Transcript Run-on Sentences and Fragments PPT

Run-On Sentences
Time to Master!
Run-On Sentences
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Look at the following sentence.
I saw a teacher who cares.
The author may have wanted to
write
I saw a teacher. Who cares?
Run-On Sentences
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Using periods (and other forms of
punctuation) and knowing when to
end a sentence are very
important. If you don't end a
sentence appropriately, the intended
meaning can be changed, or it can
be misunderstood. Sometimes the
meaning is simply
incomprehensible.
Run-On Sentences
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When a person learns to write English
sentences and compositions, one common
problem is writing sentences that are too
long. When a sentence ends too quickly,
it is called a sentence fragment. When a
sentence has too many ideas and runs on
too long, it is called a run-on
sentence. If you have this problem,
don't worry. It is quite easy to fix.
Run-On Sentences
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The first thing you need to do is identify
when a sentence is a run-on.
A run-on (or run-on sentence) is a
sentence that really has TWO sentences
(or complete ideas) INCORRECTLY
combined into one.
It is okay to combine two sentences into
one, but you must follow some rules.
Run-On Sentences
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You might be wondering: "What is a
sentence?" A sentence consists of 3
things:
1: subject :the person, place, or
thing performing or doing the
action
2: verb: the action
3: complete idea: the reader isn't
left waiting for another word
Run-On Sentences
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I hit the ball.
Birds fly.
I take.
I take the bus to school mom drives
her car to work.
Run-On Sentences
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This last example is a run-on
sentence: Two complete sentences
(ideas) incorrectly combined. This
sentence lacks signal words which
tell the reader when to stop or
pause. A part of a sentence that can
be a sentence by itself is called an
independent clause. This last
example has TWO independent
clauses.
Run-On Sentences
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Method #1
Write the two independent clauses as
separate sentences using periods.
• Incorrect: Carmen loved traveling in
Italy she felt Rome was too hot.
Run-On Sentences
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Method #2
Use a semicolon to separate the two
independent clauses.
• Incorrect: Scott loves playing basketball
he hates practicing.
Run-On Sentences
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Method #3
Use a comma and any one of the
following connecting words:
for
and
nor
but
or
yet
so
• Incorrect: Megan applied to thirteen
different colleges she forgot to take
the ACT so she didn’t get accepted.
Run-On Sentences
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Method #4
Use a semicolon and one of the following words:
therefore, thus, however, consequently,
furthermore, also, nevertheless,
NOTE: If you use any of these connecting words
with method #4, a comma must follow it.
Incorrect: Billy Joe practiced the drums everyday
for three years he was the best drummer in
school.
Run-On Sentences
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NOTE: When using semicolons, the
two independent clauses must
share a related or common
idea. You cannot write the following
sentence:
• Christine loves hot chocolate; I am
watching TV.
Run-On Sentences
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Complete the exercise in the book.
• Page # and Ex. # are on the board.
Fragments
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Since he came to New York.
Because my dog loves it.
Unless you see me.
• Is there anything wrong with these
sentences? All of these sentences end
too quickly. After reading these
sentences, the reader asks questions
because he/she needs more
information.
Fragments
Sentence Fragment
The Reader Asks...
Since he came to
New York.
Since he came, what
(has he been doing)?
Because my dog
loves it.
Because the dog
loves it, (so what)?
Unless you see me.
Unless you see me,
what (will happen)?
Fragments
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A sentence fragment has nothing to
do with size or amount of words.
Therefore, a very short sentence
with a complete idea is NOT a
sentence fragment.
A sentence fragment is a sentence
that is incomplete. It is incomplete
because it is either a phrase or a
dependent clause.
Fragments
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Sometimes the sentence has a
subject, verb, and direct object, but
it is still a sentence
fragment. How? If a sentence
contains one of any of the words on
the following 2 blackboards, the
sentence requires a second part to
finish the idea. Therefore, if you use
any of the words on these lists, you
MUST add another part.
Fragments
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after even if
once
whenever
although even though
only if whereas as every time
Since whether or not as if if
because unless before while
about above beneath in till
above beside into to across
besides like toward after between
near under against beyond of
underneath by off
Fragments
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For example
Look at the following sentence:
• Because you wanted it.
• Since you bought the radio.
Fragments
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Do these two sentences have subjects,
verbs, and direct objects (if
needed)? YES. Are they sentence
fragments? YES. Why? They both
contain words from the two
blackboards. They need second parts:
• I gave you the ice cream because you
wanted it.
• Since you bought the plane tickets, I will pay
for the hotel room.
Fragments
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Method #1
Attach the
sentence fragment
to another
sentence. That
other sentence
could be before or
after the sentence
fragment.
Sentence
Fragment
Fixed and Now a
Complete
Sentence
After seeing the
doctor.
I felt much
better after
seeing the
doctor.
-orAfter seeing the
doctor, I felt
much better.
Fragments
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Method #2
Sentence
Fragment
Add a subject,
verb, or both to
make the sentence
complete.
Under the
bed.
Fixed and
Now a
Complete
Sentence
I found
my socks
under the
bed.
Fragments
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Method #3
Take away the
word or phrase
that makes it a
sentence fragment.
NOTE: If you use
method #3, make
sure the meaning
does not change.
Sentence
Fragment
Fixed
Sentence
While Fred
was in
Paris.
Fred was in
Paris
Fragments
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Do the exercise assigned in the book.
• Page # and Ex. # are on the board.