14.5: Fused Sentence

Practice 1

A fused sentence (or run-on) occurs when two independent clauses are joined without punctuation or without a coordinating conjunction.

Fused sentence: Independent clause independent clause.

 

Example \(\PageIndex{1}\):

At first I wanted to be a doctor now I don't.

 

Some easy ways to correct a fused sentence are as follows:

1. Add a period after the first independent clause and capitalize the next word. (IC. IC)

 

Example \(\PageIndex{2}\):

At first I wanted to be a doctor. Now I don't.

 

2. Add a semicolon after the first independent clause. (IC; IC)

Example \(\PageIndex{3}\):

At first I wanted to be a doctor; now I don't.

 

3. Add a comma and a coordinating conjunction after the first independent clause. (IC, CC IC)

Example \(\PageIndex{4}\):

At first I wanted to be a doctor, but now I don't.

 

Directions: For each sentence below, write FS if it is a fused sentence or C if it is correct.

____ 1. Many young athletes want to play for professional leagues few actually succeed.

____ 2. I lost my train of thought did you find it?

____ 3. Laura was exhausted from hours of study however she made it to class on time.

____ 4. Dolphins have killed sharks they never attack humans.

____ 5. The shrimp was served with its head still on as a result, Mary lost her appetite.

____ 6. Mary's sister, however, ate the shrimp anyway.

____ 7. In later years, Mary developed a shrimp allergy, but her sister still enjoys shrimp.

____ 8. The roads were covered with ice therefore school was cancelled.

____ 9. The typewriter hummed loudly; consequently, I turned it off.

____10. If you understand what a fused sentence is, you will be able to proofread for them in your papers then you will be less likely to make such a mistake.

 

Answer

Answer Key - Fused Sentence Practice 1

 

Practice 2

Directions: For each sentence below, write FS if it is a fused sentence or C if it is correct.

1. My Aunt Grattis lives in a mansion on the Delaware River in a small town called Andalusia.
2. She is extremely fussy about her furniture for instance children under 12 cannot sit on her antiques.
3. One of the problems college students face today is credit card debt credit-card companies offer cards to students who don't have jobs.
4. Credit card companies can be unscrupulous one even offered a pre-approved card to my eight-year-old daughter.
5. I went to the walk-in clinic because I was feeling ill in fact, I had walking pneumonia.
6. Dr. Weeks's nurse called today she said that I need to exercise more often.
7. Since I am too busy studying grammar rules, I have no time to exercise the nurse did not think that was a very good excuse.
8. She is probably right I should exercise more.
9. Do you think that typing at the computer counts as exercise?
10. My fingers are certainly getting a good workout today I have been typing for three hours.

 

Answer

Answer Key - Fused Sentences Practice 2

Practice 3

Directions: For each sentence below, write FS if it is a fused sentence or C if it is correct.

1. According to MSNBC, a New Jersey major wants forecasters held responsible for dire predictions forecasters who predict blizzards should be held accountable for their predictions.
2. Major Richard Bowe wants to know if the forecasts of heavy snow and blizzard conditions were mistakes or a deliberate attempt to generate ratings.
3. He suggests errant forecasters ought to be held responsible for losses by businesses and others who lost money by listening to the forecasts.
4. A spokesperson from the National Weather Service notes that forecasts are judgments based on available information they are not any kind of guarantee.
5. The storm was originally forecast to wreak havoc on the entire northeastern portion of the United States however, the storm left most major cities unscathed.
6. Washington, Philadelphia, and New York took much less of a beating than first predicted the storm came nowhere near to living up to its hype.
7. Snow accumulations from the storm, which began battering the region late Monday, ranged from 18 inches to 30 inches.
8. Red-faced forecasters were scratching their heads over how they could be so wrong in their predictions.
9. Forecasters had grappled with conflicting computer models before predicting that New England would be the hardest-hit area.
10. Forecasters thought the storm would paralyze the entire coast they predicted it could be the worst blizzard in 35 years.
11. Those fears were not realized the storm dissipated.
12. Many areas got slush and rain instead of snow.
13. "Our models aren't perfect we'd be the first to admit that," said the director of the National Centers for Environmental Preditions.
14. I am not sure why those folks are complaining would they have been happier if there had been a disaster?
15. Things could be worse forecasters warn another storm could come as early as Friday.

 

Answer

Answer Key - Fused Sentence Practice 3

Practice 4

Determine whether any of the following sentence are fused. Correct those that are.

1. One day in the late summer, Frog was not feeling well.
2. Toad said, "Frog, you are looking quite green."
3. "But I always look green," said Frog "I am a frog."
4. "Today you look very green even for a frog go to bed and rest."
5. Toad made Frog a cup of hot tea Frog drank the tea.
6. It's not easy to sit at the computer and make up examples of fused sentences.
7. The sun is shining the world is all aglow.
8. This is the last day of spring break, and I'm sitting here at this computer trying to think of fused sentences.
9. I must be out of my mind everyone else is at the beach.
10. But it's too cold for the beach; furthermore, it's too far to drive.
11. Adjectives modify nouns by adding to their meaning adverbs modify verbs and other adverbs.
12. Nouns are words that name persons, places, things, or abstractions.
13. The comma is the most widely used punctuation mark there is much variation in its usage.
14. I slipped on the wet floor as I ran across the kitchen.
15. I cannot prepare for the seminar because I have misplaced my glasses.

 

Answer

Answer Key - Fused Sentence Practice 4

 

Practice 5

Identify and correct any fused sentences.

1. The severe weather warning did not deter some travelers traffic on I-75 was not as heavy as usual.
2. The sky turned black the rain fell in torrents.
3. Many drivers turned on their flashers because visibility was poor.
4. Since I could no longer see the road, I pulled off at the first exit.
5. There was no gas station at the exit I joined the many cars that were pulled off on the side of the road.
6. I was almost out of gas, so I turned off my engine.
7. When the rain slackened, I got back on the interstate I drove to the next exit.
8. I'm glad that I kept driving I later learned that a tornado touched down near where I had been parked.
9. It destroyed several homes fortunately no one was hurt.
10. Now that you have completed questions one through nine, you should check your answers.

 

Answer

Answer Key - Fused Sentence Practice 5

 

References

Dr. Mary Nielsen, Dean of the Dalton State College School of Liberal Arts.