Is it a complete sentence or a run-on?

key notes :

1. What is a Complete Sentence?

  • A complete sentence has two important parts:
    • Subject: Who or what the sentence is about.
    • Predicate: What the subject is doing or describing the subject.
  • A complete sentence also expresses a complete thought and makes sense on its own.
  • Example: “The dog barked.”
    • This is a complete sentence because it tells who (the dog) and what the dog did (barked).

2. What is a Run-On Sentence?

  • A run-on sentence happens when two or more complete sentences are joined together without the right punctuation or connecting words.
  • Run-on sentences can make it hard to understand the meaning because they don’t have proper breaks.
  • Example: “The dog barked it ran across the street.”
    • This is a run-on sentence because it’s actually two sentences: “The dog barked.” and “It ran across the street.” These should be separated or connected properly.

3. How to Fix a Run-On Sentence

There are three main ways to correct a run-on sentence:

  • Method 1: Add a period to separate the sentences.
    • Example: “The dog barked. It ran across the street.”
  • Method 2: Add a conjunction (and, but, or, so) with a comma.
    • Example: “The dog barked, and it ran across the street.”
  • Method 3: Use a semicolon to connect closely related sentences.
    • Example: “The dog barked; it ran across the street.”

4. How to Identify a Run-On Sentence

  • Step 1: Look for two or more complete thoughts that don’t have the correct punctuation or words between them.
  • Step 2: Check if there’s a missing period, comma, or conjunction (and, but, or, so).
  • Step 3: Ask yourself, “Does this sentence go on too long without a break or connecting word?”

5. Examples of Complete Sentences and Run-Ons

  • Example 1 (Complete Sentence): “The cat chased the mouse.”
    • This is a complete sentence with one clear subject and one predicate.
  • Example 2 (Run-On Sentence): “The cat chased the mouse it caught the mouse.”
    • This is a run-on because it’s two sentences stuck together without proper punctuation.

6. How to Fix Run-On Sentences: Practice Examples

  • Run-On Example: “She loves to read she goes to the library every day.”
    • Fixed with a period: “She loves to read. She goes to the library every day.”
    • Fixed with a conjunction: “She loves to read, and she goes to the library every day.”
  • Run-On Example: “I was hungry I made a sandwich.”
    • Fixed with a period: “I was hungry. I made a sandwich.”
    • Fixed with a conjunction: “I was hungry, so I made a sandwich.”

7. Quick Tips to Avoid Run-On Sentences

  • Use periods to separate complete thoughts.
  • Use conjunctions (and, but, or, so) to join sentences together when needed.
  • Read the sentence aloud and see if it sounds like it goes on for too long without a break.

Let’s practice!