How to Avoid Run-on Sentences When Combining: 5th Grade

Question

Hey there! 👋 Struggling with run-on sentences? They can be tricky when you're trying to combine ideas. I'll show you some super simple ways to fix them in your writing! Let's get this done together! 📝

caitlin.pratt · Accepted Answer

📚 Understanding Run-on Sentences
A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (complete thoughts) are joined without proper punctuation or connecting words. They make your writing confusing and hard to read. Let's learn how to avoid them!
📜 A Brief History
The concept of sentence structure has evolved over centuries. Early writing often lacked clear punctuation. Over time, grammarians established rules to improve clarity and readability, leading to the identification and correction of run-on sentences.
📌 Key Principles to Avoid Run-on Sentences

✂️ Use a Period: Divide the run-on sentence into two separate sentences.
  🤝 Use a Comma and a Coordinating Conjunction: Connect the clauses with a comma followed by 'and', 'but', 'or', 'nor', 'for', 'so', or 'yet'.
  🔗 Use a Semicolon: Join closely related independent clauses with a semicolon.
  ✍️ Use a Subordinating Conjunction: Transform one of the independent clauses into a dependent clause using words like 'because', 'although', 'since', 'when', or 'if'.

📝 Real-World Examples
Let's look at some examples of how to fix run-on sentences:

Run-on Sentence
    Corrected Sentence

I went to the store I bought milk.
    I went to the store. I bought milk.

She likes to read he likes to play soccer.
    She likes to read, but he likes to play soccer.

It was raining we stayed inside.
    It was raining; we stayed inside.

He studied hard he got a good grade.
    Because he studied hard, he got a good grade.

✅ Practice Quiz
Identify and correct the run-on sentences below:

The dog barked loudly it scared the cat.
  I love to swim she prefers to hike.
  The sun was shining birds were singing.

💡 Tips and Tricks

🧐 Read Aloud: Reading your writing aloud can help you identify run-on sentences.
  ✍️ Break it Down: If a sentence feels too long, try breaking it into smaller sentences.
  ✅ Check for Conjunctions: Make sure you are using conjunctions correctly to connect ideas.

⭐ Conclusion
Avoiding run-on sentences will significantly improve the clarity and readability of your writing. By using periods, coordinating conjunctions, semicolons, and subordinating conjunctions, you can effectively combine ideas while maintaining proper sentence structure. Keep practicing, and you'll master this skill in no time!

How to Avoid Run-on Sentences When Combining: 5th Grade

1 Answers

📚 Understanding Run-on Sentences

📜 A Brief History

📌 Key Principles to Avoid Run-on Sentences

📝 Real-World Examples

✅ Practice Quiz

💡 Tips and Tricks

⭐ Conclusion

Join the discussion

Run-on Sentence	Corrected Sentence
I went to the store I bought milk.	I went to the store. I bought milk.
She likes to read he likes to play soccer.	She likes to read, but he likes to play soccer.
It was raining we stayed inside.	It was raining; we stayed inside.
He studied hard he got a good grade.	Because he studied hard, he got a good grade.