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Complete Sentences
Complete Sentences
A complete sentence must have a subject and a predicate (verb).
For example:
"Bob threw the ball to John."
subject predicate
Don't forget, some subjects are implied (you).
"Stop!" would therefore be a complete sentence because the subject is (you) and the predicate is "stop".
Why is it a Fragment?
Why is it a Fragment?
There are several reasons why a group of words may seem to act like a sentence but not have the wherewithal to make it as a complete thought.
It may locate something in time and place with a prepositional phrase or a series of such phrases, but it's still lacking a proper subject-verb relationship within an independent clause:
In Japan, during the last war and just before the armistice.This sentence accomplishes a great deal in terms of placing the reader in time and place, but there is no subject, no verb.
It describes something, but there is no subject-verb relationship:
Working far into the night in an effort to salvage her little boat.This is a verbal phrase that wants to modify something, the real subject of the sentence (about to come up), probably the she who was working so hard.
It may have most of the makings of a sentence but still be missing an important part of a verb string:
Some of the students working in Professor Espinoza's laboratory last semester.Remember that an -ing verb form without an auxiliary form to accompany it can never be a verb.
It may even have a subject-verb relationship, but it has been subordinated to another idea by a dependent word and so cannot stand by itself:
Even though he had the better arguments and was by far the more powerful speaker.This sentence fragment has a subject, he, and two verbs, had and was, but it cannot stand by itself because of the dependent word (subordinating conjunction)even though. We need an independent clause to follow up thisdependent clause: . . . the more powerful speaker, he lost the case because he didn't understand the jury.
What is a Run-On Sentence?
What is a Run-On Sentence?
A RUN-ON SENTENCE (sometimes called a "fused sentence") has at least two parts, either one of which can stand by itself (in other words, two independent clauses), but the two parts have been smooshed together instead of being properly connected.
It is important to realize that the length of a sentence really has nothing to do with whether a sentence is a run-on or not; being a run-on is a structural flaw that can plague even a very short sentence:
The sun is high, put on some sunblock.
An extremely long sentence, on the other hand, might be a "run-off-at-the-mouth" sentence, but it can be otherwise sound, structurally. Click HERE to see a 239-word sentence that is a perfectly fine sentence (structurally).
Coma-Splice
Coma-Splice
The sun is high, put on some sunscreen.
When two independent clauses are connected by only a comma, they constitute a run-on sentence that is called a comma-splice. The example just above (about the sunscreen) is a comma-splice. When you use a comma to connect two independent clauses, it must be accompanied by a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so).
The sun is high, so put on some sunscreen.
Otherwise, you will end up with a run-on sentence caused by a comma splice.
The sun is high, so put on some sunscreen.
Sample Run-On Sentences
Sample Run-On Sentences
This next chapter has a lot of difficult information in it, you should start studying right away.
(We could put a period where that comma is and start a new sentence. A semicolon might also work there.)
Mr. Nguyen has sent his four children to ivy-league colleges, however, he has sacrificed his health working day and night in that dusty bakery.
(Again, where that first comma appears, we could have used either a period — and started a new sentence — or a semicolon.)
This computer doesn't make sense to me, it came without a manual.
(Although these two clauses are quite brief, and the ideas are closely related, this is a run-on sentence. We need a period where that comma now stands.)
Most of those computers in the Learning Assistance Center are broken already, this proves my point about American computer manufacturers.
(Two nicely related clauses, incorrectly connected — a run-on. Use a period to cure this sentence.)
Things That Can Happen Between Two Independent Clauses
Independent clauses can be connected (or separated, depending on your point of view) in a variety of ways. When two ideas come together and either one of them can stand by itself — as its own, independent sentence — the following kinds of punctuation are possible. (Review, also, the sections on Coherence: Transitions Between Ideas and on avoiding Run-on Sentences.)
Period + start a new sentence
My grandmother refuses to go to bed early. She thinks she's going to miss out on some of the action.
Comma + a cute little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so)
My grandmother refuses to go to bed early, and I'm afraid she's going to catch a bad cold.
Semicolon by itself. Where you have used a semicolon, you could have used a period, but the semicolon, you felt, is better (probably because the independent clauses are so closely related and nicely balanced).
In spite of her cold, my grandmother refuses to go to bed early; she is afraid she will miss something.
Semicolon + big ugly conjunction or other transitional expression
(however, moreover, nevertheless, therefore, as a result, consequently . . . )
followed by a comma.
My grandmother has stayed up late four nights in a row; as a result, she cannot seem to get well.
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