Fragments and run-on sentences

1. Writing EffectiveWriting Effective
Sentences!Sentences!
Let’s look at whatLet’s look at what
NOT to doNOT to do::
• FragmentsFragments
• Run- on’sRun- on’s
• Stringy SentencesStringy Sentences

2. Remember…a CompleteRemember…a Complete
Sentence Has These 3 Things:Sentence Has These 3 Things:
•A subject
•A verb
•A complete thought

3. Believe it or not, some of ourBelieve it or not, some of our
sentences are very scary!sentences are very scary!
This may seem like common
sense when we’re going over
it, but… these mistakes are
in many of your papers!
Let’s get some help!Let’s get some help!

4. AA fragmentfragment does not givedoes not give
the whole sentence…onlythe whole sentence…only
part of a sentence.part of a sentence.
A fragment is aA fragment is a
group of words thatgroup of words that
has been capitalizedhas been capitalized
and punctuated as ifand punctuated as if
it were a sentence,it were a sentence,
but is missingbut is missing
something.something.
Even though Daffy, Buggs,Even though Daffy, Buggs,
and Porky were all in aand Porky were all in a
cartoon together.cartoon together.
This is not a completeThis is not a complete
thoughtthought
Your DefYour Def: Part of a sentence: Part of a sentence
acting as whole sentence.acting as whole sentence.

5. My neighbor, the one with the dark and scary black house.My neighbor, the one with the dark and scary black house.
Tell whether each word group is a sentenceTell whether each word group is a sentence
or a fragmentor a fragment
FragmentFragment The only time the old lady comes out ofThe only time the old lady comes out of
her creepy old house.her creepy old house.
FragmentFragment
Is at night when everyone is asleep.Is at night when everyone is asleep.
FragmentFragment
She’s a witch.She’s a witch. SentenceSentence
This is when she brings out her secrets.This is when she brings out her secrets.
SentenceSentence

6. Run-on Sentences….A BadRun-on Sentences….A Bad
Thing!Thing!
Run-on’sRun-on’s
Two complete sentences putTwo complete sentences put
together with notogether with no
punctuation.punctuation.
What are they?What are they?
ExampleExample: I enjoy the weekends I love hanging out with myI enjoy the weekends I love hanging out with my
friends.friends.
How can we fix this?How can we fix this?
3 Different Ways!!!3 Different Ways!!!
1.1. SemicolonSemicolon
2.2. Comma & ConjunctionComma & Conjunction
3.3. Period and Make 2Period and Make 2
Separate SentencesSeparate Sentences

7. Comma & Conjunction:Comma & Conjunction:
ExampleExample: I enjoy theI enjoy the
weekends I loveweekends I love
hanging out with myhanging out with my
friends.friends.
I enjoy the weekendsI enjoy the weekends, and, and I love hanging out with my friends.I love hanging out with my friends.
Semicolon:Semicolon:
I enjoy the weekendsI enjoy the weekends;; I love hanging out with my friends.I love hanging out with my friends.
Period & Capital Letter:Period & Capital Letter:
I enjoy the weekendsI enjoy the weekends.. I love hanging out with my friends.I love hanging out with my friends.

8. One of these sentences is a run-on!One of these sentences is a run-on!
Can you find it?Can you find it?
When we go out this weekend, we are going to see a movie.When we go out this weekend, we are going to see a movie.
I love a scary movie, it is what we are going to watch.I love a scary movie, it is what we are going to watch.
I love to eat popcorn while I am watching a good movie.I love to eat popcorn while I am watching a good movie.
It’s the 2It’s the 2ndnd
one!!!one!!!

9. I love a scary movie, it is what we are going toI love a scary movie, it is what we are going to
watch.watch.
Why is this sentence wrong?Why is this sentence wrong?
Why is it a run-on?Why is it a run-on?
A comma is separating 2 complete thoughts and thatA comma is separating 2 complete thoughts and that
cannot happen, unless there is a conjunction with it!cannot happen, unless there is a conjunction with it!
How could we fix it?How could we fix it?

10. The 1956 movie Godzilla about a
huge reptile. Godzilla looks like a
dinosaur he breathes fire like a
dragon. He comes up out of the
ocean. After an atomic bomb wakes
him up. Godzilla can melt steel with
his breath he is big enough to knock
down huge buildings. In the original
film he destroys the city of Tokyo he
gets killed at the end.
Fix the fragments and run-on sentencesFix the fragments and run-on sentences
in this paragraph!in this paragraph!

11. Stringy Sentences……………………Stringy Sentences……………………
They go on, and on, andThey go on, and on, and
on, and on!on, and on!
These sentences use commasThese sentences use commas
and conjunctions, but there areand conjunctions, but there are
too many complete thoughts intoo many complete thoughts in
1 sentence1 sentence..
If you read 1 ofIf you read 1 of
these, you mightthese, you might
run out or breath.run out or breath.
Your def is underlined!Your def is underlined!

12. EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
Harriet Ross grew up as a slave in Maryland,
and she worked on a plantation there, but in
1844 she married John Tubman, and he was a
freed slave.
How many complete
sentences are within this big
sentence? 4!
How
should
we fix it?
Hopefully you have been paying attention!
On your paper, revise this paragraph to make it clear.
Write the following exampleWrite the following example
down in your notebook please!down in your notebook please!

13. PossiblePossible
Revision:Revision:
Harriet Ross grew up
as a slave on a
plantation in
Maryland. In 1844
she married John
Tubman, a freed
slave.

14. TOT’s are cookin’!TOT’s are cookin’!
A complete sentence has what threeA complete sentence has what three
things?things?

15. TOT’s are cookin’!TOT’s are cookin’!
What’s the difference between a run-What’s the difference between a run-
on and a stringy sentence?on and a stringy sentence?

16. TOT’s are cookin’!TOT’s are cookin’!
What is a fragment?What is a fragment?