Punctuation rules - run on sentences, comma splices and sentence fragments
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This document discusses run-on sentences, comma splices, and sentence fragments. It defines a complete sentence as having a subject and verb and expressing a complete thought. Sentence fragments are incomplete thoughts. Run-on sentences join two independent clauses without proper punctuation. Comma splices incorrectly use a comma instead of a semicolon or conjunction to join independent clauses. The document provides examples of these issues and their proper corrections using punctuation like periods, semicolons, and conjunctions.
Punctuation rules - run on sentences, comma splices and sentence fragments
- 1. Run-on Sentences, Comma Splices & Sentence Fragments By Arundathie Abeysinghe Lecturer in English International Aviation Academy SriLankan Airlines Arundathie Abeysinghe 1
- 2. A group of words which meets the following criteria: Has a verb (a word or phrase that explains an action) e.g. eat, bathe, swim, study Children eat apples. She goes to school by bus. Some sentences have more than one verb e.g. She wrote a letter and sent it to her aunt. She bought bread and made sandwiches. Arundathie Abeysinghe 2
- 3. Has a subject (someone or something that performs the action or is the main focus of the sentence) e.g. Aditya and David both want to study engineering. Monica works hard to achieve her goals. Arundathie Abeysinghe 3
- 4. Expresses a complete thought A complete meaning (Independent clause) e.g. She arrived 10 minutes later than usual. James tried to explain his position to his employer. Arundathie Abeysinghe 4
- 5. Sentence fragments are dependent clauses They are not complete sentences They are simply phrases Incorrect e.g. If she arrived 10 minutes later than usual. However James tries to explain his position. Arundathie Abeysinghe 5
- 6. Correct If she arrived 10 minutes later than usual, she wouldn’t have met with that accident. Correct However James tries to explain his position, his employer didn’t understand him. Arundathie Abeysinghe 6
- 7. A special type of run-on sentence in which a comma is used in place of a semicolon to join two independent clauses without a conjunction A comma splice can be corrected by placing a semicolon in place of the comma splice or by adding a conjunction after the comma Arundathie Abeysinghe 7
- 8. Incorrect e.g. Monica lives in Sri Lanka, she has been there for 10 years. Correct Monica lives in Sri Lanka; she has been there for 10 years. OR Monica lives in Sri Lanka, and she has been there for 10 years Arundathie Abeysinghe 8
- 9. Incorrect Mary is the president, John is the treasurer. Correct Mary is the president; John is the treasurer. OR Mary is the president, and John is the treasurer. Arundathie Abeysinghe 9
- 10. An independent clause is a group of words that could be a complete sentence by itself A run-on sentence is one in which independent clauses have been run together without punctuation (a comma, semicolon or period) Incorrect Dave moved from Boston his job was transferred. They got some food then they headed off to Sydney. Arundathie Abeysinghe 10
- 11. By adding a period and a capital letter Incorrect Dave moved from Boston his job was transferred. They got some food then they headed off to Sydney. Correct Dave moved from Boston. His job was transferred. They got some food. Then they headed off to Sydney. Arundathie Abeysinghe 11
- 12. By adding a comma and a conjunction e.g. for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so Incorrect Dave moved from Boston his job was transferred. They got some food then they headed off to Sydney. Correct Dave’s job was transferred, and he moved from Boston. They got some food, and they headed off to Sydney. Arundathie Abeysinghe 12
- 13. Thank you! Arundathie Abeysinghe 13