English Language Arts
Grade 12
15 min
Identify run-on sentences
Identify run-on sentences
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Differentiate between a grammatically correct complex sentence and a run-on sentence.
Identify the two primary types of run-on sentences: fused sentences and comma splices.
Analyze sentences to locate independent clauses and evaluate the punctuation and conjunctions connecting them.
Deconstruct sentences containing conjunctive adverbs to determine if they create a comma splice.
Apply clause identification techniques to their own academic and analytical writing to eliminate run-on errors.
Articulate the grammatical reasoning for why a sentence is or is not a run-on.
Have you ever read a sentence that leaves you breathless, not from its beauty, but because you can't find a place to pause? 🏃♂️ That feeling of being grammatically chased is often the wo...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Independent ClauseA group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. It can stand alone as a complete sentence.Virginia Woolf challenged narrative conventions.
Run-On SentenceA grammatical error in which two or more independent clauses are joined without appropriate punctuation or conjunction.Postmodern literature rejects grand narratives it often employs fragmentation.
Fused SentenceA specific type of run-on where two or more independent clauses are joined with no punctuation or conjunction at all.The protagonist is an anti-hero the reader's sympathy is tested.
Comma SpliceA specific type of run-on where two or more independent clauses are incorrectly joined only by a comma.The author uses stream of consciousness, this techniq...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Independent Clause Test
Independent Clause + [Incorrect or Missing Punctuation/Conjunction] + Independent Clause = Run-On Sentence
To identify a run-on, first find the subjects and verbs to locate all potential independent clauses. Then, examine the 'seam' between them. If the clauses are joined by nothing (fused) or only a comma (comma splice), it is a run-on.
The FANBOYS Conjunction Rule
Independent Clause + , + (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) + Independent Clause = Correct Sentence
A comma followed by a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) is one of the primary correct ways to connect two independent clauses. If the comma or the conjunction is missing, the sentence is likely a run-on.
The Semicolon and Conjunctive Adverb Rule
Independent Clause + ; + I...
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Easy
Which of the following best defines a run-on sentence according to the tutorial?
A.Any sentence that is unusually long or contains complex vocabulary.
B.sentence containing two or more independent clauses that are joined improperly without appropriate punctuation or a conjunction.
C.sentence that lacks a subject or a verb, making it an incomplete thought.
D.sentence that uses too many commas to separate a list of items.
Easy
A fused sentence is a specific type of run-on where two or more independent clauses are...
A.joined only by a comma.
B.joined by a comma and a FANBOYS conjunction.
C.joined with no punctuation or conjunction at all.
D.joined by a semicolon.
Easy
Identify the sentence that is a comma splice.
A.The play's themes are universal, they resonate with audiences today.
B.Although the novel is long, it is a compelling read.
C.The author won the Nobel Prize; her work is celebrated worldwide.
D.The poet uses vivid imagery and complex metaphors.
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