writing clear sentences how to avoid sentence fragments and run-on sentences

Writing Clear SentencesHow to avoid sentence fragments and run-on sentences.

What is a sentence?

A sentence is a group of words that has

1. a subject • person, place or thing doing an action

2. a verb • an action

3. A capitalized first letter of the first word.

4. end punctuation• period, question mark, exclamation

mark

5. a complete thought.

Jack climbed the giant beanstalk.

SubjectWho did the climbing

VerbWhat Jack did

Predicate (Optional)“Jack climbed.” is a complete sentence. What Jack climbed

End punctuationSignals that the sentence is over.

Jack climbed the giant beanstalk.

Is there anything we still need to know about this sentence?

No? Then this sentence expresses a complete thought.

I traded our cow for magic beans.

SubjectWho did the trading

VerbWhat I did

Predicate (Optional)“I traded.” is a complete sentence. What I traded

End punctuationSignals that the sentence is over.

I traded our cow for magic beans.

Is there anything we still need to know about this sentence?

No? Then this sentence expresses a complete thought.

Stop!

Unstated SubjectWho needs to stop

VerbWhat I want you to do

End punctuationSignals that the sentence is over. The exclamation point adds emotion or excitement.

You

Stop!

You

Is there anything we still need to know about this sentence?

No? Then this sentence expresses a complete thought.

Did Jack win?

SubjectWho did the winning

VerbQuestions have two verbs.

End punctuationSignals that the sentence is over and that it is a question.

Did Jack win?

Is there anything we still need to know about this sentence?

No? Then this sentence expresses a complete thought.

He is a sneaky boy.

SubjectWho is a sneaky boy

VerbState of being

Predicate (Optional)“He is.” is a complete sentence. He is what?

End punctuationSignals that the sentence is over.

He is a sneaky boy.

Is there anything we still need to know about this sentence?

No? Then this sentence expresses a complete thought.

Now let’s look at sentences that are missing something.

What’s missing?

chased Jack down the beanstalk.

Who chased Jack down the beanstalk?

The giant

SubjectWho did the chasing?

Without a subject, the group of words is called a sentence fragment.

What’s missing?

His parents did not him.

His parents did not what?

That’s better.

His parents did not believe him.

Without a verb, the group of words is called a sentence fragment.

Verb

What’s missing?

After Jack stole the goose.

Does the sentence tell us everything we need to know?

No, it doesn’t. We need to know more about what Jack does after he stole the goose.

That’s better.

After Jack stole the goose, he snuck past the giant.

Without a complete thought, the group of words is called a sentence fragment.

DO NOT WRITE IN BOOKS.

Page 1, #1-10

1. Identify each group of words a sentence (S) or sentence fragment (SF).

2. For each fragment, rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.(Hint: There are 5 fragments.)

Run-on SentencesWhen sentences try to say too much at once.

What is a run-on sentence?

A run-on sentence is actually one or more sentences run together without proper punctuation and/or conjunctions.

They usually happen when you are rushing to get your ideas down, but can be easily fixed.

Tarzan was raised by gorillas, he learned to swing on vines.

Tarzan was raised by gorillas, he learned to swing on vines.

Tarzan was raised by gorillas, he learned to swing on vines.

How can we fix this run-on sentence?

Tarzan was raised by gorillas. He learned to swing on vines.

By changing the comma to a period, the two thoughts become two separate sentences.

Notice that both sentences now have a subject, a verb and end punctuation. What are they?

Tarzan is a great adventurer, he has wrestled a crocodile, he saved Jane from a sorcerer, he has many other adventures.

Tarzan is a great adventurer, he has wrestled a crocodile, he saved Jane from a sorcerer, he has many other adventures.

Tarzan is a great adventurer, he has wrestled a crocodile, he saved Jane from a sorcerer, he has many other adventures.

Tarzan is a great adventurer, he has wrestled a crocodile, he saved Jane from a sorcerer, he has many other adventures.

Tarzan is a great adventurer, he has wrestled a crocodile, he saved Jane from a sorcerer, he has many other adventures.

Tarzan is a great adventurer, he has wrestled a crocodile, he saved Jane from a sorcerer, he has many other adventures.

How can we fix this run-on sentence?

Tarzan is a great adventurer. He has wrestled a crocodile. He saved Jane from a sorcerer. He has many other adventures.

Change the commas to periods, making each thought its own sentence.

Tarzan is a great adventurer, he has wrestled a crocodile, he saved Jane from a sorcerer, he has many other adventures.

What is another way can we fix this run-on sentence?

Tarzan is a great adventurer. He has wrestled a crocodile, and saved Jane from a sorcerer. He has many other adventures.

Change some of the commas to periods.Connect the thoughts with “and”.

The story of Tarzan is very popular, some people do not think that Tarzan is a good story for children, there is racism and sexism.

The story of Tarzan is very popular, some people do not think that Tarzan is a good story for children, there is racism and sexism.

How can we fix this run-on sentence?

The story of Tarzan is very popular, but some people do not think that Tarzan is a good story for children. There is racism and sexism in the story. Connect the thoughts with “but”.

Change one of the commas to a period.

Now it’s time for you to practice.

In the skinny blue book.

Page 244, #1-15

Stringy SentencesWhen too many ideas are strung together in one sentence.

What is a stringy sentence?

A stringy sentence is a type of run-on.

It has too many ideas stuck together with and, but or or.

They don’t give the reader a chance to pause between ideas.

The ostrich is the largest living bird, and it stands nearly eight feet tall, and it weighs over three hundred pounds when it is fully grown, and this speedy bird can run up to forty miles an hour! How many different ideas

are there in this sentence?

The ostrich is the largest living bird, and it stands nearly eight feet tall, and it weighs over three hundred pounds when it is fully grown, and this speedy bird can run up to forty miles an hour!

1

The ostrich is the largest living bird, and it stands nearly eight feet tall, and it weighs over three hundred pounds when it is fully grown, and this speedy bird can run up to forty miles an hour!

2

The ostrich is the largest living bird, and it stands nearly eight feet tall, and it weighs over three hundred pounds when it is fully grown, and this speedy bird can run up to forty miles an hour!

3

The ostrich is the largest living bird, and it stands nearly eight feet tall, and it weighs over three hundred pounds when it is fully grown, and this speedy bird can run up to forty miles an hour!

4

The ostrich is the largest living bird, and it stands nearly eight feet tall, and it weighs over three hundred pounds when it is fully grown, and this speedy bird can run up to forty miles an hour! Notice how the 4 ideas are

all stuck together with and. There are several better ways to say this.

Giving each idea its own sentence is the easiest way. But…

The ostrich is the largest living bird. It stands nearly eight feet tall. It weighs over three hundred pounds when it is fully grown. This speedy bird can run up to forty miles an hour!

The ostrich is the largest living bird. It stands nearly eight feet tall, and it weighs over three hundred pounds when it is fully grown. This speedy bird can run up to forty miles an hour!

…keeping the middle two together is better.Why?

Ideas that are closely related should be linked together.

It makes it easier for the reader to see how those ideas are related.

Make sure the ideas are strongly connected. If not, each idea should be in its own sentence.