English for Careers

English for Careers Chapter 3 Writing Complete Sentences

Your goals for Chapter 3: Write complete sentences to achieve clarity and emphasis Correct fragments, run-ons, and comma splices

Basic needs of a sentence Identity Who or what Action Doing, having, being, helping Independence Able to stand alone

Identity: The Subject Word(s) that tell who or what the sentence is about Always a noun or pronoun

Action: The Verb Word or words that tell what the subject does,has, or is.

A CLAUSE may be either Dependent - cannot stand alone and make sense OR Independent - can stand alone and make sense

Every sentence must have at least one independent clause. An independent clause that begins with a capital letter and ends with correct punctuation is a complete sentence. The camping trip was fabulous.

A dependent clause is NOT a complete sentence. Dependent clauses contain dependent conjunctions, such as after, although, as, because, before, since, until, when, why After the sunset was gone …

When a dependent clause is connected to an independent clause, it makes a complete sentence. Use a dependent conjunction: We threw away the eggs becauseof the bad taste. We haven’t eaten since dinner last night. Let’s make sandwiches before going hiking.

Incomplete sentences are called FRAGMENTS A fragment looks like a sentence because it begins with a capital letter and ends with a period. Because the sunset was beautiful.

To correct a sentence fragment • Cross out the dependent conjunction • Beging the next word with a capital letter • Use a closing puncuation mark. Because The sunset was beautiful.

A RUN-ON is two independent clauses with no connecting punctuation We enjoyed sitting around the campfire we could hear the owls.

A COMMA SPLICE is a run-on with a comma: We enjoyed sitting around the campfire, we could hear the owls.

To correct a comma splice or run-on Connect independent clauses with a semicolon Connect independent clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunctions Separate independent clauses with a period and capital letter (making two sentences)

A semicolon is one correct method of joining two independent clauses We enjoyed sitting around the campfire; we could hear the owls.

Another way to join independent clauses is to insert a comma followed by one of the following conjunctions and, but, or nor, so, yet We went camping, but the rain ruined our trip.

Separate independent clauses into two sentences We went camping. The rain ruined our trip.

Using transitional words and phrases when you join or separate clauses helps the reader connect ideas. We went camping; however, the rain ruined our trip. We went camping. Unfortunately, the rain ruined our trip.

Let’s review. Are any of the following “sentences” fragments, run-ons, or comma splices? Jack is very smart he also writes well. Run-on Although Jack writes well. Fragment

Jack is very smart, he writes well. Comma Splice Jack is very smart, and he is also writes well. Complete sentence

CHECKPOINT Now you know how to: Construct complete and correct sentences Identify and correct: fragments, run-ons, and comma splices

English for Careers