Run-on Sentences

Recognizing independent clauses& how to join them correctly (or not)

Run-on Sentences: A Definition• Run-on sentences are independent clauses that have not

been joined correctly

Run-on Sentences: A Definition• Run-on sentences are independent clauses that have

not been joined correctly– Independent clause:

• A word group that can stand alone as a sentence with a subject and a verb

Run-on Sentences: A Definition• Run-on sentences are independent clauses that have

not been joined correctly– Independent clause:

• A word group that can stand alone as a sentence with a subject and a verb

– When two or more independent clauses appear in one sentence they must be joined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction:• and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet• …or with a semi-colon (occasionally with a colon or a dash)• …or split the run-on sentence into two separate sentences

Run-on Sentences: A Definition• Run-on sentences are independent clauses that have

not been joined correctly– Independent clause:

• A word group that can stand alone as a sentence with a subject and a verb

– When two or more independent clauses appear in one sentence they must be joined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction:• and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet• …or with a semi-colon (occasionally with a colon or a dash)• …or split the run-on sentence into two separate sentences

– Beware: Run-on sentences do not have to be long. They just have to contain multiple independent clauses without conjoining words or punctuation.

Identifying Run-on Sentences

• “It is after midnight, I don’t want to go home.”

– Is this a run-on sentence?

Identifying Run-on Sentences

• “It is after midnight, I don’t want to go home.”

– Is this a run-on sentence? Yes.– Remember: Run-on sentences don’t have to be

long, they just have to include two different independent clauses.

– Corrections?

Identifying Run-on Sentences

• “It is after midnight, I don’t want to go home.”

– Is this a run-on sentence? Yes.– Remember: Run-on sentences don’t have to be

long, they just have to include two different independent clauses.

– Corrections?• “It is after midnight, but I don’t want to go

home.”

Identifying Run-on Sentences• “Knowing that millions of people around the world would be watching in person and

on television and expecting great things from him — at least one more gold medal for America, if not another world record — during this, his fourth and surely his last appearance in the World Olympics, and realizing that his legs could no longer carry him down the runway with the same blazing speed and confidence in making a huge, eye-popping leap that the were capable of a few years ago when he set world records in the 100-meter dash and in the 400-meter relay and won a silver medal in the long jump, the renowned sprinter and track-and-field personality Carl Lewis, who had known pressure from fans and media before but never, even as a professional runner, this kind of pressure, made only a few appearances in races during the few months before the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, partly because he was afraid of raising expectations even higher and he did not want to be distracted by interviews and adoring fans who would follow him into stores and restaurants demanding autographs and photo-opportunities, but mostly because he wanted to conserve his energies and concentrate, like a martial arts expert, on the job at hand: winning his favorite competition, the long jump, and bringing home another Gold Medal for the United States, the most fitting conclusion to his brilliant career in track and field.”

Identifying Run-on Sentences• “Knowing that millions of people around the world would be watching in person and

on television and expecting great things from him — at least one more gold medal for America, if not another world record — during this, his fourth and surely his last appearance in the World Olympics, and realizing that his legs could no longer carry him down the runway with the same blazing speed and confidence in making a huge, eye-popping leap that the were capable of a few years ago when he set world records in the 100-meter dash and in the 400-meter relay and won a silver medal in the long jump, the renowned sprinter and track-and-field personality Carl Lewis, who had known pressure from fans and media before but never, even as a professional runner, this kind of pressure, made only a few appearances in races during the few months before the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, partly because he was afraid of raising expectations even higher and he did not want to be distracted by interviews and adoring fans who would follow him into stores and restaurants demanding autographs and photo-opportunities, but mostly because he wanted to conserve his energies and concentrate, like a martial arts expert, on the job at hand: winning his favorite competition, the long jump, and bringing home another Gold Medal for the United States, the most fitting conclusion to his brilliant career in track and field.”

Identifying Run-on Sentences• “Knowing that millions of people around the world would be watching in person and

on television and expecting great things from him — at least one more gold medal for America, if not another world record — during this, his fourth and surely his last appearance in the World Olympics, and realizing that his legs could no longer carry him down the runway with the same blazing speed and confidence in making a huge, eye-popping leap that the were capable of a few years ago when he set world records in the 100-meter dash and in the 400-meter relay and won a silver medal in the long jump, the renowned sprinter and track-and-field personality Carl Lewis, who had known pressure from fans and media before but never, even as a professional runner, this kind of pressure, made only a few appearances in races during the few months before the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, partly because he was afraid of raising expectations even higher and he did not want to be distracted by interviews and adoring fans who would follow him into stores and restaurants demanding autographs and photo-opportunities, but mostly because he wanted to conserve his energies and concentrate, like a martial arts expert, on the job at hand: winning his favorite competition, the long jump, and bringing home another Gold Medal for the United States, the most fitting conclusion to his brilliant career in track and field.”

Quiz: Is it a run-on sentence?

Yes or no, and why?

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “This is going to be the most difficult exam of your

college career, you had better start studying for it immediately.”

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “This is going to be the most difficult exam of your

college career, you had better start studying for it immediately.”

• YES! This is a run-on sentence.• “This is going to be the most difficult exam of your

college career, so you had better start studying for it immediately.”

• “This is going to be the most difficult exam of your college career; you had better start studying for it immediately.” (Replaced comma with semi-colon.)

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “Knowing better than anyone else how the state legislature

had ignored the needs of the community college system and created a crisis characterized by an uneducated workforce that had no place to go for proper training and realizing that someone had to do something about the situation or the state would begin to lose jobs to states in the American south that were more aggressive in providing and publicizing excellence in education, Representative Fuentes began to lay plans for an education bill that took into consideration the needs of the state's community colleges and the students who attended them.”

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “Knowing better than anyone else how the state legislature

had ignored the needs of the community college system and created a crisis characterized by an uneducated workforce that had no place to go for proper training and realizing that someone had to do something about the situation or the state would begin to lose jobs to states in the American south that were more aggressive in providing and publicizing excellence in education, Representative Fuentes began to lay plans for an education bill that took into consideration the needs of the state's community colleges and the students who attended them.”

• NO! This is NOT a run-on sentence.

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “Knowing better than anyone else how the state legislature

had ignored the needs of the community college system and created a crisis characterized by an uneducated workforce that had no place to go for proper training and realizing that someone had to do something about the situation or the state would begin to lose jobs to states in the American south that were more aggressive in providing and publicizing excellence in education, Representative Fuentes began to lay plans for an education bill that took into consideration the needs of the state's community colleges and the students who attended them.”

• NO! This is NOT a run-on sentence.

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “She ran fast.”

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “She ran fast.”

• NO! This is NOT a run-on sentence.

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “She ran fast, she won.”

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “She ran fast, she won.”

• YES! This is a run-on sentence.

• “She ran fast, and she won.”

• “She ran fast; she won.”

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “If we're ever going to get out of here in time, we're going to

have to re-write all these papers, set up the desks, and clean the chalkboards; stack those books in the corner and clean up the mess around the wastebasket; notify security about the broken window, the thermostat that Raoul messed up, and the desk that was stolen before we even got here.”

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “If we're ever going to get out of here in time, we're going to

have to re-write all these papers, set up the desks, and clean the chalkboards; stack those books in the corner and clean up the mess around the wastebasket; notify security about the broken window, the thermostat that Raoul messed up, and the desk that was stolen before we even got here.”

• NO! This is NOT a run-on sentence.

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “Professor Johnson really wants to get hired by Texas

A&M, she is very excited about returning to the college she graduated from.”

Is it a Run-on Sentence?• “Professor Johnson really wants to get hired by Texas A&M,

she is very excited about returning to the college she graduated from.”

• YES! This is a run-on sentence.

• “Professor Johnson really wants to get hired by Texas A&M. She is very excited about returning to the college she graduated from.” (Insert period and begin a new sentence.)

• Professor Johnson really wants to get hired by Texas A&M, because she is very excited about returning to the college she graduated from.

Run-on Sentences: A Review• Run-on sentences are independent clauses that have

not been joined correctly– Independent clause:

• A word group that can stand alone as a sentence with a subject and a verb

– When two or more independent clauses appear in one sentence they must be joined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction:• and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet• …or with a semi-colon (occasionally with a colon or a dash)• …or split the run-on sentence into two separate sentences

– Beware: Run-on sentences do not have to be long. They just have to contain multiple independent clauses without conjoining words or punctuation.