Fragments and Run-ons
Fragments: A fragment is an incomplete sentence starting with a capital letter and ending with a period.
- Incorrect: He enjoys flowers and shrubs. Which help screen him from the street.
- Correct: He enjoys flowers and shrubs. They help screen him from the street.
- Incorrect: Raymond began to tap out the rhythm. First on the table and then on the counter.
- Correct: Raymond began to tap out the rhythm, first on the table and then on the counter.
- Incorrect: They tried to understand Arturo’s objections. Which were unfounded.
- Correct: They tried to understand Arturo’s objections. They were unfounded.
- Correct:They tried to understand Arturo’s objections, which were unfounded.
- Correct:They tried to understand Arturo’s unfounded objections.
Other Examples of Fragments:
“Like how mechanics change tires.” (Remove Like How).
“Which is why the job market is very difficult.” (Don’t start sentences with like, and, so, but , which )
“And we then went to the lake.”
“During the 17th century.” (Finish the introductory phrase)
A comma splice consists of two or more independent clauses joined simply by a comma.
Incorrect: The current was swift, he swam to shore.
Correct: The current was swift, so he swam to shore.
Correct: The current was swift. He swam to shore.
Correct: The current was swift; he swam to shore.
Correct: 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.
Incorrect: It started to snow school was cancelled for the afternoon.
Correct: It started to snow; therefore, school was cancelled for the afternoon.
Incorrect: It started to snow and school was cancelled for the afternoon.
Correct: It started to snow, and school was cancelled for the afternoon.