Run-On Sentences

RUN-ON SENTENCES




If fragments are pieces of sentences, run-ons are too many pieces running together. Have you ever seen or written a sentence such as the following?


      Our new boss gave us his list of procedures some were already in our schedule.


Run-on sentences are very confusing to read since you don't know where one finishes and another starts. The two thoughts in this sentence could each stand alone:


     Our new boss gave us his list of procedures. Some were already in our schedule.


Or since the thoughts are closely connected,they could be combined using a punctuation mark as shown in the following example.


    Our new boss gave us his list of procedures; some were already in our schedule.
    Our new boss gave us a list of procedures, but some were already in our schedule.


Another kind of sentence error is called a "comma fault" because sentences are strung together with the use of commas. For example:


   We had to register,we did,then we stand in line for an hour, then the line didn't move,we went home.


Note that removing the commas does not correct the problem, but results in a run-on sentence. You can, however, choose one of the following actions to correct the sentences:

1. Write separate sentences.
2. Change one or more commas to semicolons.
3. Insert a coordinating conjunction such as and or but following the comma.
4. Make one clause dependent upon the other.