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7.2: Identifying Run-Together Sentences

  • Page ID
    375439
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    Run-together sentences occur when two sentences are joined with no punctuation between them or with only a comma connecting them.

    Examples of run-together sentences:

    It was raining I got wet. (run-on)
    It was raining, I got wet. (comma splice)

    Even though these thoughts go together logically, they are two separate sentences grammatically. A sentence can have two subjects and two verbs only if they are joined in some way. This chapter explains some of the ways to correct errors and join sentences.

    Identifying types of errors

    Run-on sentences

    A run-on sentence has two or more independent clauses that are joined without a comma or a conjunction.

    Example of a run-on:

    Green tea is healthy it has a lot of caffeine.

    Comma splices

    A comma splice is similar to a run-on sentence. It has two or more independent clauses that are joined by only a comma. There is no conjunction.

    Example of a comma splice:

    Green tea is healthy, it has a lot of caffeine.

    Exercise 7.1: Identifying run-ons and comma splices

    Read the following sentences. Each sentence has an error. Identify whether the error is a run-on (RO) or comma splice (CS).

    Example: CS Maria’s rent is due, she does not have enough money to pay the full amount.

    1. ____ I was feeling stressed I took a break from social media.
    2. ____ A good paragraph has several parts, the first part is a topic sentence.
    3. ____ Tetiana’s car was totaled in the accident, she had to get a rental.
    4. ____ There aren’t many news reports about my home country, I look for information on social media.
    5. ____ Susana makes a lot of online purchases she uses the same password for all of her accounts.
    6. ____ Ericka likes swimming her son likes surfing.
    7. ____ Harry is shy, he has many friends.
    8. ____ Alma takes daily walks to reduce stress, Silvia meditates every day.
    9. ____ Maribel might take her family to the museum, they may see a movie.
    10. ____ Junyue lives in an apartment, she cannot have a pet.
    11. ____ The bananas on the counter were turning brown and spotted, the flowers in the vase were dry and wilted.

    This page titled 7.2: Identifying Run-Together Sentences is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kathryn Long.