Identifying Fragments, Run-ons, and Comma Splices – The RoughWriter’s Guide (2024)

FAQs

How to identify run-ons and comma splices? ›

A comma splice occurs when only a comma separates two independent sentences. A run-on (or fused sentence) occurs when no punctuation at all separates independent sentences.

A run-on sentence is two independent clauses joined with no intervening punctuation (i.e., run together). A run-on sentence has too many subjects and verbs! A comma splice is two independent clauses (complete sentences) joined with a comma.

They lack a subject or a verb or both, or do not include all the phrases necessary to make a complete idea. For example: Fragment. Missing Element. The tall tree, the one that I loved to climb.

If the sentence contains two independent clauses without a linking conjunction, it is a comma splice. For example, the sentence, “I went to the store today, we were out of apples,” contains a comma splice because the clauses before and after the comma are independent, and there is no conjunction to link them.

A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (also known as complete sentences) are connected improperly. Example: I love to write papers I would write one every day if I had the time.

A fragment is an incomplete sentence. To correct a fragment, add the missing subject to the predicate. A run-on sentence is two sentences that run together. To correct a run-on sentence, write two separate sentences, or write a compound sentence.

When you join two independent clauses with a comma and no conjunction, it's called a comma splice. Some people consider this a type of run-on sentence, while other people think of it as a punctuation error. Here's an example of a comma splice: Koala bears are not actually bears, they are marsupials.

If the independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation between them, like a semicolon, a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point, this is a definite indicator that it is a run-on sentence.

There are three types of run-on sentences: A fused sentence is when clauses are joined with no punctuation. A comma splice is when clauses are joined with only a comma (and nothing else), and a polysyndeton is when a sentence uses too many conjunctions or more conjunctions than necessary.

How to fix a fragment sentence? ›

How do you fix a sentence fragment? The easiest way to fix a sentence fragment is to add the missing part. This could be the sentence's subject, verb, direct object, or an entire independent clause—or sometimes a combination of these.

A comma splice error occurs when sentences or independent clauses are improperly connected by a comma alone. Examples of Comma Splice Errors: The clouds were dark, we thought it would rain. I bought a coat, however, it did not fit.

A run-on sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses that are not joined correctly or which should be made into separate sentences. A run-on sentence is defined by its grammatical structure, not its length. Incorrect: My favorite band is in town they are performing now. Correct: My favorite band is in town.

Comma splices are sentence errors we create by using a comma alone to attach two sentences to each other. Fused sentences (aka run-ons) occur when we join them with no punctuation whatsoever.

A comma splice error occurs when sentences or independent clauses are improperly connected by a comma alone. Examples of Comma Splice Errors: The clouds were dark, we thought it would rain. I bought a coat, however, it did not fit.