BASIC SENTENCES RunOns In a runon two independent

BASIC SENTENCES Run-Ons

• In a run-on, two independent clauses have been joined together incorrectly: • The boss liked my idea, she said she would take it to the board of directors. • Two good ways to correct a run-on are to join the related sentences with a comma and a coordinating conjunction OR with a semicolon: • The boss liked my idea, so she said she would take it to the board of directors. OR • The boss liked my idea; she said she would take it to the board of directors. Run-Ons

There are two types of run-on sentence errors: • When two independent clauses are joined with no punctuation at all, the error is called a fused sentence. • I have a test on Thursday it should not be difficult. • I have a test on Thursday, and it should not be difficult. • When two independent clauses are joined with just a comma (without a coordinating conjunction), the error is called a comma splice. • The student-government election is this week, I have no idea who is running. • The student-government election is this week, but I have no idea who is running. Run-Ons

• Imaginary Period Tip: If a sentence contains two separate ideas, put an imaginary period between them. Now ask: Can BOTH parts stand alone as complete sentences? If so, then the sentence might be a run-on. • I have a test on Thursday it should not be difficult. • I have a test on Thursday. It should not be difficult. • The student-government election is this week, I have no idea who is running. • The student-government election is this week. I have no idea who is running. Identifying Run-Ons

There are three ways you can separate independent clauses: 1. With a period (. ) • I have a test on Thursday. It should not be difficult. 2. With a semicolon ( ; ) – this allows you to keep closely related ideas together • I have a test on Thursday; it should not be difficult. 3. With a comma and a coordinating conjunction ( , and ) • I have a test on Thursday, and it should not be difficult. Correcting Run-Ons

1. I slipped on the ice going to work I wrenched my left knee. 2. The math homework is getting pretty hard I am thinking of getting a tutor. 3. Trying to sell a house in this economic climate is tough nobody can get a loan. 4. Daylight saving time doesn’t end until after Halloween the trick-or-treaters don’t have to go out in the dark. 5. Please call your mother she’s been trying to reach you all day. Sentence Practice 1

1. Please come here, I need some help. 2. There is a grinding noise every time I put the car in reverse. 3. I don’t watch much TV anymore, I still read TV Guide. 4. We are taking out the kitchen counter we are putting in a granite one. 5. He is going back to school as soon as he saves enough money. Sentence Practice 2

1. We are going to San Diego in September. Then we are going to Los Angeles in October. 2. My i. Pod isn’t working. Maybe it just needs to be recharged. 3. She had to stay up late last night. This morning she is sleeping in. 4. I am coming down with a cold. My allergies are really acting up. 5. I am coming down with a cold. Unfortunately, I still have to go to work. Sentence Practice 3

I was late to my first class my car broke down on the side of the highway. This is the third time this fall that I have had to pull over because of an engine problem, I am not going to suffer through a fourth time. According to the mechanic, the problem has something to do with the fuel injector. I have replaced the fuse, and the mechanic has tried various other methods. Nothing has worked it does not make sense spending even more money on something that cannot be fixed. I might need a whole new fuel injector, I am considering buying a new car. The one I have is already six years old, so I have buying a new one already. It all depends on what I can afford. (3) Editing Practice 1

At my college, on-campus parking can be extremely difficult the situation will soon be worse. Currently, the college has eight parking lots for students, two of them hold only about a dozen cars. During the summer, construction will begin on a new library, which we certainly need. The construction will last a year, two parking lots will be closed during the construction phase. When the library opens up next year, only one of the two lots will be reopened the other will have vanished because the library will cover it. Almost everyone believes we need a new library, it is too bad that the administration has not made plans regarding the parking problem, which is only going to get more dire. (4) Editing Practice 2

• Select fifteen sentences from one of your textbooks and copy them on to a sheet of loose-leaf paper. • Use the Imaginary Period Tip to determine how many are composed of two or more independent clauses – complete ideas that stand alone as separate sentences. • Color code the independent clauses in each sentence, i. e. : I have a test on Thursday, and it should not be difficult. • How many of the fifteen sentences use a comma and a coordinating conjunction to separate independent clauses? How many use a semicolon? Apply What You Know