Lesson 12 - 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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This lesson will provide additional practice with run-on sentences.

Things to Remember:

  1. A run-on sentence is two or more sentences that are incorrectly written as one sentence.

  2. The length of the sentence has nothing to do with it being a run-on sentence.

  3. There are four methods for correcting run-on sentences. They are:

    1. Making separate sentences.
    2. 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.)
    3. Joining the two clauses with a semicolon.
    4. Making one of the clauses a dependent by adding words such as since, which, that, although, because, or while.

Practice

Part A Multiple Choice

  1. Choose the sentence that is written correctly and is not a fragment or a run-on.
    1. The announcement shocked the people of Ember.
    2. He's a troublemaker he's a hero.
    3. Halfway up the stairs.
    4. It was many hours people went to sleep that night.
  2. Choose the sentence that is written correctly and is not a fragment or a run-on.
    1. This Weapon they have they could use that to force us out.
    2. To be effective.
    3. Just one weapon.
    4. My guess is that it's something very large that could be made to fall on us and crush us.
  3. Choose the sentence that is written correctly and is not a fragment or a run-on.
    1. Some sort of poison that they could spray at us.
    2. I'm not leaving! Let them try and make me!
    3. They need me they need all of us!
    4. Some of us are hurt some die.
  4. Choose the sentence that is written correctly and is not a fragment or a run-on.
    1. I have to admit I just don't know what we should do.
    2. All fighters! All those who refuse to be banished!
    3. Somehow they must resist Tick was the only one with a plan.
    4. Tick stood in a patch of moonlight; the dense shrubbery behind him.
  5. Choose the sentence that is written correctly and is not a fragment or a run-on.
    1. An hour or so later.
    2. He put his clothes and shoes back on.
    3. The hall was full of people a few of them murmuring quietly to each other.
    4. In spite of what his father had said.
Part B
Read the paragraph and find where each sentence begins and ends. To correct the run-on sentences, insert correct punctuation and use editing marks to show letters that should be capitalized.
  1.      they started out early after only an hour or so Lina could see the fields and buildings of Sparks in the distance she stood up she was sitting on the front seat of the truck between Maddy and Pelton Lina shielded her eyes with her hand to see better there is was and now it looked like home to her
  2.      she followed him down a passage and out a door in the back of the hotel there was a small concrete terrace there, bordered by a low wall behind the wall, the drooping branches of a dusty tree stirred in the wind Doon sat down on the wall and pulled her down next to him
  3.      Lina's mouth dropped open a wild confusion filled her mind but how can we what would we eat where would we live again the frightening picture rose in her mind the people of Ember scattered like fallen birds across a vast, dry landscape

Part C
Correct the following run-on sentences using a variety of methods.

  1. (Correct by making separate sentences.)
    Tick and his warriors would never just sit they want to fight.

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    ______________________________________________________________________

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  2. (Correct by using a conjunction.)
    Lina took the hard red fruit she and Doon went outside.

    ______________________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________________

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  3. (Correct with a semicolon.)
    Even the river was suffering in the heat it no longer flowed deep and smooth, but ran in streams.

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    ______________________________________________________________________

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  4. (Correct by making one of the clauses a dependent.)
    This one is a magnet. You put it against metal it sticks there.

    ______________________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________________

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Part D
Correct the following run-on sentences using a variety of methods.

  1. people had a beautiful city they wrecked it.

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    ______________________________________________________________________

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  2. It looked as hard as a polished stone the juice that burst into her mouth was sweet.

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  3. Lina desperately wanted to find an answer no answer came to her.

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    ______________________________________________________________________

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  4. You don't want to you do it anyway.

    ______________________________________________________________________

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    ______________________________________________________________________

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Answer Key

 

Part A

  1. a
  2. d
  3. b
  4. d
  5. b

Part B

  1.      They started out early. After only an hour or so Lina could see the fields and buildings of Sparks in the distance. She stood up. She was sitting on the front seat of the truck between Maddy and Pelton. Lina shielded her eyes with her hand to see better. There is was and now it looked like home to her.
  2.      She followed him down a passage and out a door. In the back of the hotel there was a small concrete terrace there, bordered by a low wall. Behind the wall, the drooping branches of a dusty tree stirred in the wind. Doon sat down on the wall and pulled her down next to him.
  3.      Lina's mouth dropped open. A wild confusion filled her mind. But how can we? What would we eat? Where would we live? Again the frightening picture rose in her mind. The people of Ember scattered like fallen birds across a vast, dry landscape.

    OR Again the frightening picture rose in her mind; the people of Ember scattered like fallen birds across a vast, dry landscape.

Part C

  1. Tick and his warriors would never just sit. They want to fight.
  2. Lina took the hard red fruit, and she and Doon went outside.
  3. Even the river was suffering in the heat; it no longer flowed deep and smooth but ran in streams.
  4. This one is a magnet. If you put it against metal, it sticks there.

Part D (Possible Answers)

  1. People had a beautiful city. They wrecked it.
    People had a beautiful city, but they wrecked it.
  2. It looked as hard as a polished stone. The juice that burst into her mouth was sweet.
    It looked as hard as a polished stone, but the juice that burst into her mouth was sweet.
    Although it looked as hard as a polished stone, the juice that burst into her mouth was sweet.
  3. Lina desperately wanted to find an answer. No answer came to her.
    Lina desperately wanted to find an answer, yet no answer came to her.
    Even though Lina desperately wanted to find an answer, no answer came to her.
    Lina desperately wanted to find an answer; no answer came to her.
  4. You don't want to. You do it anyway.
    You don't want to you, but do it anyway.
    When you don't want to, you do it anyway.
    You don't want to; you do it anyway.