jameshayes2004
jameshayes2004 6d ago • 0 views

What is a run-on sentence? Definition and examples for 5th Grade

Hey there, 5th graders! 👋 Ever get confused about sentences that just seem to go on and on? 🤔 Let's break down what a run-on sentence is and how to spot them!
📖 English Language Arts

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saraeaton1998 Jan 7, 2026

📚 What is a Run-On Sentence?

A run-on sentence happens when two or more complete thoughts (independent clauses) are joined together without proper punctuation or connecting words.

Quick Study Guide

  • ✔️ An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a sentence.
  • ✏️ Run-on sentences often lack a comma and a conjunction (like 'and', 'but', 'or').
  • 💡 They can also happen when only a comma is used to join two independent clauses (this is called a comma splice!).
  • 🛑 To fix a run-on, you can add a comma and a conjunction, use a semicolon, or make two separate sentences.

Practice Quiz

  1. Which of the following is a run-on sentence?
    1. I like to read books.
    2. The dog barked, and the cat ran away.
    3. It was raining the game was cancelled.
    4. She went to the store.
  2. What is the best way to fix the following run-on sentence: "I went to the park it was fun"?
    1. I went to the park, it was fun.
    2. I went to the park; it was fun.
    3. I went to the park but it was fun.
    4. I went to the park.
  3. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
    1. The sun is shining it is a beautiful day.
    2. The sun is shining, it is a beautiful day.
    3. The sun is shining, and it is a beautiful day.
    4. The sun is shining; but it is a beautiful day.
  4. Identify the run-on sentence:
    1. She is a talented artist, and she loves to paint.
    2. He plays the guitar, but he also sings.
    3. They went to the beach they swam in the ocean.
    4. We ate pizza for dinner.
  5. What punctuation mark can be used to separate two independent clauses in a run-on sentence?
    1. Question mark
    2. Exclamation point
    3. Semicolon
    4. Comma
  6. Which of these is NOT a way to correct a run-on sentence?
    1. Adding a comma and a conjunction
    2. Creating two separate sentences
    3. Using a semicolon
    4. Removing all punctuation
  7. Which sentence is NOT a run-on sentence?
    1. The bird sang the flowers bloomed.
    2. I like ice cream it is delicious.
    3. She studied hard, she passed the test.
    4. He ran quickly, but he didn't win.
Click to see Answers
  1. C
  2. B
  3. C
  4. C
  5. C
  6. D
  7. D

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