Grammar

A sentence fragment is a group of words that looks like a sentence but is not. It lacks a subject, a verb, or a complete thought, meaning it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.

Often, fragments are:

• Missing a subject:

  • Fragment: Ran to the store. (Who ran?)
  • Correction: She ran to the store.

• Missing a verb:

  • Fragment: The dog on the couch. (What did the dog do?)
  • Correction: The dog on the couch slept peacefully.

• A dependent clause standing alone: (A dependent clause has a subject and a verb but starts with a subordinating conjunction like because, although, while, since, if, when, etc., making it unable to stand alone.)

  • Fragment: Because I was tired. (What happened because you were tired?)
  • Correction: I went to bed early because I was tired.

• A phrase standing alone: (Phrases are groups of words without both a subject and a verb.)

  • Fragment: After the long, arduous journey. (What happened after the journey?)
  • Correction: They rested after the long, arduous journey.

To correct a fragment, you typically need to connect it to an independent clause (a complete sentence) or add the missing subject/verb to make it a complete thought.

A run-on sentence (also known as a fused sentence) occurs when two or more independent clauses (complete sentences) are joined together without proper punctuation or conjunctions.

There are two main types of run-ons:

• Fused Sentence: Two or more independent clauses are joined with no punctuation at all.

  • Run-on: The sun is shining brightly the birds are singing.
  • Correction options:
    • Separate sentences: The sun is shining brightly. The birds are singing.
    • Comma and coordinating conjunction: The sun is shining brightly, and the birds are singing.
    • Semicolon: The sun is shining brightly; the birds are singing.

• Comma Splice: Two or more independent clauses are joined only by a comma, which is insufficient to separate them.

  • Run-on: I love to read, my favorite genre is fantasy.
  • Correction options:
    • Separate sentences: I love to read. My favorite genre is fantasy.
    • Comma and coordinating conjunction: I love to read, and my favorite genre is fantasy.
    • Semicolon: I love to read; my favorite genre is fantasy.
    • Semicolon and transitional expression: I love to read; in fact, my favorite genre is fantasy.
    • Subordinating conjunction: Because I love to read, my favorite genre is fantasy. (This makes one clause dependent.)

Common coordinating conjunctions to remember are FANBOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So).

Correcting run-ons involves using appropriate punctuation (periods, semicolons) or conjunctions (coordinating or subordinating) to clearly separate or connect the independent clauses.

1. The bell had rung before we entered the class.

2. I went for a walk after I had eaten my dinner.

3. Had the train left when she arrived?