LESSON
Correcting Run-on Sentences
2.2
If you run together two or more complete sentences as if they
were a single sentence, you create a run-on sentence.
Some run-on sentences have no punctuation mark between
the two sentences.
The eyewitness stared hard at the back of the speeding vehicle
she could not see the license plate number.
In other run-on sentences, only a comma is used between
the two sentences. However, a comma alone cannot join two
complete sentences.
Four police officers ran to the injured child, he was only six or seven
years old.
Run-on sentences can be confusing because a reader cannot
tell where one idea ends and another one starts. You can correct
a run-on sentence in several ways.
Many tests ask you
to correct run-on
1. Rewrite a run-on sentence as two separate sentences.
sentences. If you
add a coordinating The eyewitness stared hard at the back of the speeding vehicle.
conjunction She could not see the license plate number.
between the
sentences, 2. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction to join the
remember to use two sentences. Coordinating conjunctions are the joining
a comma before the words and, or, nor, but, for, so, and yet.
conjunction. See
The eyewitness stared hard at the back of the speeding vehicle,
item 4 in Section D
but she could not see the license plate number.
on page 58 for an
example. 3. Join the two sentences with a semicolon (;). Use this
method only if the sentences are closely related. Notice that
the second part of the sentence does not begin with a capital
letter. Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.
Four police officers ran to the injured child; he was only six or seven
years old.
36 Chapter 2 • Effective Sentences and Word Choice
Effective Sentences and Word Choice
Exercise 1 Identifying Run-on Sentences
Read the sentences below, and identify whether or not they are Some of the
run-ons. numbered items
run together three
1. If a sentence is a run-on, correct it by using one of the three complete sentences.
ways discussed in this lesson. Write your revised sentences
on a separate sheet of paper.
2. If the sentence is already correct, label it with a C.
EXAMPLE My favorite season is winter I like bundling up to go
outside.
My favorite season is winter; I like bundling up to
go outside.
1. We had one snow day this year, I went sledding with my
brother, my sister did not go.
2. The best sledding hill in town, Art Hill, is located in front of
the art museum.
3. Sometimes I ride down the hill I convince my brother to
bring the sled back up.
4. The best kind of snow for sledding is powdery and soft the
sled just glides right over it.
5. Even though I love sledding, sometimes the lack of control
scares me.
6. At the top of Art Hill, a man sells hot chocolate I bet he gets
a lot of business on snowy days.
7. One thing I don’t like about winter is the piercing wind,
sometimes it is too cold to be outside.
Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.
8. On those days, my mom and I stay in we read a book or
watch a movie, sometimes we bake bread.
9. If it is snowing hard, I have to shovel the driveway.
10. I walk around the neighborhood and shovel walkways, I
always make a few extra dollars.
11. One time, it snowed two feet, we couldn’t even open the
front door!
Chapter 2 • Effective Sentences and Word Choice 37
Effective Sentences and Word Choice
12. Luckily, we had everything we needed we didn’t leave the
house all day long.
Remember that 13. We ate a lot of food and watched movies.
some sentences
have more than one 14. It took three days for the snow to melt, I couldn’t wait
verb. to leave the house.
Kristy slammed the 15. You can bundle up and play in the snow, you can ski
door and ran down or skate.
the steps.
This sentence
has a compound Exercise 2 Revising a Passage
verb and is not a Identify the run-ons. Revise the passage on a separate sheet of
run-on sentence. paper, eliminating the errors.
See Lesson 6.4
for more about
compound verbs.
1
This story is good it is especially interesting because
of the vivid details. 2The story is about a girl who came
home from school on a rainy day, her father said she
must go to the post office to mail a letter. 3The girl told
her dad that she was tired and cold and that she didn’t
want to go outside he said he really needed the letter
mailed. 4She put her rain boots back on, grabbed the
letter, and walked out the door. 5On her way home, the
sun came out, a rainbow appeared the girl had never
seen a rainbow, she was overjoyed!
Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.
6
I think this story does a good job of describing the
situation and the emotions of the character, the plot
itself failed to keep my attention it is not very exciting.
7
However, I am glad I read this story, and I might read
more stories by the same author.
38 Chapter 2 • Effective Sentences and Word Choice
