Lesson 11  -  Correcting Run-on Sentences

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Assessed Skills from Tennessee Blueprint - 6th Grade

Select the most appropriate method to correct a run-on sentence (i.e., conjunctions, semicolons, and periods to join or separate elements) within context.

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In this lesson you will learn how to recognize and correct run-on sentences. A run-on sentence is two or more sentences that are incorrectly written as one sentence. The length of the sentence has nothing to do with it being a run-on sentence. Here are some examples:

Incorrect Lina groaned as she got on her bike again her muscles were sore from yesterday.	Correct (Make into 2 sentences.) Lina groaned as she got on her bike again. Her muscles were sore from yesterday.
Incorrect Doon looked out he could see only the tops of people's heads. An angry buzz filled the air one voice rose above the rest.	Correct (Make a compound sentence.) Doon looked out, but he could see only the tops of people's heads. An angry buzz filled the air, and one voice rose above the rest.
Incorrect Doon looked through the doors he saw that a heap of trash had been dumped on the front steps. A while went by Tick climbed the steps and clapped his hands.	Correct (Make a complex sentence.) Through the doors Doon saw that a heap of trash had been dumped on the front steps. After a while Tick climbed the steps and clapped his hands.
Incorrect It wasn't so much the pile itself that made him feel sick it was that whoever did this hated the people of Ember. We've been attacked again this is worse than the first time.	Correct (Add semicolon.) It wasn't so much the pile itself that made him feel sick; it was that whoever did this hated the people of Ember. We've been attacked again; this is worse than the first time.

Practice

Part A   Write run-on or correct in each of the blank spaces.

1. _____________________ I don't know, son, but I have it too.
2. _____________________ "Don't worry," said Maddy. "People didn't make life they can't destroy it.
3. _____________________ Lina stared at him her mouth dropped open her eyebrows flew upward, and her heart thudded in her chest.
4. _____________________ The day after tomorrow they will leave Sparks.
5. _____________________ I'm sure I'm sure.

Part B  There are four methods for correcting run-on sentences. The first is to simply make two sentences.

Example:
What was she thinking about? Lina wondered sometimes she looked so serious.
Lina wondered		sometimes she looked so serious.

In the following practice correct the following run-on sentences by adding editing marks to make two simple sentences.

1. It's called fog it comes in off the water.
2. There are lots of roamers someone will help us.
3. She laughed out loud it was such a glorious freedom.
4. Sometimes Maddy simply sat Lina would see her settled into an ancient lawn chair.
5. We use force it is our only option.

Part C The second method for correcting run-on sentences is linking the sentences or clauses with a conjunction. (The seven coordinating conjunctions are easy to remember by the acronym FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, and So.)  

Example:
We'll travel just a little farther then we'll stop.
We'll travel just a little farther					then we'll stop.

In this practice correct the following run-on sentences by adding a comma and a conjunction.

1. Those who'd heard about the poison oak raged about it to those who hadn't before long everyone knew.
2. Arms reached up to catch it fell past them and landed a few feet from Doon.
3. Someone in the bakery flung a great clump of dough at the supervisor someone in the egg shop hurled three eggs at the wall.
4. Maddy said the round green leaves that grew on the creek's banks were good to eat they had those with their travelers' cakes.
5. Lina would look out the window of the house she was poking through and see Maddy wading through knee-high grass toward a gnarled old apple tree she'd see her wide back in among the bushes as she picked berries.

Part D The third method for correcting run-on sentences is by making one of the clauses dependent by adding words such as since, which, that, although, because, or while.

Example:
I'll take you with me you'll help with my collecting on the way.
I'll take you with me		you'll help with my collecting on the way.

In the following practice correct the run-on sentences by making one of the clauses dependent. The following list of words will help you:

1. The cleanup was done people stood around and argued.
2. People listened their eyes narrowed and their lips tightened.
3. The shouting died down after a while people couldn't agree on a course of action.
4. Doon and his father went too Doon went reluctantly. 
5. It was somewhere in the murk she heard Caspar's voice.

Part E The fourth method for correcting run-on sentences is joining the two sentences with a semicolon. Use a semicolon to join clauses when the ideas are closely connected and need no transition word to explain the connection between them. The semicolon, as used here, is the grammatical equivalent of a period.

Example:
Not much was left these houses had been picked nearly clean in the last two hundred years.
Not much was left		these houses had been picked nearly clean in the last two hundred years.

In the following practice correct the following run-on sentences by joining the two clauses with a semicolon.

1. Other people said no it wasn't good to cause trouble.
2. They explained about the oil on the leaves you only had to touch it to get the rash.
3. Most of them were men there were a few women and girls too.
4. People would have been hurt there would have been blood.
5. The people of Sparks will wrong us again we can be sure of that.

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Answer Key

Part A

1. correct
2. run-on
3. run-on
4. correct
5. run-on

Part B

1. It's called fog. It comes in off the water.
2. There are lots of roamers. Someone will help us.
3. She laughed out loud. It was such a glorious freedom.
4. Sometimes Maddy simply sat. Lina would see her settled into an ancient lawn chair.
5. We use force. It is our only option.

Part C (Possible answers)

1. Those who'd heard about the poison oak raged about it to those who hadn't, and before long everyone knew.
2. Arms reached up to catch, but it fell past them and landed a few feet from Doon.
3. Someone in the bakery flung a great clump of dough at the supervision, and someone in the egg shop hurled three eggs at the wall.
4. Maddy said the round green leaves that grew on the creek's banks were good to eat, so they had those with their travelers' cakes.
5. Lina would look out the window of the house she was poking through and see Maddy wading through knee-high grass toward a gnarled old apple tree, or she'd see her wide back in among the bushes as she picked berries.

Part D (Possible answers)

1. When the cleanup was done, people stood around and argued.
2. As people listened, their eyes narrowed and their lips tightened.
3. The shouting died down after a while, because people couldn't agree on a course of action.
4. Doon and his father went too, though Doon went reluctantly. 
5. From somewhere in the murk, she heard Caspar's voice.

Part E

1. Other people said no; it wasn't good to cause trouble.
2. They explained about the oil on the leaves; you only had to touch it to get the rash.
3. Most of them were men; there were a few women and girls too.
4. People would have been hurt; there would have been blood.
5. The people of Sparks will wrong us again; we can be sure of that.