AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Eighth Grade Language Arts
Sara Wohltjen
BEGIN
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Writing clear and concise sentences takes time
and effort. Anyone can write a confusing,
unclear sentence!
Both sentence fragments and run-on sentences
confuse the reader.
By learning to identify and correct these
problems, your writing can improve quickly
and easily!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
FRAGMENTS
Threw the baseball. (Who threw the baseball?)
Mark and his friends. (What about them?)
Around the corner. (Who is? What happened?)
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
A fragment is a group of words
that does not express a complete
thought. Something important is
missing, and you are left wondering
What is this about? or What happened?
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
A fragment may be missing a SUBJECT…
Threw the baseball. (Who threw the baseball?)
A fragment may be missing a VERB…
Mark and his friends. (What about them?)
A fragment may be missing BOTH…
Around the corner. (Who was? What happened?)
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
You can correct a fragment by adding the missing
part of speech.
Add a subject: Rob threw the baseball.
Add a verb: Mark and his friends laughed.
Add both: A dog ran around the corner.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Let’s practice!
Is this a sentence or a fragment?
Delivered newspapers in the rain.
Sentence Fragment
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
It is a fragment. It is missing a subject.
You could correct it by adding a subject:
Tyler delivered newspapers in the rain.
Try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
YES!
It is a fragment. It is missing a subject.
You could correct it by adding a subject:
Tyler delivered newspapers in the rain.
Try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Let’s practice more!
Is this a sentence or a fragment?
Kevin and his dog.
Sentence Fragment
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
It is a fragment. It is missing a verb.
You could correct it by adding a verb:
Kevin and his dog went for a walk.
Try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
YES!
It is a fragment. It is missing a verb.
You could correct it by adding a verb:
Kevin and his dog went for a walk.
Try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Let’s practice more!
Is this a sentence or a fragment?
On Monday, we went outside for recess.
Sentence Fragment
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
It is a sentence.
It has both a subject and a verb.
subject verb
On Monday, we went outside for recess.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Yes!
It is a sentence.
It has both a subject and a verb.
subject verb
On Monday, we went outside for recess.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
A run-on is two thoughts put together in the
same sentence. The two ideas may or may not
be related. A run-on can be fixed by adding
proper punctuation to separate the two
complete thoughts.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Here are three examples of run-ons:
Tyler delivered newspapers in the rain he
got very wet.
Kevin and his dog went for a walk it was
a beautiful day.
On Monday we went outside for recess
it was fun.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
There are three ways to correct a run-on:
1. Add a period and a capital letter.
2. Add a semicolon.
3. Add a comma and a conjunction.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Let’s correct a sentence using a period and a capital
letter!
Tyler delivered newspapers in the rain he got very
wet. WRONG! RUN-ON!
Tyler delivered newspapers in the rain. He got very
wet. RIGHT! SENTENCES!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Let’s correct a sentence using a semicolon!
Kevin and his dog went for a walk it was a beautiful
day. WRONG! RUN-ON!
Kevin and his dog went for a walk; it was a
beautiful day. RIGHT! SENTENCES!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Let’s correct a sentence using a comma and a
conjunction!
On Monday we went outside for recess it was
fun. WRONG! RUN-ON!
On Monday we went outside for recess, and it
was fun. RIGHT! SENTENCES!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Let’s practice!
Is this a sentence or a run-on?
The kids had a snack they ate too much.
Sentence Run-On
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
It is a run-on.
It has two separate thoughts with no punctuation
separating them.
Let’s correct it with a period and capital letter:
The kids had a snack they ate too much.
The kids had a snack. They ate too much.
Try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Yes!
It is a run-on!
It has two separate thoughts with no punctuation
separating them.
Let’s correct it with a period and capital letter:
The kids had a snack they ate too much.
The kids had a snack. They ate too much.
Try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Let’s practice more!
Is this a sentence or a run-on?
The couple danced they fell in love.
Sentence Run-On
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
It is a run-on.
It has two separate thoughts with no punctuation
separating them.
Let’s correct it with a comma and conjunction:
The couple danced they fell in love.
The couple danced, and they fell in love.
Try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Yes!
It is a run-on!
It has two separate thoughts with no punctuation
separating them.
Let’s correct it with a comma and conjunction:
The couple danced they fell in love.
The couple danced, and they fell in love.
Try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Let’s practice more!
Is this a sentence or a run-on?
The pizza was hot it smelled so good.
Sentence Run-On
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
It is a run-on.
It has two separate thoughts with no punctuation
separating them.
Let’s correct it with a semicolon:
The pizza was hot it smelled so good.
The pizza was hot; it smelled so good.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Yes!
It is a run-on!
It has two separate thoughts with no punctuation
separating them.
Let’s correct it with a semicolon:
The pizza was hot it smelled so good.
The pizza was hot; it smelled so good.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Now that you’ve mastered identifying fragments and run-
ons, let’s practice correcting them! Here is a quick reminder:
Fragments need either a subject, a verb, or both.
Run-ons need a period and capital letter, a semicolon, or a
comma and conjunction.
Let’s practice!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Which answer could you add to correct this fragment?
Quickly ducked behind the door.
and waited. Thomas with the money.
(at end) (at beginning) (at end)
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
This fragment needs a subject.
Quickly ducked behind the door. (Who did?)
Go back and try again!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Right!
This fragment needs a subject!
Quickly ducked behind the door. (Who did?)
Thomas did!
Let’s try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Which answer could you add to correct this fragment?
Susan and Connie quietly.
waited for lunch. On Monday, and quickly.
(at end) (at beginning) (at end)
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
This fragment needs a verb.
Susan and Connie quietly. (Did what?)
Go back and try again!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Right!
This fragment needs a verb!
Susan and Connie quietly. (Did what?)
Waited for lunch!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Let’s fix some run-ons now!
First, you’ll be given a run-on.
Then you’ll see three choices.
Only one choice is a correct way
to fix the run-on.
Let’s get started!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
The sunset was beautiful we sat and watched.
The sunset was beautiful we sat, and watched it.
The sunset was beautiful. We sat and watched it.
The sunset was beautiful, we sat and watched it.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
This run-on needs to be separated
BETWEEN
the two complete thoughts.
Where does one thought end and another begin?
The sunset was beautiful we sat and watched.
Go back and try again!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Right!
This run-on needs to be separated
BETWEEN
the two complete thoughts.
The sunset was beautiful we sat and watched it.
---one complete thought----- --one complete thought--
The sunset was beautiful. We sat and watched it.
Let’s try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
A comma alone cannot fix a run-on.
TO FIX A RUN-ON:
1. A comma and conjunction
2. A semicolon
3. A period and a capital letter
Go back and try again!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
The students took a test it was very hard.
The students took a test, but it was very hard.
The students took a test but it was very hard.
The students took a test, it was very hard.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Right!
This run-on needs to be separated
with a comma AND a conjunction.
The students took a test, but it was very hard.
Let’s try another one!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
A conjunction alone cannot fix a run-on.
TO FIX A RUN-ON:
1. A comma and conjunction
2. A semicolon
3. A period and a capital letter
Go back and try again!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
A comma alone cannot fix a run-on.
TO FIX A RUN-ON:
1. A comma and conjunction
2. A semicolon
3. A period and a capital letter
Go back and try again!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
The boys ordered a pizza they didn’t want olives on it.
The boys ordered a pizza but they didn’t want olives on it.
The boys ordered a large pizza they didn’t want olives on it.
The boys ordered a pizza; they didn’t want olives on it.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
A run-on needs to be separated between
the two complete thoughts with punctuation.
TO FIX A RUN-ON:
1. A comma and conjunction
2. A semicolon
3. A period and a capital letter
Go back and try again!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Sorry!
A run-on needs to be separated between
the two complete thoughts with punctuation.
TO FIX A RUN-ON:
1. A comma and conjunction
2. A semicolon
3. A period and a capital letter
Go back and try again!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
Right!
A run-on can be corrected with a semicolon.
The boys ordered a pizza; they didn’t want olives on it.
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
You’ve done a great job identifying and correcting fragments
and run-ons! But the real test of your knowledge is in your own
writing. You now have to remember what you’ve learned and
apply it to your own writing. A great place to do this is in the
editing stage of the writing process. When you check your work,
keep an eye out for fragments and run-ons and
Fragments
Run-Ons AVOID THEM!!!
AVOIDING
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
I (state your name) promise to look for
fragments and run-ons in my own writing,
and correct them when I find them.
I WILL AVOID
FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS!
