Running into Run-On Sentences

Running into Run-On Sentences
by Vivian Gilbert Zabel

         Run-sentences halt a reader because he or she has to stop and decide what the writer means. Run-on sentences are compound sentences joined incorrectly. A run-on sentence interrupts the flow and meaning of what is written.

         All right, I see those confused looks. First of all, a compound sentence is two or more independent clauses joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction, by a semicolon or a semicolon and a comma, or by a colon.

         An independent clause or main clause is a group of words with a subject and verb which contains a complete thought.

Independent clause: The boy ran around the house, screaming at the top of his voice.
Dependent clause (not a complete thought}: Screaming at the top of his voice.

         A coordinating conjunction is a word such as and, but, or, nor, yet, or for that joins items of equal value. The conjunction may join subjects, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and/or clauses.

         Now let’s examine run-on sentence problems and how to correct them. The first run-on sentence which we’ll work with is as follows:

Run-on: Secretary of State William Seward bought Alaska from Russia the deal was mocked as “Seward’s Folly.”

         One way uses an end mark and a capital letter to separate the independent (or main} clauses into separate sentences.

Separate sentences: Secretary of State William Seward bought Alaska from Russia. The deal was mocked as “Seward’s Folly.”

         Another way is to use a semicolon between clauses.

Semicolon: Secretary of State William Seward bought Alaska from Russia; the deal was mocked as “Seward’s Folly.” Note: both clauses must be closely related for this method to work.

         Using a comma and a coordinating conjunction between clauses also works.

Comma and coordinating conjunction: Secretary of State William Seward brought Alaska from Russia, but the deal was mocked as “Seward’s Folly.”

         A final way to correct a run-on sentence is to introduce one clause with a subordinating conjunction (creating a dependent or subordinate clause - a clause not making a complete thought) and use a comma before the new independent or main clause. This combination creates a complex sentence: the use of one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

Complex sentence: When Secretary of State William Seward brought Alaska from Russia, the deal was mocked as “Seward’s Folly.”

          A comma splice, another type of run-on sentence, can be corrected in the same ways. In a comma splice, the two independent clauses are joined only by a comma. The sample sentence will be the following:

Comma splice: The president of the company found himself in a quandary, the company was going bankrupt.

Separate sentences: The president of the company found himself in a quandary. The company was going bankrupt.

Semicolon: The president of the company found himself in a quandary; the company was going bankrupt.

Comma and coordinating conjunction: The president of the company found himself in a quandary, for the company was going bankrupt.

Complex sentence: Because the company was going bankrupt, the president of the company found himself in a quandary.

         Hopefully, the preceding information will help everyone better understand how to avoid run-on sentences. Running into them hurts comprehension.

Sources:
1. Writer's Companion copyright 1995 by Printice-Hall, Inc.
2. Literature and Language copyright 2001 by McDugal Littel.
3. Notes and lesson plans by Vivian Zabel