Run-On Sentence Examples: Identifying and Correcting

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🚩 Definition: A run-on sentence is two or more independent clauses joined without adequate punctuation or a coordinating conjunction.
• 🔑 Independent Clause: A group of words that can stand alone as a sentence; it contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.
• 🚧 Common Mistakes: Fused sentences (no punctuation) and comma splices (only a comma).
• 💡 Corrections:
  • Add a period and make two separate sentences.
  • Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
  • Use a semicolon.
  • Use a colon (especially if the second clause explains the first).
• ✍️ Example: *Run-on:* I went to the store I bought milk. *Correct:* I went to the store. I bought milk. OR I went to the store, and I bought milk.

Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following is a run-on sentence?
   1. A. The dog barked loudly.
   2. B. I like coffee, but she prefers tea.
   3. C. The sun is shining it is a beautiful day.
   4. D. After the rain, the flowers bloomed.
2. How can you correct the following run-on sentence: "It was raining the game was cancelled"?
   1. A. It was raining, the game was cancelled.
   2. B. It was raining; the game was cancelled.
   3. C. It was raining so the game was cancelled.
   4. D. Both B and C
3. Which of the following sentences is correctly punctuated?
   1. A. I went to the park I saw many birds.
   2. B. I went to the park, and I saw many birds.
   3. C. I went to the park, I saw many birds.
   4. D. I went to the park; but I saw many birds.
4. What is the term for joining two independent clauses with only a comma?
   1. A. Fused sentence
   2. B. Comma splice
   3. C. Sentence fragment
   4. D. Complex sentence
5. Which conjunction is NOT part of the FANBOYS (coordinating conjunctions)?
   1. A. For
   2. B. And
   3. C. Because
   4. D. But
6. Which of the following correctly combines two independent clauses using a colon?
   1. A. I love to read: it is my favorite hobby.
   2. B. I love to read, it is my favorite hobby.
   3. C. I love to read it is my favorite hobby.
   4. D. I love to read; it is my favorite hobby.
7. Identify the correctly punctuated sentence.
   1. A. She went to the store she bought bread and milk.
   2. B. She went to the store, and she bought bread and milk.
   3. C. She went to the store; she bought bread, and milk.
   4. D. She went to the store: she bought bread and milk.