Fragments and Run-Ons

FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
This module will cover run on sentences, comma splices and fragments. It will enable the student
to identify potential run-ons and fragments as well as determine the appropriate way to fix them
Fragments are sentences that are incomplete. A sentence can be considered a fragment if:
It begins with the words
which, because, although, before,
while, whether, whenever, unless, if,
after, since, when, until, by, as long
as, even though, whereas,
AND is a DEPENDENT CLAUSE. A DEPENDENT CLAUSE is a sentence that can have a

subject and a verb, but does not express a complete thought.
The words in the box are called SUBORDINATORS because they render a sentence subordinate
or unable to stand on its own.
Here are a few examples of fragments (or, dependent clauses with subordinators) at the
beginning
Fragment Correct Way (Not a fragment)

If I go to school today. If I go to school today, then I will take the test.
Unless love finds me. Unless love finds me, I will always be unhappy.
After you leave. After you leave, I will be sad.
It is missing a subject or verb

Here are a few fragments that are missing the subject or the verb

Lilies from the valley. I can smell the lilies from the valley
Plays in the dark. The theater puts on plays in the dark.
Pumpkins in the grass. Let me see the pumpkins in the grass.
If the noun is followed by the words who, which, or that
Here are a few examples of fragments that have the words which, that or who following the noun

Children that sing. The children that sing in the choir will be over for dinner.
A dancer who steals. A dance who steals the show will impress the audience.
People that laugh. People who laugh tend to be happy.
How can one turn a fragment into a complete sentence? One may simply add to the sentence
what is lacking. For example
As long as I have you. As long as I have you, nothing can stand in our way.
This fragment can be fixed by adding an INDEPENDENT CLAUSE. An independent clause is a
sentence that can stand alone because it has a subject and a verb and conveys a complete
thought. Independent clauses are basically regular sentences.
Running in the streets. Sam is running in the streets.
We can fix this fragment by adding what it is lacking, a subject. In the corrected sentence, the
subject is Sam.
Papers from the office. Please put away these papers from the office.
This fragment can be fixed by adding what is lacking. In this example, a verb is what is lacking.
In the corrected sentence, the verb is put.
Please try the following exercises on your own or with the help of a tutor. If the sentence is a
fragment, circle it. Then rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
1. Sarah likes to play cards.
2. Playing cards at night.
3. Fairy princesses from the sky.
4. Pecan pie is my favorite kind of pie.
5. Nothing makes sense anymore.
7. Please tell the teacher to go away.
8. If I go to the florist.
9. Teachers who don’t like to read.
10. Tell me why you feel this way.

11. Flowers on the grave.
12. While she was sleeping.
RUN-ON SENTENCES AND COMMA SPLICES

Before you begin this lesson, it would be helpful to know what the words INDEPENDENT
CLAUSE mean. An INDEPENDENT CLAUSE is simply normal sentence. This means it has a
subject, verb and expresses a complete thought
Here are a few examples of independent clauses.
I went to the store today.

The football game was fun.
Please make sure she doesn’t forget her keys.
A sentence can be considered a RUN-ON if it joins two independent clauses with a comma or no
punctuation at all. A run-on sentence that has two independent clauses joined by a comma is
called a COMMA SPLICE.
Here are a few examples of sentences with comma splices.
My head hurts, I took some Advil.

Mary went to the market, she bought some apples.
I went the part last night, I need to sleep in this mornings.
Here are a few more examples of run-on sentences
We showed up late and the hostess was mad, but she let us in anyway.
Alyssa picked up the new vampire romance book from the library she read it as soon as she got
home.
Greg likes football all he does is watch football all the time.
Run-on sentences can be confusing to a reader because they put too many ideas into one
sentence. How can one fix a run-on sentence? Here are a few ways to do just that.
One way is join the two independent clauses with a COORDINATOR. The following words are
coordinators.
For And Nor But Or Yet So
The acronym FANBOYS is an easy way to remember these words. Always be sure to put a
comma before the coordinator.
Here are a few examples of run-on sentences joined by a coordinator.
RUN-ON
Mary needed to tell him the truth she refused to speak a word.
Peeta likes to bake Katniss likes to shoot arrows
Corrected with a coordinator

Mary needed to tell him the truth, but she refused to speak a word.
Peeta likes to bake, and Katniss likes to shoot arrows.
Another way to repair a run-on sentence is to join the two independent clauses with a
SUBORDINATOR. Here are a few common subordinators.
although, after, as if, because, even

though , that, until, unless, wherever,
whether, which, while, since, if, as
long as
Here are a few examples of run-on sentences fixed by using a subordinator
RUN-ON
Alex can play outside he has to finish his dinner.
Michael wasn’t paying attention the teacher was looking right at him.
Corrected by adding a subordinator

Alex can play outside, as long as he finishes his dinner.
James wasn’t paying attention, even though the teacher was looking right at him.
Run-on sentences can separated by a semicolon. A semicolon may work best if an adequate word
cannot be found to join the two sentences.
Here are a few examples.
RUN-ON
Michael followed Alyssa into her room he closed the door behind them
Stefan had run away Elena refused to follow him
Corrected with a semicolon

Michael followed Alyssa into her room; he closed the door behind them.
Stefan had run away; Elena refused to follow him.
Lastly, a run-on sentence can be broken up by a period. The independent clauses are then
separated into their own sentences. Here are a few examples of run-on sentences broken up by a
period.
RUN-ON
The milkman came earlier he left the milk bottle on the porch.
I had to pick up my son from daycare he was sick.
Sookie wanted to be with Bill she wanted to be with Eric too
Corrected by separating the clauses with a period

The milkman came earlier. He left the milk on the porch.
I had to pick up my son from daycare. He was sick.
Sookie wanted to be with Bill. She wanted to be with Eric too.
Please attempt the following exercises either by yourself or with a tutor. Identify whether or not
the sentence is a run-on. If it is, rewrite the correct way using one of the methods given above.
1. I can’t wait I have to get to school now I’m going to be late.
2. Let’s go to the park after the movie, and then we can watch the sunset.
3. I’m going to make spaghetti, but I’m all out of pasta.
4. Please stop bothering me you are really getting on my nerves.
5. Ashley worked for more than eight hours she didn’t receive the overtime pay she deserved.
6. Sarah asked the teacher if she could bring her pet frog to school, but the teacher said no.
7. You can go to the park, after you put on your shoes.
8. I didn’t want her at the party, so we asked her to leave.
9. Alex needed to finish a paper he stayed at the library all night.

10. The professor reminded her students of the importance of studying for the final she did not
want her students to fail.

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FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS

AND is a DEPENDENT CLAUSE. A DEPENDENT CLAUSE is a sentence that can have a

Fragment Correct Way (Not a fragment)

It is missing a subject or verb

Fragment Correct Way (Not a fragment)

If the noun is followed by the words who, which, or that

Fragment Correct Way (Not a fragment)

Running in the streets. Sam is running in the streets.

1. Sarah likes to play cards.

2. Playing cards at night.

3. Fairy princesses from the sky.

4. Pecan pie is my favorite kind of pie.

5. Nothing makes sense anymore.

7. Please tell the teacher to go away.

9. Teachers who don’t like to read.

10. Tell me why you feel this way.

12. While she was sleeping.

RUN-ON SENTENCES AND COMMA SPLICES

Here are a few examples of independent clauses.

I went to the store today.

Here are a few examples of sentences with comma splices.

My head hurts, I took some Advil.

Here are a few more examples of run-on sentences

For And Nor But Or Yet So

Corrected with a coordinator

although, after, as if, because, even

Here are a few examples of run-on sentences fixed by using a subordinator

Corrected by adding a subordinator

Here are a few examples.

Corrected with a semicolon

Corrected by separating the clauses with a period

1. I can’t wait I have to get to school now I’m going to be late.

3. I’m going to make spaghetti, but I’m all out of pasta.

4. Please stop bothering me you are really getting on my nerves.

7. You can go to the park, after you put on your shoes.

8. I didn’t want her at the party, so we asked her to leave.

9. Alex needed to finish a paper he stayed at the library all night.

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