What Are Run-Ons?


A run-on is two complete thoughts that are run together with no adequate sign given to mark the break between them. As a result of the run-on, the reader is confused, unsure of where one thought ends and the next one begins. Two types of run-ons are fused sentences and comma splices.
Some run-ons have no punctuation at all to mark the break between two or more thoughts. Such run-ons are known as fused sentences: They are fused or joined together as if they were only one thought.
Fused Sentence 1
Rita decided to stop smoking she didn’t want to die of lung cancer.
Fused Sentence 2
The exam was postponed the class was canceled as well.
In other run-ons, known as comma splices, a comma is used to connect or “splice” together the two complete thoughts. However, a comma alone is not enough to connect two complete thoughts. Some connection stronger than a comma alone is needed.
Comma Splice 1
Rita decided to stop smoking, she didn’t want to die of lung cancer.
Comma Splice 2
The exam was postponed, the class was canceled as well.


Comma splices are the most common kind of run-on. Students sense that some kind of connection is needed between thoughts, so they put a comma at the dividing point. But the comma alone is not sufficient. A stronger, clearer mark is needed between the two thoughts.

Reminder:

A run-on sentence is defined as: a sentence which joins two independent clauses or sentences with no punctuation or conjunction between them. Sometimes they occur from misuse of punctuation marks as well.

A run-on is two complete thoughts that are run together with no adequate sign given to mark the break between them. As a result of the run-on, the reader is confused, unsure of where one thought ends and the next one begins. Two types of run-ons are fused sentences and comma splices.

Some run-ons have no punctuation at all to mark the break between two or more thoughts. Such run-ons are known as fused sentences: They are fused or joined together as if they were only one thought.

Examples to this are given as follows with different correct forms:

Example (a)

RUN-ON: I like spinach I like lettuce.

CORRECT 1: I like spinach. I like lettuce.

CORRECT 2: I like spinach, and I like lettuce.

CORRECT 3: I like spinach and lettuce.

CORRECT 4: I like spinach, I like lettuce.

Example (b)

RUN-ON: The nuclear plant malfunctioned radiation levels were high.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………….

run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (also known as complete sentences) are connected improperly.

ExampleI love to write papers I would write one every day if I had the time.

There are two complete sentences in the above example:

Sentence 1I love to write papers.
 
Sentence 2I would write one every day if I had the time.

Revised …………………………………………………………………………………………

Run on

My mother likes to cook and she cooks delicious cakes and cookies and I love the smell of the house whenever she is baking something because it makes my mouth water.

Revised…………………………………………………………………………………

Last modified: Saturday, 16 November 2024, 7:59 PM