Identify and Fix Run-On Sentences Quiz for High Schoolers (with Answers)

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 📝 A run-on sentence contains two or more independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunctions.
• 🔗 An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a sentence. It has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.
• 💡 There are several ways to fix run-on sentences:
  • Add a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet). Example: *I went to the store, and I bought milk.*
  • Add a semicolon (;). Example: *I went to the store; I bought milk.*
  • Add a colon (:). (Use a colon when the second clause explains or clarifies the first.) Example: *I went to the store: I needed milk.*
  • Divide the run-on into two separate sentences. Example: *I went to the store. I bought milk.*
  • Subordinate one of the clauses (make it dependent). Example: *Because I needed milk, I went to the store.*
• ❗ Common mistakes include using only a comma to join independent clauses (comma splice) or simply stringing clauses together without any punctuation or conjunctions.

Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following is a run-on sentence?
   1. A. I like to sing, and she likes to dance.
   2. B. The dog barked loudly, but the cat remained asleep.
   3. C. It was raining I took my umbrella.
   4. D. Although it was raining, I took my umbrella.
2. Which of the following correctly fixes the run-on sentence: "The sun was shining the birds were singing."?
   1. A. The sun was shining, the birds were singing.
   2. B. The sun was shining; the birds were singing.
   3. C. The sun was shining, but the birds were singing,
   4. D. The sun was shining, so the birds were singing.
3. Identify the run-on sentence:
   1. A. She went to the library, and she studied for hours.
   2. B. The movie was long; I almost fell asleep.
   3. C. He ran to the store he needed bread.
   4. D. Because he was tired, he went to bed.
4. Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon to fix a run-on?
   1. A. I went to the park I saw many dogs.
   2. B. I went to the park, I saw many dogs.
   3. C. I went to the park; I saw many dogs.
   4. D. I went to the park, and I saw many dogs.
5. Which of these is NOT a way to correct a run-on sentence?
   1. A. Add a comma.
   2. B. Add a semicolon.
   3. C. Add a comma and coordinating conjunction.
   4. D. Create two separate sentences.
6. Identify the correctly punctuated sentence.
   1. A. She laughed, he cried.
   2. B. She laughed he cried.
   3. C. She laughed; he cried.
   4. D. She laughed, and he cried,
7. Which of the following sentences is correctly punctuated?
   1. A. I love to read books they take me to different worlds.
   2. B. I love to read books, they take me to different worlds.
   3. C. I love to read books; they take me to different worlds.
   4. D. I love to read books, and they take me to different worlds,