FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS Identifying and Correcting Sentence Errors Chapter 8, pg 142

Correcting Fragments and Run-ons (pg 142)  This presentation explains the following grammatical concepts:  Clauses (dependent and independent)  Sentences  Fragments  Run-Ons  Semicolons and conjunctive adverbs

Clauses  A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb SubjectVerb Youstink. Sallyis talking. SubjectVerb Ilovegrammar Sallyis talkingloudly wMost clauses have further information after the verb

Two Types of Clauses (review Chpt 7)  Independent clause (Main clause)  Can stand alone as a sentence  Can be joined to another clause  Fred filled a cardboard tube with gunpowder.  Dependent clause (Subordinate clause)  Cannot stand alone as a sentence  Must be joined to an independent clause  Because he wanted to make his own firecrackers. A word that joins clauses is a conjunction

Joining Clauses  A dependent clause can be joined to an independent clause to make a sentence  Fred filled a cardboard tube with gunpowder because he wanted to make his own firecrackers. Or  Because he wanted to make his own firecrackers, Fred filled a cardboard tube with gunpowder. When the sentence starts with the dependent clause, it must have a comma before the independent clause

Fragments (pg 142)  A fragment is a piece of a sentence.  We learned last time that a fragment can be missing a verb, missing a subject, or just not expressing a complete thought.  Could be a phrase I sat down. In the school bus. Howard, the school bully, came and sat down beside me.  Could be a dependent clause As I sat down. Howard, the school bully, came and sat beside me.  Could be a combination of phrases and clauses One Friday afternoon, as I sat in the school bus that was filled with screaming kids.

Fragments  Fragments look like sentences but are missing a subject or a verb, or they are put together incorrectly. FragmentError Told everyone to get out of the way. No subject Disposable lighter in his hand. No verb Before he lit the fuse.A dependent clause by itself

Correcting Fragments  Subjects or verbs can be added Howard Crane the shortest kid in my entire seventh grade. Howard Crane was the shortest kid in my entire seventh grade.  Fragments can be joined together At the bus stop. While I was not looking. Someone took my bookbag. At the bus stop, while I was not looking, someone took my bookbag.

Run-ons (Pg 146)  Run-ons are independent clauses that have been combined incorrectly.  There are several types:  The AND run-on  The Fused run-on  The comma splice We will be going into detail on each one

The and run on  The AND run-on: two or more relatively long independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction without any punctuation.  I met Charlyce in a yoga class a the YWCA and we liked each other immediately and we soon became friends and we often hang out at each other’s houses.

The Fused run on (pg 138)  The Fused run-on : two or more independent clauses run together without any punctuation.  I met Charlyce in a yoga class at the YWCA we soon became friends.

The comma splice run-on  The comma splice : two or more independent clauses run together with only a comma.  I met Charlyce in a yoga class at the YWCA, we soon became friends.  Sounds right? It is actually two separate independent ideas/clauses. We COULD add a ; (semicolon) to make it correct, or we could separate into two sentences.

Run-ons  Run-ons (fused sentences) occur when clauses are joined incorrectly.  Identify what kind of run-on these are! He didn’t throw the firecracker, he placed it between his legs, he wanted to put the lighter away first. Comma splice Fused The fuse burned too quickly before he could throw it the explosive blew up between his legs.

Four Ways to Correct Run-ons (pg. 146) 1. Join the clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction  And, or, but, so, yet  He wanted to put the lighter away first, so Fred placed the firecracker between his legs, and he didn’t throw it.

Four Ways to Correct Run-ons 2. Join the clauses with a subordinating conjunction  Because, although, if, when, since, after  Because the fuse burned too quickly before he could throw it, the explosive blew up between his legs.

Four Ways to Correct Run-ons 3. Make the clauses into separate sentences X Fred fell down screaming when the smoke cleared we all expected to see a bloody mess. Fred fell down screaming. The smoke cleared. We all expected to see a bloody mess. Fred fell down screaming. When the smoke cleared, we all expected to see a bloody mess.

Four Ways to Correct Run-ons 4. Join two independent clauses with a semicolon (;)if they are closely related.  You may include a conjunctive adverb along with the semicolon:  however, for example, therefore, moreover, indeed, consequently X Fred hadn’t taped the tube properly and most of the force was released out the ends of the tube the explosion did direct some pressure against his groin. Fred hadn’t taped the tube well and most of the force was released out the ends of the tube; however, the explosion did direct some pressure against his groin. Notice how the sentence is punctuated

Practice – Mastery Test 1, pg 149  Grab yourself a partner  Identify each sentence in the paragraph as Sentence (S), Fragment (F), or Run-on (R).  Re-write the paragraph, correcting the incorrect sentences (pg 150).

Correct the following 1. Fred managed to make it home and change his clothes, and he told his parents he fell off his bicycle, he avoided punishment for playing with explosives. Fred managed to make it home and change his clothes. He told his parents he fell off his bicycle, thus avoiding punishment for playing with explosives. Fred managed to make it home. He changed his clothes and told his parents that he fell off his bicycle. He avoided punishment for playing with explosives. 2. I left town shortly after. Didn’t see him again for five years. I left town shortly after and didn’t see him again for five years.

Correct the following 3. Took a trip home last summer. I ran into Fred after my long absence he is unable to have children. Didn’t ask if he still plays with firecrackers. During a trip home last summer, I ran into Fred after a long absence. He is unable to have children. I didn’t ask if he still plays with firecrackers. After a long absence, I took a trip home last summer. I ran into Fred, who is unable to have children. I didn’t ask if he still plays with firecrackers.

Interactive Exercise  You can get further practice by clicking the button below or by following the link to the interactive exercise  Structure_6.htm Structure_6.htm

Description - Chapter 20 (pg 356)  Uses sensory images to create a picture with words.  Activity: on a separate paper, describe what you  See  Hear  Touch  Smell  Taste  When was another time you had this? What was it like? How does this time compare? Where were you? How old were you? Words to avoid: good, bad, nice, fine, okay, normal, typical, interesting, beautiful