Sentence Fragments and Run-Ons This PowerPoint presentation will review the basics of correct sentence structure and help you to identify and correct Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences.

What is a complete sentence? Complete sentences have AT MINIMUM a subject and a verb. They may also have modifiers (adverbs, adjectives, preposition phrases, objects), but these are not always necessary. A sentence does not have to be long in order to be complete. I ran. (This is short but is a complete sentence because it has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.) On the other hand, long strings of words may not necessarily be complete sentences. They may be long fragments (composed of a string of dependent clauses or prepositional phrases) or run-on sentences.

Sentence Fragments Definition: A sentence fragment is a piece of a sentence. It is unfinished or incomplete and does not express a complete thought. There are different types of sentence fragments.

Dependent Clauses as Fragments When a dependent clause sits alone without any support from an independent clause, this is a type of sentence fragment. Example: When it rains. (This clause has a subject and a verb, but it begins with a dependent clause marker and therefore is a dependent clause. Dependent clauses ALONE are fragments and must be corrected.) Solution: To fix a dependent clause fragment, add an independent clause that makes sense. If the fragment occurs within a larger piece of text (a paragraph or an essay), sometimes it is possible to connect the dependent clause to a sentence nearby. When it rains, I take an umbrella with me to school.

Prepositional Phrases as Fragments When a string of prepositional phrases is written without an independent clause, this is a fragment. Example: Behind the Quick Check in the park. (There are two adjoining prepositional phrases but no subject or verb here.) Solution: Add an independent clause (a subject and a verb) to these prepositional phrases. There is a soccer game happening behind the Quick Check in the park.

Fragments Missing Subjects or Verbs For example, my best friend. Do you see a verb in this phrase? There is none. That makes it a fragment. Solution: Add a verb or verb phrase to make a complete sentence. For example, my best friend was accepted to the University of Delaware. Ran all the way home. Do you know what the problem is here? There is no subject in this phrase. Solution: Add a subject to complete the sentence. The children ran all the way home.

Check Your Understanding Can you locate the Sentence Fragments and figure out why they are Fragments? Which of the following are Fragments and which are complete sentences? 1.Walked for five miles before we reached the school. 2.Because we got a speeding ticket over the weekend. 3.The Seniors on the way to the picnic on the last day of school. 4.Janet and Bill went to Hawaii for their honeymoon.

Let’s see how you did……. Only sentence #4 was complete. Numbers 1-3 were Fragments. 1.Walked for five miles before we reached the school. (There is no subject here.) WHO walked for five miles? My sister and I walked for five miles before we reached the school. 2. Because we got a speeding ticket over the weekend. (This is a dependent clause sitting by itself. It needs an independent clause to be complete.) Because we got a speeding ticket over the weekend, we didn’t have any money left to go to the movies. 3. The Seniors on the way to the picnic on the last day of school. (There is no verb here. We have a subject and several prepositional phrases.) The Seniors celebrated on the way to the picnic on the last day of school.

Run-On Sentences Definition: Run-On Sentences are two or more independent clauses linked together without correct punctuation or conjunctions. ***Remember that you can NOT connect two sentences with a comma. If you do this, you will create a Run-On Sentence.***

Examples of Run-On Sentences The young boy lost his watch, he started to cry. All the students watching the football game were cheering they were having a wonderful time. My parents gave me a large amount of money for high school graduation, I spent it all before the end of the summer. Don’t lose your house key, you won’t be able to get back in. There are FOUR ways that you can correct a Run-On Sentence when you find one.

Separating the Sentences with a Period One way to correct a Run-On is to locate the ending of the first sentence and place a period there. In this way, you will have two complete sentences instead of one Run-On. Example: The young boy lost his watch, he started to cry. The young boy lost his watch. He started to cry.

Adding a Comma and a Conjunction Adding an appropriate conjunction (but, and, or, yet, so, nor, for) and a comma will connect the two sentences correctly. Example: All the students watching the football game were cheering they were having a wonderful time. All the students watching the football game were cheering, and they were having a wonderful time.

Using a Semi-Colon You CAN NOT connect two sentences with a COMMA. However, you CAN connect two sentences with a semi-colon. Just remember these two rules….. 1.The two sentences must be related in idea. 2.You may only join TWO sentences with a semi-colon and then you need a period. Example: The students wanted to take a field trip, first they had to raise some money for the bus. The students wanted to take a field trip; first, they had to raise some money for the bus.

Changing One Sentence to a Dependent Clause One last way to correct a Run-On Sentence is to change one of the sentences (Independent Clauses) to a Dependent Clause. Be sure to select a dependent clause marker that accurately reflects the relationship between the two sentences. Example: Our neighbors took care of our dog, we were away on vacation. While we were away on vacation, our neighbors took care of our dog. OR Our neighbors took care of our dog because we were away on vacation. **Don’t forget to add commas as needed when using dependent clauses.**

Extra Help…. If you are still having difficulty understanding and/or recognizing Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences, use your personal computer or iPad to log on to BrainPop. Login: npms1 Password: brainpop Go to the English Grammar exercises. You will find videos and quizzes on Fragments and Run-Ons. Keep reviewing and testing yourself until you can get at least an 8 out of 10 correct.