Is it a complete sentence or a run-on?

Key Notes:

✅ What is a Complete Sentence?

A complete sentence has:

  1. A subject – who or what the sentence is about.
  2. A predicate – what the subject is doing (contains a verb).
  3. A complete thought – it makes sense on its own.

Example:

  • The dog barked loudly.
    (Subject: The dog, Verb: barked, Complete thought: ✓)

❌ What is a Run-On Sentence?

A run-on sentence occurs when:

  • Two or more independent clauses are joined incorrectly.
  • It lacks proper punctuation or connecting words (conjunctions).

Example of a run-on:

  • I like pizza it is my favorite food. ❌
    (Two ideas, no punctuation or conjunction between them)

🛠️ How to Fix a Run-On Sentence

You can fix run-ons in several ways:

  1. Use a period (.)
    • I like pizza. It is my favorite food.
  2. Use a semicolon (;)
    • I like pizza; it is my favorite food.
  3. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)
    • I like pizza, and it is my favorite food.
    FANBOYS = For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

🧠 Tips to Spot a Run-On:

  • Does it feel like two sentences jammed together?
  • Can each part stand alone as its own sentence?
  • Is there a comma without a conjunction? (This is a comma splice, a type of run-on)

✍️ Practice Examples:

1. The sun set we went home. ❌
✔ Fix: The sun set. We went home.

2. I love swimming, it’s so fun. ❌ (Comma splice)
✔ Fix: I love swimming, and it’s so fun.

Let’s try some problems! ✍️