Transcript Fragments and Run-Ons

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©2014 by Robin L.
Simmons.
Fragments, Comma
Splices, and Fused
Sentences
How do I know
if I have too
little in a
sentence ...
And how can
I tell if I have
too much?
You presentation
will learn to
This
recognize
covers
avoiding
complete
sentence
sentences, employ
fragments,
appropriate
comma
splices,
punctuation, and
and fused
use subordination
. .
andsentences
coordination
A fragment, comma splice,
and/or fused sentence item
on an objective test might
look like this ...
Sample Item
At the pizzeria,
pizzeria, Jolene
Joleneeavesdropped
eavesdroppedon
onthe
the
A
argument at the next table,
table,while
table
hot
hotcheese
cheese
hot cheese
B
cascaded over
cascaded
overher
herslice
sliceofofpizza
pizzaonto
ontoher
herbare
bare
C
The comma
between
Is the
lap.
table
and hot
punctuation
(or
A.
B.
C.
D.
lack of
at A,
makes
a it)
comma
C that
splice, B
an, or
error
option
B fixes.
incorrect?
pizzeria; Jolene
table while
table
whilehot
hot
pizza. OntoOver
cascaded.
No change is necessary.
A s e n t e n c e m u s t h ave a
subj ect , verb , a n d com pl ete
thought.
Andre practiced jump shots to impress
Coach Nelson.
Andre = subject,
practiced = verb,
and the thought =
complete, so you
have a sentence.
Recognize a fr a gment
w hen you see one.
Andre
As
And
Andre
spun
spinning
spun
spun
the
theball
the
ball
the
to
ball
to
ball
show
show
totoshow
off
show
offhis
his
offoff
skills.
his
skills.
his
skills.
Now
Finally
there’s
! Ano
Yikes
Spinning
! Now≠the
a
subject, asoverb,
you
thought
is not
verb,
so you
have
and
stilla have
complete
a
a fragment
complete! !
fragment
thought! .
Recognize fused sentences
and comma splices .
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court
court
unfortunately
coach’s
turned.
unfortunately the the
coach’s
backback
waswas
turned.
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court,
court,
unfortunately
coach’s
turned.
unfortunately the the
coach’s
backback
waswas
turned.
Youcannot
cannot
You
run
join two
together
two
sentences with
sentences
with
noa punctuation!
comma!
Fix the er r or with a period
and a capital letter .
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court.
court
Unfortunately,
the coach’s
turned.
unfortunately the coach’s
backback
was was
turned.
Swish
goes the
period!
Fix the er r or with a comma
and a coor dinating
conjunction .
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court
court,
but
the coach’s
wasback
turned.
unfortunately
theback
coach’s
was turned.
Be my
FANBOYS —
for, and, nor,
but, or, yet,
and so.
Fix the er r or with a
semicolon .
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court
court;
unfortunately,
the coach’s
turned.
unfortunately the coach’s
backback
was was
turned.
Use the
semicolon
sparingly — 3
to 4 times per
essay, max.
Fix the er r or with a
subor dinate conjunction .
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court after
unfortunately
the
coach’s back
the was
coach’s
turned.
back was turned.
Reduce one
of the two
clauses to an
incomplete
thought.
Subor dinating Conjunctions
The subordinate conjunction has two jobs.
First, it provides a necessary transition between the two ideas in the sentence.
This transition will indicate a time, place, or cause and effect relationship.
Example: We looked on top of the
refrigerator, where Jenny will often hide a
bag of chocolate chip cookies.
The second job of the subordinate conjunction is to reduce the importance of one
clause so that a reader understands which of the two ideas is more important.
The more important idea belongs in the main clause, the less important in the
clause introduced by the subordinate conjunction.
Example: As Samson blew out the birthday
candles atop the cake, he burned the tip of
his nose on a stubborn flame.
T hese ar e the subor dinate
conjunctions.










after
although
as
because
before
even though
if, even if
in order that
once
provided that










since
so [that implied], so that
than
that
though
unless
when, whenever
where, wherever, whereas
whether
while
Remember these gener al
punctuation r ules w hen
subor dinating one of the
clauses in the er r or.
Subordinate clause
Main clause
+Ø+
+,+
main clause.
subordinate clause.
Here’s our sample:
Although Andre sank a perfect basket from half
court, the coach’s back was turned.
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court after the
coach’s back was turned.
Adding an
Dropping
unnecessary
the comma
after
courtisislike
like a
comma
grandstanding
championship
game
! is
whenturnover
a teammate
open!
Quick Test
Directions: In the items that follow, choose
the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
“No change is necessary.”
Show me
you got
game!
Item 1
The dogs drooled
drooledwhile
whilewe
weate
ateslices
slicesofofhot
hot
A
A
pizza but
pizza
butthe
thecat
catfeigned
feignednonchalance
nonchalanceeven
even
B
C
though we knew that she wanted a pepperoni.
A.
B.
C.
D.
drooled. While
pizza, but
nonchalance. Even
No change is necessary.
Item 2
Mary Ellen screamed,
screamed,her
herroommate’s
roommate’spet
pet
tarantula crawled out of the bag of popcorn.
A.screamed;her
A.screamed
her
B.screamed; because, her
C.screamed and
as her
her
D.No change is necessary.
Item 3
Running late with dinner,
dinner,Elizabeth
Elizabethfussed
fussedwith
with
A
A
seasoningsand
seasonings
andwiped
she
wiped
wiped
spots
spots
spots
off
offthe
off
thethe
B
glasses.while
glasses.
glasses
While
While
the
the
the
family
family
family
stared
stared
stared
atatat
their
their
their
empty
empty
empty
CC
plates.
A.
B.
C.
D.
dinner; Elizabeth
seasonings, and
glasses while
glasses,
while
No change is necessary.
Item 4
Everyone scrambled off the lakeside patio.
patio. When
When
the 10-foot alligator lumbered onto shore.
A. patio when
B. patio; when
C. patio, when
D. No change is necessary.
Item 5
The glass of iced tea promised thirst-quenching
refreshment Roseanne,
refreshment
refreshment,
however,
Roseanne,
Rosanne
however,
however,
had
had
had
totobeat
to
beat
beat
A
A
B
B
Maria to the refrigerator
refrigeratoras
asthey
theyraced
racedthrough
through
C
the front door.
A.
B.
C.
D.
refreshment; however
refreshment.
Roseanne
however; Rosanne
had
refrigerator; as
No change is necessary.
Item 6
Warren wanted to make a good impression on
Melody but
Melody
butthe
thesoda
sodaexplosion
explosionthat
thatsoaked
soakedhis
his
shirt ruined their first meeting.
A. Melody; but, the
B. Melody; however, the
C. Melody, however, the
D. No change is necessary.
Item 7
Because of the hot sun,
sun, ice
icecream
creamran
randown
downthe
the
A
A
cone and
cone
andcoated
coatedRandall’s
Randall’sfingers,
fingers
fingers,
for
his
his
his
tongue
tongue
tongue
B
CC
couldn’t keep up.
A.sun; ice cream
B.cone, and
C.fingers, for his
D.No change is necessary.
Item 8
Wanda took a deep breath and got ready to yell.
yell.
Because Paul
Because
Paul was
was about
about to
to explain
explain why
why his
his half
half of
of
the rent would be late again.
A. yell, because
B. yell because
C. yell for
D. No change is necessary.
Item 9
After Simon bought roses for Emily,
Emily, he
hespotted
spotted
A
A
Derek’s car in her driveway
drivewayand
driveway,
and
andrealized
realized
realizedthat
that
thatthis
this
this
B
gesture would not repair the relationship
relationshipororwin
win
C
back her love.
A.Emily; he
A.Emily.
B.driveway. and
B.driveway
And
C.relationship; or
D.No change is necessary.
Item 10
Since Larry had studied for hours;
hours;he
hewas
was
relieved to find a big red A at
at the
the top
top of
of his
his
grammar quiz.
A. hours he
B. hours. He
C. hours, he
D. No change is necessary.
Grammar Bytes!
provides additional
handouts and exercises on
fragments, comma
splices, chomp!
and fused
sentences. Go to
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!
The End.