Run-on sentences can make writing confusing, but don’t worry! With a little practice, you can learn to spot and fix them easily. Let’s explore what run-on sentences are, how to recognize them, and how to make them better.
Before we talk about run-on sentences, let’s understand what a sentence is. A sentence is a group of words that tells a complete idea. It has a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a verb (what the subject is doing). For example, in the sentence “The dog plays catch,” “the dog” is the subject, and “plays” is the verb. Together, they tell us that the dog is playing catch.
Here are two important things every complete sentence needs:
A run-on sentence happens when two or more complete sentences are joined together without the right punctuation or words. This can make it hard to understand what the writer is trying to say.
Run-on sentences often have:
For example, look at this sentence: “Charlie knocked on the door Billy opened it.” It has two complete ideas but no punctuation or words to separate them, making it a run-on sentence.
Here are some ways to fix run-on sentences:
Find where the sentence can be split into two sentences. For example, “Charlie knocked on the door. Billy opened it.”
Connect the two complete sentences with a conjunction (like “and,” “but,” or “so”) and a comma. For example, “Charlie knocked on the door, and Billy opened it.”
Sometimes, you can use a semicolon to connect two related sentences. For example, “Charlie knocked on the door; Billy opened it.”
Run-on sentences can make writing unclear, but by understanding what a complete sentence is and how to spot run-on sentences, you can make your writing clearer. Remember to split run-on sentences or use the right punctuation to make sure each idea is easy to understand. With practice, you’ll get better at fixing run-on sentences, making your writing more effective!
