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College Writing SkillsCollege Writing Skills, 8E , 8E and and

College Writing Skills with College Writing Skills with ReadingsReadings, 8E, 8EJohn LanganJohn Langan

Chapter Twenty-Five

Run-Ons

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Rob exercises everyday he Rob exercises everyday he should be in good condition.should be in good condition.

Rob exercises everyday, he Rob exercises everyday, he should be in good condition.should be in good condition.ErrorErrorErrorError ErrorErrorErrorError

Fused Sentences:Fused Sentences:They are fused or

joined together as if they were only one

thought.

Comma SplicesComma Splices:A comma is used to connect

or “splice” together the two complete thoughts. A

comma alone is NOT NOT ENOUGHENOUGH to connect two

complete sentences.

The Two Types of

Run-On Sentences

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

� There are three common methods of correcting a run-oncorrecting a run-on:– Use a periodperiod and a capital lettercapital letter.– Use a comma plus a joining comma plus a joining

wordword (andand, butbut, forfor, oror, nornor, soso, yetyet) to connect the two complete thoughts.

– Use a semicolonsemicolon to connect the two complete thoughts:

Note:Note:A fourth method of

correcting a run-on is to use subordination.

How to Correct Run-OnsHow to Correct Run-Ons

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

� One way of correcting a run-on is to use a period and a capital letter between the two complete sentences. Use this method Use this method especially if the thoughts are not closely especially if the thoughts are not closely related.related.� Incorrect:Incorrect: Kristin plays the guitar Kristin plays the guitar well she hopes to start her own band.well she hopes to start her own band.

� Revision:Revision: Kristin plays the guitar well. Kristin plays the guitar well. She hopes to start her own band. She hopes to start her own band.

Correcting Run-On SentencesCorrecting Run-On Sentences

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

� Another way of correcting a run-on is to use a comma plus a joining word to connect the two complete thoughts. There are seven joining words (also called There are seven joining words (also called conjunctionsconjunctions).).• Kristin plays the guitar well, and she Kristin plays the guitar well, and she hopes to start her own band. hopes to start her own band.

Correcting Run-On SentencesCorrecting Run-On Sentences

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

One way to remember the seven coordinating conjunctions is to put them in

this order:

AAndFFor NNor

BBut OOr YYet SSo

““FANBOYS”FANBOYS”

Michael plays the trumpet well, so he hopes to be selected for the jazz band.

Adding a Coordinating ConjunctionAdding a Coordinating Conjunction

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

� A third method of correcting a run-on is to use a semicolonsemicolon to mark the break between two sentences.

� A semicolonsemicolon looks like a period above a comma.

� When it is used to correct run-ons, the semicolon can be used alone or with a alone or with a transitional wordtransitional word.

Kristin plays the guitar well; she hopes to start her own band. Also correct:Also correct:

Kristin plays the guitar well; consequently,she hopes to start her own band.

Correcting Run-On SentencesCorrecting Run-On Sentences

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

� A fourth method of correcting a run-on is to use subordinationsubordination.

� Incorrect: Incorrect: Michael didn’t want to miss Michael didn’t want to miss the bus, he started to run. the bus, he started to run.

� Revised:Revised: BecauseBecause Michael didn’t Michael didn’t want to miss the bus, he started to want to miss the bus, he started to run. run.

Correcting Run-On SentencesCorrecting Run-On Sentences

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practice Review: Identify each entry as correct or incorrect.

1. The temperature dropped 1. The temperature dropped below freezing last night. below freezing last night. We had to bring our plants We had to bring our plants indoors.indoors.

CorrectCorrect

Learning to Identify and CorrectLearning to Identify and CorrectComma SplicesComma Splices

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practice Review: Identify Practice Review: Identify each entry as correct or each entry as correct or incorrect.incorrect.

2.2. The temperature dropped The temperature dropped below freezing last night; below freezing last night; we had to bring our plants we had to bring our plants indoors.indoors.

CorrectCorrect

Learning to Identify and CorrectLearning to Identify and CorrectComma SplicesComma Splices

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practice Review: Identify Practice Review: Identify each entry as correct or each entry as correct or incorrect.incorrect.

3. The temperature dropped 3. The temperature dropped below freezing last night, so below freezing last night, so we had to bring our plants we had to bring our plants indoors.indoors.

CorrectCorrect

Learning to Identify and CorrectLearning to Identify and CorrectComma SplicesComma Splices

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practice Review: Identify Practice Review: Identify each entry as correct or each entry as correct or incorrect.incorrect.

4. The temperature dropped 4. The temperature dropped below freezing last night, we below freezing last night, we had to bring our plants had to bring our plants indoors.indoors.

IncorrectIncorrect

Learning to Identify and CorrectLearning to Identify and CorrectComma SplicesComma Splices

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practice Review: Identify Practice Review: Identify each entry as correct or each entry as correct or incorrect.incorrect.

5. Because the temperature 5. Because the temperature dropped below freezing last dropped below freezing last night, we had to bring our night, we had to bring our plants indoors.plants indoors.

CorrectCorrect

Learning to Identify and CorrectLearning to Identify and CorrectComma SplicesComma Splices

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practice Review: Identify Practice Review: Identify each entry as correct or each entry as correct or incorrect.incorrect.

6. If the temperature drops 6. If the temperature drops below freezing tonight, we below freezing tonight, we must remember to bring must remember to bring our plants indoors.our plants indoors.

CorrectCorrect

Learning to Identify and CorrectLearning to Identify and CorrectComma SplicesComma Splices

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practice Review: Identify Practice Review: Identify each entry as correct or each entry as correct or incorrect.incorrect.

7.The temperature dropped 7.The temperature dropped below freezing last night, below freezing last night, therefore, we had to bring therefore, we had to bring our plants indoors.our plants indoors.

“Therefore” is not one of theseven coordinating conjunctions,

so it cannot be used with acomma between two independent clauses.See your text for a listof transitional words..

IncorrectIncorrect

Learning to Identify and CorrectLearning to Identify and CorrectComma SplicesComma Splices

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practice Review: Identify Practice Review: Identify each entry as correct or each entry as correct or incorrect.incorrect.

8.The temperature dropped 8.The temperature dropped below freezing last night, below freezing last night, thus we had to bring our thus we had to bring our plants indoors.plants indoors.

IncorrectIncorrect

Learning to Identify and CorrectLearning to Identify and CorrectComma SplicesComma Splices

Chapter 25

College Writing Skills/ College Writing Skills with Readings, 8E

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practice Review: Identify Practice Review: Identify each entry as correct or each entry as correct or incorrect.incorrect.

9.The temperature dropped 9.The temperature dropped below freezing last nightbelow freezing last night we had to bring our plants we had to bring our plants indoors.indoors.

It is a fused sentence.It is a fused sentence.

IncorrectIncorrect

Learning to Identify and CorrectLearning to Identify and CorrectComma SplicesComma Splices