Exploring Writing by John Langan

[ Note that in these sentences, the errors have been corrected using the instructions given in
the questions. In your exam, there will be no instructions provided. You can correct the
run-ons using any specific rules that you have learnt, but the corrections must be
grammatically accurate.]
Activity 1 (Page 180 to 181)
Correct the run-on by putting a period at the end of the first thought and a capital letter at the
start of the second thought.
1)​ The fern hadn’t been watered in a month its leaves looked like frayed brown shoelaces.
2)​ Newspapers are piled up on the neighbors’ porch they must be out of town.
3)​ Joyce’s recipe for chocolate fudge is very easy to make it is also very expensive.
4)​ Watching television gave the old man something to do he didn’t have many visitors
anymore.
5)​ Jon accidentally ruined his favorite black shirt a few drops of bleach spilled onto it in
the laundry room.
6)​ The first Olympic Games were held in 776 BC. the only event was a footrace.
7)​ Gloria decorated her apartment creatively and cheaply she papered her bedroom walls
with magazine covers.
8)​ There were papers scattered all over Lena’s desk she spent twenty minutes looking for a
missing receipt.
9)​ Spring rain dripped into the fireplace the room smelled like last winter’s fires.
10)​The car swerved dangerously through traffic its rear bumper sticker read, “School’s
Out—Drive Carefully.

Answer:

1)​ The fern had not been watered in a month. Its leaves looked like frayed brown
shoelaces.
2)​ Newspapers are piled up on the neighbours’ porch. They must be out of town.
3)​ Joyce’s recipe for chocolate fudge is very easy to make. It is also very expensive.
4)​ Watching television gave the old man something to do. He did not have many visitors
anymore.
5)​ Jon accidentally ruined his favourite black shirt. A few drops of bleach spilled onto it
in the laundry room.
6)​ The first Olympic Games were held in 776 BC. The only event was a footrace.
7)​ Gloria decorated her apartment creatively and cheaply. She papered her bedroom
walls with magazine covers.
8)​ There were papers scattered all over Lena’s desk. She spent twenty minutes looking
for a missing receipt.
9)​ Spring rain dripped into the fireplace. The room smelled like last winter’s fires.
 10)​ The car swerved dangerously through traffic. Its rear bumper sticker read, “School’s
Out—Drive Carefully.’’

Activity 2 (Page 182 to 183)

Correct each run-on by putting a period at the end of the first thought and a capital letter at
the start of the next thought.
1. My father is a very sentimental man he still has my kindergarten drawings.
2. Sue dropped the letter into the mailbox then she regretted mailing it.
3. Certain street names are very common the most common is “Park.”
4. Bacteria are incredibly tiny a drop of liquid may contain fifty million of them.
5. The fastest dog in the world is the greyhound it can run over forty-one miles an hour.
6. Mandy’s parents speak only Chinese she speaks Chinese, English, and French.
7. My iPod stopped working its battery needs to be charged.
8. A shadow on the kitchen wall was lovely it had the shape of a plant on the windowsill.
9. The little girl hated seeing her father drink one day, she poured all his liquor down the
kitchen drain. 10. Children have been born at odd times for instance, James was born on
February 29 during leap year

Answer:

1) My father is a very sentimental man. He still has my kindergarten drawings.

2) Sue dropped the letter into the mailbox. Then, she regretted mailing it.

3) Certain street names are very common. The most common is “Park.”

4) Bacteria are incredibly tiny. A drop of liquid may contain fifty million of them.

5) The fastest dog in the world is the greyhound. It can run over forty-one miles an hour.

6) Mandy’s parents speak only Chinese. She speaks Chinese, English, and French.

7) My iPod stopped working. Its battery needs to be charged.

8) A shadow on the kitchen wall was lovely. It had the shape of a plant on the windowsill.

9) The little girl hated seeing her father drink. One day, she poured all his liquor down the
kitchen drain.
10) Children have been born at odd times. For instance, James was born on February 29
during leap year.

Activity 3 (Page 183)

Write a second sentence to go with each sentence below. Start the second sentence with the
word given in the margin.

1.​ My wireless all-in-one printer is so convenient.

2.​ The oysters were placed on the grill until their shells popped open.
3.​ I need to update the antivirus software on my computer.
4.​ Ashlee sent me several urgent text messages last night.
5.​ Students who take studio art classes spend hours on their projects.
6.​ After the recent sewage spill, people were afraid to swim in the ocean.

Answer:

1.My wireless all-in-one printer is so convenient. It allows me to print, scan, copy, and fax
documents.

2.The oysters were placed on the grill until their shells popped open. Then, /Then they were
carefully removed, drizzled with garlic butter, and served hot with lemon wedges.

3. I need to update the antivirus software on my computer. It has not been updated in months
and might not protect against the latest threats.

4. Ashlee sent me several urgent text messages last night. She was disappointed with her
result

5.​ Students who take studio art classes spend hours on their projects. They work so hard to
complete one project.
6.​ After the recent sewage spill, people were afraid to swim in the ocean. They found a big
fish there

Activity 4 (184 to 185)

Insert the comma and the joining word (and, but, for, so) that logically connects the two
thoughts in each sentence

1. I want to stop smoking I don’t want to gain weight.

2. Packages are flown to distant cities during the night vans deliver them the next morning.

3. The grass turned brown in the summer’s heat the grapes shriveled and died on the vine.
4. Craig wanted to buy his girlfriend a ring he began saving ten dollars a week.

5. I enjoy watching television I feel guilty about spending so much time in front of the tube.
6. It was too hot indoors to study I decided to go down to the shopping center for ice cream.
7. I don’t like to go to the doctor’s office I’m afraid one of the other patients will make me
really sick.

8. This world map was published only three years ago the names of some countries are
already out of date.

9. Nate is color-blind his wife lays out his clothes every morning.

10. We knew there had been a power failure all our digital clocks were blinking 12:00.

Answer:

1. I want to stop smoking, but I do not want to gain weight.

2. Packages are flown to distant cities during the night, and vans deliver them the next
morning.

3. The grass turned brown in the summer’s heat, and the grapes shriveled and died on the
vine.

4. Craig wanted to buy his girlfriend a ring, so he began saving ten dollars a week.

5. I enjoy watching television, but I feel guilty about spending so much time in front of the
tube.

6.It was too hot indoors to study, so I decided to go down to the shopping center for ice
cream.

7. I don’t like to go to the doctor’s office, for I’m afraid one of the other patients will make
me really sick.

8. This world map was published only three years ago, but the names of some countries are
already out of date.

9. Nate is color-blind, so his wife lays out his clothes every morning.

10. We knew there had been a power failure, for all our digital clocks were blinking 12:00.

Activity 5 (Page 185)

Add a complete, closely related thought to each of the following statements. When you write
the second thought, use a comma plus the joining word.

1. We have the same taste in clothes

2. Keisha needed a little break from studying

3. I hammered two nails into the wall

4. The house was unusually quiet

5. Harry meant to stick to his diet

Answer

1.​ We have the same taste in clothes. Therefore, we often borrow from each other.
2.​ Keisha needed a little break from studying, so she went for a short walk.
3.​ I hammered two nails into the wall, and then I hung the picture frame.
4.​ The house was unusually quiet, for everyone had gone out.
5.​ Harry meant to stick to his diet ; however, he could not resist the chocolate cake.

Activity 6 (Page 186)

Insert a semicolon where the break occurs between the two complete thoughts in each of the
following sentences

1. I ordered a Grand Slam Breakfast at Denny’s the bacon and over-easy eggs were cooked
perfectly.

2. Sabina invited me to her wedding it was held in Maui on a beautiful private beach.

3. Professor Williams scowled at the class her facial expression told the story.

4. Remarkably, the crime rates in our neighbourhood have decreased auto thefts and
burglaries are on the decline.

5. The Grand Canyon is ancient it is millions of years old

Answer

1.​ I ordered a Grand Slam Breakfast at Denny’s; the bacon and over-easy eggs were
cooked perfectly.
2.​ Sabina invited me to her wedding; it was held in Maui on a beautiful private beach.
3.​ Professor Williams scowled at the class; her facial expression told the story.
 4.​ Remarkably, the crime rates in our neighbourhood have decreased; auto thefts and
burglaries are on the decline.
5.​ The Grand Canyon is ancient; it is millions of years old.

Activity 7 (Page 187)

For each item, choose a logical transitional word and write it in the space provided. In
addition, put a semicolon before the transition and a comma after it.

1. A new car is always fun to drive ____________the payments are never fun to make.

2. The fork that fell into our garbage disposal looks like a piece of modern art___________ it
is useless.

3. Auto races no longer use gasoline_________________ spectators have nothing to fear

from exhaust fumes

4. We got to the stadium two hours before the game started___________ all the parking
spaces were already taken.

5. Mice use their sensitive whiskers as feelers scurry along close to walls.
_______________they scurry along close to walls

1.​ A new car is always fun to drive ; however, the payments are never fun to make.
2.​ The fork that fell into our garbage disposal looks like a piece of modern art ;
nevertheless, it is useless.
3.​ Auto races no longer use gasoline ; therefore, spectators have nothing to fear from
exhaust fumes.
4.​ We got to the stadium two hours before the game started ; still, all the parking spaces
were already taken.
5.​ Mice use their sensitive whiskers as feelers to scurry along close to walls ; thus, they
scurry along close to walls.