Fragments and
Run-ons
Objectives
✘ At the end of the discussion, students should be able
to:
• differentiate fragments and run-ons;
• identify the features of a sentence fragments and;
• apply the ways on how to fix sentence fragments and
run-ons sentences so that they can avoid making
grammatical mistakes;
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Pre-activity
COMPLETE ME
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FRAGMENTS
What is a sentence fragment?
“a sentence fragment is
a group of words that
looks like a sentence ,
but actually isn’t a
complete sentence.
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Examples:
Fragments:
ran around the circles
My favourite English teacher
for better or worse
when my mother married my father
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Distinguishing features of a sentence fragment
1. It is missing a subject
Example:
Ran around the circles. (Who ran?)
Correction: The lost knights night ran around the
circles.
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Distinguishing features of a sentence fragment
2. It is missing a verb or has
the wrong verb form
Example:
My favourite English teacher. (What did the teacher do or
say?)
Correction: My favourite English told me to do a report
about subject verb agreement.
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Distinguishing features of a sentence fragment
3. It is a left over phrase
Example:
For better or worse. (What is better or worse? What is it
modifying?
Correction: I married you for better or worse, knowing all
about these problems.
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Distinguishing features of a sentence fragment
4. It is an abandoned clause
Example:
When my mother married my father. (What happened when
my mother married my father?”)
Correction: When my mother married my father, she felt like
she’s the luckiest woman who ever lived.
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Distinguishing features of a sentence fragment
4. It is a misuse of “such as,
for example, especially,”etc.
Example:
Such as, my brother was practicing martial arts. (It is
unclear; did something happen when my brother was
practicing martial arts)
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Three ways to fix a FRAGMENT
Attach
Attach the fragment to a nearby complete sentence.
Incorrect: I forgot to eat breakfast. On the morning of my driver’s
test.
Correct: I forgot to eat breakfast on the morning of my driver’s test.
Incorrect: If the front door is locked. Use the back entrance.
Correct: If the door is locked, use the back entrance.
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Three ways to fix a FRAGMENT
REVISE
Revise the fragment by adding whatever is missing─ subject, verb,
complete thought
Incorrect: Loves to lie around the sun all day. (Subject is missing. Who
loves to lie around?)
Correct: My roommate’s pug loves to lie around the sun all day.
Incorrect: Joe to train everyday. (Verb is missing. Also, to train is the
wrong verb form.)
Correct: Joe trains everyday for the marathon next month.
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Three ways to fix a FRAGMENT
REWRITE
Rewrite the fragment or the entire passage that contains the fragment.
Incorrect: Our new landlord was expected to make changes. Such as
fixing the plumbing, installing a new washer, and replacing the security
gate. Has not yet done any of it yet and weeks have passed.
Correct: Our new landlord was expected to make changes, such as fixing
the plumbing, installing a new washer, and replacing the security gate lock.
Weeks have passed, and he still has not done any of it.
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RUN-ONS
What is Run-ons?
- A run-on sentence occurs when independent clauses are not
joined properly. Independent clauses are sentences with a
subject and a verb that can stand on its own.
- Example: She is hungry.
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How run-ons are created?
1. When punctuation and coordinating conjunction (i.e., but, so, and, yet,
etc.) are missing. These sentences can be commonly referred to as
fused sentences.
Example: She is hungry she ate a whole box of pizza.
Independent clause Independent clause
2. When run-on sentences are created through the usage of only commas.
These sentences can be commonly referred to as comma splices.
Example: She is hungry, she ate a whole box of pizza.
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How to fix fused sentences
For fused sentences, you can fix them by separating the independent
clauses.
Example: The sun is out the sky is blue.
The sun is out. The sky is blue.
OR
You can fix it by adding proper punctuation and/or a coordinating clause.
Example: I have a big test tomorrow I can’t go out.
Corrections:
� I have a big test tomorrow, so I can’t go out.
� I have a big tomorrow; I can’t go out.
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How to fix comma splices
For comma splices, there are actually a few different ways it may
look. The most common occurrence is when two independent
sentences are joined with only one comma.
Example: They ran together, they played tennis together.
1. To fix this, the sentence could be split into two sentences.
They ran together. They played tennis together.
2. Another way to fix this sentence is to add a coordinating
conjunction (e.g. But, and, or, yet, so, for) after the comma.
They ran together, and they played tennis together.
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How to fix comma splices
3. You can also use semicolon to separate the sentences,
although it is not.
They ran together; they played tennis together.
4. The last way to fix a comma splices is to rewrite the
sentence completely.
They ran together and played tennis together.
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ASSIGNMENT
FIX ME
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Directions: Fix the following sentences.
1. I like to run I go to the park everyday.
2. Some people like to eat sushi but I think it’s gross.
3. Today was the best in the whole world my family began our beach vacation.
4. Christian took his exams today he’s leaving tomorrow.
5. Because of the rain.
6. I ran.
7. Looking forward to seeing you.
8. After I finish the project
9. Such as drama.
10. Was leaking.
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THANK YOU!