Fragments & Run-ons
Fragments and Run-ons
Fragments: A fragment is an incomplete sentence starting with a capital letter and ending with a period.
1. He enjoys flowers and shrubs. Which help screen him from the street.
a. He enjoys flowers and shrubs. They help screen him from the street.
2. Raymond began to tap out the rhythm. First on the table and then on the counter.
a. Raymond began to tap out the rhythm, first on the table and then on the counter.
3. They tried to understand Arturo’s objections. Which were unfounded.
a. They tried to understand Arturo’s objections. They were unfounded.
b. They tried to understand Arturo’s objections, which were unfounded.
c. They tried to understand Arturo’s unfounded objections.
A comma splice consists of two or more independent clauses joined by a comma.
- A comma splice consists of two or more independent clauses joined simply by a comma.
- The current was swift, he swam to shore.
i. The current was swift, so he swam to shore.
ii. The current was swift. He swam to shore.
iii. The current was swift; he swam to shore.
iv. The current was swift; therefore, he swam to shore.
A fused or run-on sentence occurs when either a conjunction or appropriate punctuation joins two independent clauses.
- It started to snow school was cancelled for the afternoon.
i. It started to snow; therefore, school was cancelled for the afternoon.
- It started to snow and school was cancelled for the afternoon.
i. It started to snow, and school was cancelled for the afternoon.