English Grammar- Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences
Sentence Fragments:
A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence that lacks either a subject, a predicate, or both. It does not express a complete thought on its own. Sentence fragments can occur for various reasons, such as missing subject, verb, or both, or as a result of a dependent clause used as an independent clause.
Examples of Sentence Fragments:
1. Without a subject: “Running down the street.”
2. Without a verb: “The cat on the mat.”
3. Dependent clause as a sentence: “Because I was tired.”
Run-On Sentences:
A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are joined together without appropriate punctuation or conjunctions. Run-on sentences can be divided into two main types: fused sentences (no punctuation at all) and comma splices (inappropriately joined by a comma alone).
Examples of Run-On Sentences:
1. Fused Sentence: “She woke up late she missed the bus.”
2. Comma Splice: “I went for a walk, it was a beautiful day.”
How to Correct Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences:
1. Sentence Fragments:
– Add the missing subject or verb to complete the fragment.
– Combine the fragment with an independent clause to form a complete sentence.
– If the fragment is a dependent clause, attach it to an independent clause to create a complex sentence.
Examples of Correction:
1. Fragment: “Running down the street.”
– Corrected: “The dog was running down the street.”
- Fragment: “Because I was tired.”
– Corrected: “I went to bed early because I was tired.”
2. Run-On Sentences:
– Separate the independent clauses into separate sentences.
– Use appropriate coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, so, yet, for, nor) to join independent clauses.
– Use semicolons to separate independent clauses that are closely related.
Examples of Correction:
1. Fused Sentence: “She woke up late she missed the bus.”
– Corrected: “She woke up late. She missed the bus.”
- Comma Splice: “I went for a walk, it was a beautiful day.”
– Corrected: “I went for a walk; it was a beautiful day.”
Understanding and correcting sentence fragments and run-on sentences is essential for writing clear and coherent prose. By identifying and addressing these errors, writers can improve the readability and effectiveness of their writing.