SENTENCE RUN-ONS: FUSED SENTENCES & COMMA SPLICES Run-ons, fused sentences and comma splices are names for incorrectly punctuated sentences. Usually at least two thoughts are placed together without any punctuation or without the correct punctuation. The reader may become confused about the meaning of the sentence because of the punctuation problem. COMMA SPLICES are two complete thoughts joined by a comma but without any coordinating word (AND, BUT, OR, etc.) or subordinating word (IF, WHEN, ALTHOUGH, EVEN THOUGH, WHENEVER, BECAUSE, etc.) to join them correctly. She likes to read, she doesn't have the time. He went to the store, then he walked home. FUSED SENTENCES are two complete thoughts joined together without any connecting word or separating punctuation (period or semi-colon). John paid the ticket he didn't want to go to court. Pat watched the game finally it ended. One way to detect run-ons is two read your sentences aloud slowly and listen for endings or stops. If your voice stops and then drops, use a period. The route was long we looked for a shortcut. The route was long. We looked for a shortcut. If your voice raises, then use a question mark. Was the movie too long he said he couldn't sit through it. Was the movie too long? He said he couldn't sit through it. If you hear strong emotion, then try an exclamation. That line was just too long she and I didn't want to wait. That line was just too long! She and I didn't want to wait. There are several ways to avoid or fix run-ons: 1. Join the two complete thoughts with an appropriate coordinating word (AND, BUT, FOR, OR, NOR, SO, YET), and use a comma before the connecting word. COMMA SPLICE: She likes to read, she doesn't have the time. -43- CORRECT: _________________, but _________________________. (She likes to read, but she doesn't have the time.) FUSED: Pat watched the game finally it ended. CORRECT: Pat watched the game, and finally it ended. 2. Use an appropriate subordinating word (WHEN, BECAUSE, ALTHOUGH, IF, SINCE, EVEN THOUGH, WHENEVER, WHEREVER, etc.)to link the two thoughts. You may have to supply additional punctuation. COMMA SPLICE: He wants to travel, he can't afford it. CORRECT: Although he wants to travel, he can't afford it. FUSED: You cannot smoke here the law forbids it. CORRECT: You cannot smoke here because the law forbids it. List of common subordinating words: although when since even though as whenever so that if as though where that as if wherever why because while though before which until 3. Sometimes just a period or a period and a conjoining word (HOWEVER, THEREFORE, CONSEQUENTLY, NEVERTHELESS, MOREOVER, FURTHERMORE, etc. followed by a comma) will fix the problem. SPLICE: She went shopping, however, the sales were over. CORRECT: She went shopping. However, the sales were over. FUSED: John had a long wait he was patient. Jane also waited patiently soon it was her turn. CORRECT: John had a long wait. Nevertheless, he was patient. Jane also waited patiently. Soon it was her turn. Remember that words like FINALLY, SOON, NOW, THEN, HERE, USUALLY, THERE and the conjoining words in # 3 cannot be used to join com- plete thoughts together without a period (or semicolon). Use per- iods before them when they appear before two complete thoughts. I've been here two hours now I must go. I've been here two hours. Now I must go. Subj./verb CORRECT: We tried, however, to stop him. -44- Subj./verb Subj./verb phrase COMMA SPLICE: We tried to stop him, however, we could not find him. CORRECT: We tried to stop him. However, we could not find him. Exercise 1. Identify and correct any run-ons. 1.The team shifted to a zone defense, this tactic gave them better coverage on Smith. 2. I received a $1000 loan, but the loan didn't cover all my school expenses. 3. Emily and John had thirty dollars, that was enough for the party items. 4. The movie was recommended by four critics, nevertheless, I found it boring. 5. Yes, a college degree can help one get a better job not everyone, however, should go to college. 6. Her blouse was covered with stripes they reminded him of a zebra. 7. Today's class was great, for the first time I figured out what the professor was saying. 8. Most hobbies require special knowhow, and butterfly collecting is no exception. 9. The senator leaked the information to the press she wanted to get the public's support on the issue. 10. I only traveled once by bus to Boston and that was enough to convince me to take a plane. 11. Last year he was a distant, unfriendly person this year I hope he changes. 12. I hate going on picnics usually the rain comes right after we begin eating then the food and everything end up wet. Exercise 2. Correct the run-ons in the following paragraphs. 1. Is telling a lie always wrong? Some would say yes, others believe it depends on the situation. If lying means saying something untrue purposely, most persons would condemn it. For -45- instance, people should not say they have a college degree unless they have graduated from college, however some cases are different, telling the truth would cause pain. Rather than causing pain, people often will lie. 2. Some people put everything into only two categories--right and wrong. They don't believe there are any other choices this sort of thinking works in some cases, in many cases, though, it is simple-minded and even dangerous. For instance, people are never 100 per cent good or bad they are a mix of the two. We need to be aware of this to avoid stereotyping then we can make better judgments about things. 3. Owning a pet, whether a dog, cat, bird, or hamster, can be beneficial for children it is really an educational experience, children learn to be responsible, they learn to feed and groom the pet, in addition, the pet gives love and lasting companionship however some children are too young for the responsibility of a pet the pet ends up being neglected, then the parents must do all the work. 4. In an early version of "Cinderella," her slippers were made of fur rather than glass the change from fur to glass was caused by a translating error, in the French version, the shoes were vair, or made of fur. One translator thought the word was verre, the French word for glass. I prefer the glass slippers to the fur ones even though it was an error, glass slippers sound more romantic. -46- 5. In the last century farms were self-sufficient this meant that they produced nearly everything needed to survive, food, clothing, and tools were produced on the farm, not purchased elsewhere today farms are specialized they often produce just one thing, such as milk, corn, soy beans, or wheat farms now are like hugh factories. 6. We Americans have always loved "how-to" books there are books about how to sew, how to fix your car yourself, how to remodel your home, and how to be your own best friend. These books are probably popular because this society is fairly new. We lack the guidance that centuries of tradition can give. The public is on its own, people turn to books rather than tradition for advice. Washburn University Writing Center ---------------------------------------------------------------- This handout is revised and adapted from one used by the Purdue University Writing Lab in 1982, and some revised exercises come from Marie L. Matthew's Pattern and Practice (Boston: Little- Brown, 1986).