital Letter Separate two complete thoughts by making them into two separate sentences. Earnest Hemingway was a great author he wrote beautiful little novels. Oregon summers are lovely the winters are very rainy. Riding a bike is a lot of fun its good exercise.

Connect two complete thoughts with a Comma and a Joining Word Comma + Joining Word Connect two complete thoughts with a Comma and a Joining Word F for The most common joining words are: A and and, but, or, so N nor B but O or Y yet S so His feet hurt from the 3 mile hike, ____ his stomach was growling. I remembered the hot chocolate, ____ I forgot the marshmallows. We could go to the movies, ____ we could go to the concert. I left my rain jacket at my friend’s house yesterday, ____ I had a wet walk in the rain this morning.

*One more note on Comma+Joining word What do the different joining words mean? And = addition (Items in a list) But = contrast (shows differences) Or = alternatives (choices) So = cause and effect (reasons)

Semicolon Use a semicolon between two complete thoughts. A semicolon is stronger than a comma, but weaker than a period. NOTE! NO joining word is needed. A semicolon is just like a period, except you do not capitalize. It rained for an entire week parts of downtown were flooded. I work eight hours a day in a windowless factory it’s nice to go outside after work. The audience went crazy the musicians felt good about their performance.

SUBORDINATION Subordination means you have a dependent clause and an independent clause separated by a comma. A DEPENDENT CLAUSE starts with a SUBORDINATOR Such as: after, although, as, because, before, even though, If, since, unless, until, when, and while. A dependent clause by itself is a fragment (incomplete sentence) because it “depends” on the independent clause to finish the thought. The INDEPENDENT CLAUSE finishes the thought. It is called independent because on its own, it is a complete sentence. Before you can get a driver’s license, you have to pass a driving test. When I finish my studies at MHCC, I plan to transfer to PSU. Because it’s raining so hard, I don’t think we will be able to go camping this weekend.

How to check your paper for RTSs: Read your sentence aloud and listen for a break between two complete thoughts. Your voice will probably drop and pause at the break. Read your entire paper backwards from the last sentence to the first. This will help you hear and see each complete thought. Circle all the commas in your paper. Ask yourself if the clause before the comma is a complete thought. How about the clause after the comma? If they are both complete thoughts, perhaps they should be separate sentences. *Remember- a complete thought has a subject and a verb. 4) Look for words that can lead to run-together sentences: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, there, this, that, next, and then. Hemingway has great characters I really like Santiago from The Old Man and the Sea. Hemingway has great characters they resemble real people.

RTS in paragraphs Can you find Run-Together Sentences in a paragraph and fix them? Martha Johnson just received an inheritance from her grandmother she has several choices of how to spend the money. First, she could buy a car she won’t have to ride the bus. Another option is to get her own apartment if she lived alone she would have a quiet and peaceful study environment. Martha could also take a trip to Hawaii. She has always dreamed of going to Hawaii, the inheritance is her chance to fulfill that dream.