Run-on sentences are a common error in writing, often making your work confusing and less impactful. Understanding what a run-on sentence is and how to correct it is crucial for clear and effective communication. This guide will help you identify run-on sentences and provide you with simple methods to fix them, enhancing the clarity of your writing.
Defining Run-On Sentences
A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (clauses that can stand alone as complete sentences) are improperly joined together. Essentially, it’s when you have multiple complete thoughts crammed into a single sentence without proper punctuation or connecting words.
There are two main types of run-on sentences:
- Fused Sentences: These occur when independent clauses are joined together with no punctuation at all.
- Incorrect: The dog barked loudly the mailman approached the house.
- Comma Splices: These happen when independent clauses are joined together only by a comma. While commas are useful punctuation marks, they are not strong enough to link independent clauses on their own without a coordinating conjunction.
- Incorrect: I love to read books, they transport me to different worlds.
Run-on sentences can make your writing difficult to follow because they blur the lines between separate ideas. Readers have to work harder to understand the intended meaning, which can detract from your message.
How to Correct Run-On Sentences
Fortunately, fixing run-on sentences is straightforward. Here are several effective methods you can use to correct them and improve the readability of your writing:
1. Separate into Two Sentences
One of the simplest ways to fix a run-on sentence is to divide the independent clauses into separate sentences. This method is particularly effective when the clauses express distinct but related ideas. You simply insert a period at the end of the first independent clause and start the next clause with a capital letter.
Incorrect: Mary came home from work early we worked hard on our project.
Correct: Mary came home from work early. We worked hard on our project.
By separating the clauses, you create a natural pause and allow each idea to stand out clearly.
2. Use a Semicolon
A semicolon is a punctuation mark that can join two closely related independent clauses. It indicates a closer relationship between the clauses than a period would, suggesting that the ideas are connected and of equal importance.
Incorrect: Mary came home from work early she had been feeling ill all morning.
Correct: Mary came home from work early; she had been feeling ill all morning.
Using a semicolon is a good option when you want to maintain a flow between related thoughts within a single sentence.
3. Use a Comma and a Coordinating Conjunction
Coordinating conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, and clauses of equal grammatical rank. When used with a comma, they can effectively join two independent clauses into a compound sentence. The coordinating conjunctions are: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (often remembered by the acronym FANBOYS).
Incorrect: I was too tired to go to the store the guys shopped for three hours.
Correct: I was too tired to go to the store, but the guys shopped for three hours.
Using a comma and a coordinating conjunction is a versatile way to link clauses that you want to connect with a specific logical relationship (contrast, addition, reason, etc.).
4. Use a Subordinating Conjunction
Subordinating conjunctions introduce dependent clauses, which cannot stand alone as sentences. By adding a subordinating conjunction to one of the independent clauses, you transform it into a dependent clause and correctly connect it to the remaining independent clause in a complex sentence. Some common subordinating conjunctions include: when, while, because, as, although, if, though, since.
Incorrect: I will watch The Office you do your homework.
Correct: I will watch The Office while you do your homework.
Using a subordinating conjunction is effective when you want to show that one idea is dependent on or less important than another idea in the sentence.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of identifying and correcting run-on sentences is essential for producing clear, concise, and professional writing. By understanding the different methods to fix them – separating sentences, using semicolons, coordinating conjunctions, and subordinating conjunctions – you can significantly improve the readability and impact of your written communication. Practice identifying run-on sentences in your own writing and applying these correction techniques to polish your skills and become a more effective writer.
