This document discusses different types of sentence errors: run-on sentences, comma splices, fused sentences, and fragments. It provides examples of each error type and explains the main ways to correct each, such as separating sentences, adding conjunctions, semicolons, or punctuation, or making clauses dependent. Common errors include connecting two independent clauses with just a comma or missing punctuation between clauses. The document emphasizes checking work by reading backwards to identify fragments or other errors.

1. Run-ons and Fragments

2. Run-on Sentences: Comma Splices
• A comma splice is one form of a run-on sentence. It
misuses punctuation.
• A comma splice is the use of a comma alone to
separate two independent clauses (complete
sentences).
• There are five ways to correct a comma splice.

3. Comma Splices
• Incorrect: The company
opened its doors in 1992,
its cars have been
consistently reliable ever
since.

4. Correcting Comma Splices
• Make two separate sentences:
• The company opened its doors in 1992. Its cars have been
consistently reliable ever since.
• Add a FANBOYS conjunction:
• The company opened its doors in 1992, and its cars have been
consistently reliable ever since.
• Change the comma to a semicolon:
• The company opened its doors in 1992; its cars have been
consistently reliable ever since.

5. Correcting a Comma Splice cont.
• Make one independent clause dependent:
• Since the company opened its doors in 1992, its cars have
been consistently reliable.
• Change one independent clause to an appositive
phrase:
• Opening its doors in 1992, the company has consistently
manufactured reliable cars ever since.

6. Run-on Sentences: Fused Sentences
• A fused sentence is another form of a run-on. It is
missing punctuation.
• A fused sentence occurs when the writer fails to
pause and use punctuation at the end of a sentence
and mistakenly connects two or more independent
clauses.
• You need to add punctuation to correct a fused
sentence. There are three ways to correct a fused
sentence.

7. Correcting Fused Sentences
• Incorrect: It’s raining very
hard outside the roads
are dangerous when wet
so we should drive slowly
to be safe.

8. Correcting Fused Sentences cont.
• Make separate sentences when ideas end:
• It’s raining very hard outside. The roads are dangerous
when wet. So we should drive slowly to be safe.
• Add semicolons to separate connected ideas:
• It’s raining very hard outside; the roads are dangerous
when wet; we should drive slowly to be safe.
• Add and use commas with FANBOYS conjunctions:
• It’s raining very hard outside, and the roads are dangerous
when wet, so we should drive slowly to be safe.

9. Fragments
• Fragments are phrases or clauses that are incorrectly
separated from their independent clauses.
• A fragment cannot stand alone. It must be reunited
with its independent clause.
• Usually, the independent clause is just before or after
the fragment.
• Sometimes, you need to add more words to the
fragment to help it become an independent clause.

10. Correcting Fragments
Elementary students don’t need fashion. Which is why
they should wear uniforms. They are too young to be
burdened with their looks.
• In the passage above, the purple line is a fragment. It
needs to be connected to the sentence before in order to
make sense. To discover the error, read the section
backwards and out loud, one line at a time.
• Corrected: Elementary students don’t need fashion,
which is why they should wear uniforms.

11. Correcting Fragments 2
When Jane got home, she discovered that she forgot to
buy bread. Although, she went to the store.
• Again, the pink line is a fragment. Although begins a
dependent clause. There is never a comma following a
subordinating conjunction that begins a dependent
clause. If you read the pink line out loud and alone, you
can immediately tell that it is a fragment. It needs to be
connected to the independent clause before it.
Corrected: When Jane got home, she discovered that
she forgot to buy bread, although she went to the
store.

12. Correcting Fragments 3
Sometimes, you need to add more words like a verb to
make a fragment into an independent clause.
• Fragment: The boat on the high tide.
• Corrected: The boat drifted out on the high tide.
It is not difficult to find the fragments in your work if
you reread your essay backwards one line at a time.