Sentence StructureFragments & Run-ons

Two kinds of sentence errors

● Fragmentso Writing only part of a sentence as though it

were a whole sentence● Run-on sentences

o Writing two or more sentences as though they were one sentence

o Writer mistakenly uses a comma, or no punctuation at all, between the sentences.

Even more simplified...

● A fragment is NOT complete.

● A run-on sentence is more than complete (In fact, it is TOO complete.)

Review: What is a sentence?

***A group of words is a complete sentence when it has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

Sentence Fragment

● A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought.

● Since the fragment is only part of a sentence, it is not able to stand on its own.

FRAGMENT

Ex. Last weekend, I saw Molly. Walking into a store at the mall.

FRAGMENT CORRECTED

Ex. Last weekend, I saw Molly walking into a store at the mall.

OR

Ex. Last weekend, I saw Molly. She was walking into a store at the mall.

Run-on Sentence

• When a comma (instead of a period, semicolon, or a conjunction) is used between two complete sentences.

• One sentence “runs on” into the next.

Do not use a comma between sentences.

Ex. Choosing what flavor of ice cream to eat is difficult, there are many options. (RUN-ON)

Ways to avoid a run-on sentence

1. Use a period to create two separate sentences

2. Use a semicolon (think back to last week’s lesson!)

3. Use a conjunction

Example continued…Ex. Choosing what flavor of ice cream to eat is difficult. There are many options.

Ex. Choosing what flavor of ice cream to eat is difficult; there are many options.

Ex. Choosing what flavor of ice cream to eat is difficult because there are many options.