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Concise Punctuation & Sentence Structure. ESL 015 Xingxuan Qiao. Schedule. Run-on Sentence (Comma Splice) Sentence Fragments. Run-on Sentence. Two complete sentences (independent clauses) connected without any punctuation to separate them.
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Concise Punctuation & Sentence Structure ESL 015 XingxuanQiao
Schedule Run-on Sentence (Comma Splice) Sentence Fragments
Run-on Sentence Two complete sentences (independent clauses) connected without any punctuation to separate them. Example: I got up late this morning I didn't have time for breakfast. Two independent clauses should be separated by a period, a semicolon, or a comma followed by a conjunction. (IF: p.44) Two most common ways to fix it: (1) To join two independent clauses, you must use a conjunction (i.e. and, but, or, yet, and so). (2) To separate two independent clauses, you must use some form of end-stop punctuation (the period [.], the exclamation point [!], the question mark [?], and the semicolon [;]).
Run-on Sentence Run-on Sentence: I got up late this morningI didn't have time for breakfast. Correction: I got up late this morning, so I didn't have time for breakfast. I got up late this morning, and I didn't have time for breakfast. I got up late this morning. I didn't have time for breakfast. I got up late this morning; I didn't have time for breakfast.
3) To take away the independence of one of the clauses by adding a dependent word. Run-on: I won't pay these bills you explain them to me right now. Correction: I won't pay these bills unless you explain them to me right away. 4) To reduce one independent clause to a verbal or verbal phrase. Run-on: The icicles were melting they dripped into the bucket below. Correction: The melting icicles dripped into the bucket below.
Comma Splice Two complete sentences (independent clauses) connected with a comma. (IF: p.43) Comma Splice: He forgot to set the alarm, he was 20 minutes late. Correction: He forgot to set the alarm, and he was 20 minutes late. He forgot to set the alarm, so he was 20 minutes late. He forgot to set the alarm. He was 20 minutes late. He forgot to set the alarm; he was 20 minutes late.
Components of A Sentence The sentence must have a subject- a person or thing that the sentence is about. This is usually a noun or a pronoun. The sentence must have an action- a verb, something the subject of the sentence is doing. The sentence must express a complete thought- we need to know what it is about.
Sentence Fragments A group of words that ends with a period but does not form a complete sentence. A sentence must have a subject, predicate, or verb, and complete meaning. (IF: p.44)
Anything wrong? Since I graduate this semester. Because he hates dog. Some of the students working in Professor Johnson's lab last semester. I laughed. Mary kissed the man. He slept.
Is lacking a subject Example: Have babies. (who?) Working so hard to save her house. (who?) Is lacking an action Example: Students that did not pass the exam. Is lacking a complete idea Example: I take. (take what?) He caught. (catch what? a bird/bus?) Is a dependent clause, standing alone Example: After the rain stops. (what then?) Since you asked. (will you get the answer?)
How do you fix it? • Attach the sentence fragment to another sentence. That other sentence could be before or after the sentence fragment. Example: After seeing the doctor. After seeing the doctor, I felt much better. • Add a subject, verb, or both to make the sentence complete. Example: Under the chair. He found his wallet under the chair. • Take away the word or phrase that makes it a sentence fragment. Example: While Mike was in China. Mike was in China.
Exercise My Wonderful Discovery After I had gotten up. I ate my breakfast. While I was eating breakfast. I heard a squeaking sound at my door. It was a little puppy that was crying. I wept. It was really cute. That I picked it up and took it inside in order to give the puppy a big bowl of warm milk and a soft blanket. I took the day off so that I could take him to the veterinarian. The vet told me he was fine. Because I had given him what he needed: milk and a warm blanket. He still needed a home. I asked all my friends to take him. They wanted the little guy. However, they couldn't keep pets in their apartments. By the time we got home. Now, he is my pet and friend.
Answer My Wonderful Discovery After I had gotten up, I ate my breakfast. While I was eating breakfast, I heard a squeaking sound at my door. It was a little puppy that was crying. I wept. It was really cute. I picked it up and took it inside in order to give the puppy a big bowl of warm milk and a soft blanket. I took the day off so that I could take him to the veterinarian. The vet told me he was fine because I had given him what he needed: milk and a warm blanket. He still needed a home. I asked all my friends to take him. They wanted the little guy. However, they couldn't keep pets in their apartments. By the time we got home, I had realized that I should keep him. Now, he is my pet and friend.
Homework Punctuation exercise 1: Sentence structure (IF: p.45 - 46)
Resources Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) Run-on sentence: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/598/02/ Sentence fragments: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/620/1/
