Run-on and Fused Sentences
Need a review of parts
of speech? It might be helpful for sentence construction.
In American English, two sentences (two independent clauses) must not be separated
with a comma.
Wrong: The toddler crawled to the railing,
it pulled itself up to look at the world.
This is called a run-on or comma splice, because you have "spliced"
two sentences with a comma.
Nor may two sentences be connected with no punctuation at all. This is called
a fused sentence.
Wrong: The dog drank from its bowl its
tongue slapped as the water quivered.
The good news is: You can fix either error the same way!
Warning!: Do NOT turn a fused sentence into a run-on!
There are FOUR ways to fix a run-on or fused sentence:
1) Change the comma to a semi-colon. This is the easiest method.
Wrong: The rabbit's fur was soft I loved
to stroke it.
Wrong: The rabbit's fur was soft, I loved
to stroke it.
Right: The rabbit's fur was soft;
I loved to stroke it.
2) Change the comma to a period, and capitalize the next word. This splits
the sentence into two sentences. Note: This can make your writing choppy if
you overdo it.
Wrong: The sun sank like a red coal into
the sea now our vacation was truly over.
Wrong: The sun sank like a red coal into
the sea, now our vacation was truly over.
Right: The sun sank like a red coal into
the sea. Now our vacation was truly over.
3) Add a coordinating conjunction. (Remember FANBOYS? for and nor
but or yet so)
Wrong: Dolores called her stockbroker monthly
she was always on top of the market.
Wrong: Dolores called her stockbroker monthly,
she was always on top of the market.
Right: Dolores called her stockbroker monthly,
so she was always on top of the market.
4) Add a subordinating conjunction. This will make one of the independent
clauses a dependent clause.
Wrong: Bob was a very moody man his co-workers
quickly learned to avoid him.
Wrong: Bob was a very moody man, his co-workers
quickly learned to avoid him.
Right: Because Bob was a very moody
man, his co-workers quickly learned to avoid him.
