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UWF WRITING LAB RULES OF THUMB FOR RECOGNIZING COMMA SPLICES AND RUN-ONS. From Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon. Comp I students should study only comma splices and run-ons; other students should study comma splices, run-ons, and fragments. THIS IS NOT A RUN-ON SENTENCE:.
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UWF WRITING LABRULES OF THUMB FOR RECOGNIZING COMMA SPLICES AND RUN-ONS From Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon Comp I students should study only comma splices and run-ons; other students should study comma splices, run-ons, and fragments. Created by April Turner
THIS IS NOT A RUN-ON SENTENCE: • The scandal broke after the teacher was charged with sexual harassment so the administration and the school board issued a statement to the media to dispel any rumors. • IT IS A COMPOUND SENTENCE IN WHICH THE COMMA IS INCORRECTLY OMITTED BEFORE THE COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONSO.
THIS IS A RUN-ON SENTENCE: • _______________ _________________ (sentence) (sentence) • Two sentences (independent clauses) which are not separated by any punctuation. • I have always admired Wonder Woman for a long time she was my hero.
THIS IS NOT A COMMA SPLICE: • No one voted in the election, so the White House was empty for four years. • THE COMMA PRECEDING THE COORDINATING CONJUNCTION IS CORRECT.
THIS IS A COMMA SPLICE: • _______________ , _________________ (sentence) (sentence) • Two sentences (independent clauses) separated only by a comma. • I never enjoyed reading comic books when I was a child, fantasy novels were always my favorite.
HOW TO CORRECT RUN-ONS AND COMMA SPLICES: • Use a semicolon or period to separate the two independent clauses/sentences. • I have always admired Wonder Woman; for a long time she was my hero. • I never enjoyed reading comic books when I was a child; fantasy novels were always my favorite.
THIS IS NOT A FRAGMENT: • It is obsolete. • THIS GROUP OF WORDS HAS A SUBJECT, A VERB, AND A COMPLETED THOUGHT.
A FRAGMENT DOES NOT EXPRESS A COMPLETE THOUGHT: • B.B. King and Morgan Freeman know a lot about cotton fields. Both having grown up in the Mississippi Delta region. B.B. King from Indianola, Mississippi, and Morgan Freeman from Clarksdale, Mississippi. • The underlined portions are fragments.
A FRAGMENT MAY CONTAIN A SUBJECT AND A VERB BUT IS NOT AN INDEPENDENT THOUGHT: • I noticed several students leaving the dormitory. As I walked across the street past the trolley.
HOW TO CORRECT FRAGMENTS: • Add words or connect the fragment to the sentence from which it is disconnected. • B.B. King and Morgan Freeman know a lot about cotton fields, both having grown up in the Mississippi Delta region. B.B. King is from Indianola, Mississippi, and Morgan Freeman is from Clarksdale, Mississippi. • I noticed several students leaving the dormitory as I walked across the street past the trolley.
Let’s Practice!!! • The rate of inflation is related to the rate of unemployment, it is impossible to influence one without influencing the other. • …unemployment; it is impossible… • The ability to write complete sentences comes with practice writing run-on sentences seems to occur naturally. • …with practice; writing run-on sentences…
More Practice!!! • We were surprised to come home and find that the house had been burglarized. Even our toothpicks missing. • ….had been burglarized, even our toothpicks missing. • Erring is human, and forgiving is divine. Although John’s errors were plentiful, since he wasn’t close to approaching divinity. • ...errors were plentiful, he wasn’t close…