Transcript Fragments, Comma Splices, and Fused Sentences

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©2013 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.
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!
Grammar Bytes!
provides additional
handouts and exercises on
fragments, comma
splices, chomp!
and fused
sentences. Go to
chomp!
chompchomp.com
!
Assignment
 Add to your grammar assignments:
• Find three examples of improper comma
usage in samples of your own writing. This
could be from bellwork, notes, rough drafts, or
text messages. Copy down the erroneous
sentences first, then prove mastery of comma
usage by correcting them.
• Combine with the three examples of
capitalization, and four examples of
parallelism, and turn in for Monday.
The End.