Exercise A: Run-ons

 

Fused sentences are run-ons that have no punctuation at all to mark the break between the thoughts. Comma splices occur when a comma is used to connect or "splice" together the two complete thoughts. Both fused sentences and comma splices are run-on sentences.

Part I.

Directions: Can you identify the methods of correcting a run-on? Click on the appropriate response.

In order to fix a run-on sentence, you could:

1 Use a period and a capital letter to break the two complete thoughts into separate sentences.
True
False
2 Use a comma in between the two complete thoughts.
True
False
3 Use a comma plus a joining word (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet) to connect the two complete thoughts.
True
False
4 Use a semi-colon to connect the two complete thoughts.
True
False
5 Use a joining word (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet) alone.
True
False

 

Part II.

Directions: The following sentences are punctuated incorrectly. Choose the best option for correcting each of the following sentences. More than one option may be correct. If the sentence is fine, choose "d."

1 Puppies love to be around people they need a lot of attention.
period after "around" + capitalize "people"
comma after "people"
comma after "people" + "and"
no change
2 Jane took her car to the shop, then she walked the two miles home.
take out the comma after "shop"
insert "and" after the comma
both a and b are correct
no change
3 Because Jennifer got off work late, she decided to take a cab home.
period after "late" + capitalize "she"
insert "and" after the comma
both a and b are correct
no change
4 Last week, I scratched the car pulling it into the garage, now my parents won’t let me use it.
semi-colon instead of the comma after "garage"
insert "so" after the comma
both a and b are correct
no change
5 The rice dish on my plate looked delicious I had no idea how to use my chopsticks.
comma after "delicious"
comma after "delicious" + "but"
comma after "delicious" + "however"
no change
6 To get to the post office, I turned left on Maple, then I made a right on Hudson.
take out the comma after "Maple"
insert "and" after the second comma
period after "office"
no change
7 A quick snack in the middle of the day energizes me it gives me the energy to make it through my afternoon classes.
semi-colon after "me"
comma after "me" + "and"
both a and b are correct
no change
8 The pilot had twelve years experience even he was alarmed by the turbulence.
comma after "experience" + "but"
semi-colon after "experience" + "nevertheless"
both a and b are correct
no change
9 Because I missed my flight, I didn’t arrive in Los Angeles until after midnight.
semi-colon after "flight"
semi-colon after "flight" + "therefore"
both a and b are correct
no change
10 While workers were putting out a fire in the tunnel, passengers waited on the platform for over an hour.
semi-colon after "tunnel"
insert "and" after the comma
both a and b are correct
no change