Fragments and run-ons and splices! OH MY!

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Fragments and run-ons and splices! OH MY!

• A brief guide. To major grammatical errors that
  can turn potential As into disasters teachers
  will cringe when they see these mistakes, Im
  sure every one of you is cringing too.

By Kimberly Lynn McGraw Revised by Mamie Webb
Hixon (9/20/10)
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Fragments and run-ons and splices! OH MY!

• A brief guide. fragment To major grammatical
  errors that can turn potential As into disasters
  fragmentrun-on sentence teachers will cringe
  when they see these mistakes,comma splice Im
  sure every one of you is cringing too.

3
Fragments

• FRAGMENT
• A group of words that
• does not express a completed thought.

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Intentional Fragments

• Splendid entertainment from a master storyteller.
• A soon-to-be classic.
• One of the most mesmerizing stories of the
  decade.
• Achieves Shakespearean dimensions.
• The intentional fragments above are from
  advertising print media about
• the 2010 movie The Social Network.

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Intentional FragmentsFrom Grammar in Context by
Kitty Chen Dean

• ADVERTISING LANGUAGE Identify the intentional
  fragments in the advertising copy below.
• The perfect jacket for all occasions. Dressy with
  a tie. Casual with a polo shirt. Stain resistant.
  Waterproof. Inside and outside pockets. Secret
  pocket for important documents. Roomy.
  Hand-turned lapels. Five-button cuffs. Comes in
  charcoal or black. Order now while supplies last.
  One per customer, please.
• Want to lose weight? Have friends? Get a good
  job? Find that special someone? Join the TopNotch
  Health and Sports Club and make all your dreams
  come true. Sign up today! Join now and get the
  first month free. Also a tee shirt with our logo.
  And two free passes for anyone you know. A great
  bargain!
• Subscribe to Computer Casuals. The only magazine
  that tells you what to wear while you work at
  your computer. Youll feel better knowing you
  look right for Games. Chats. Surfing.

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Intentional FragmentsFrom Grammar in Context by
Kitty Chen Dean

• Professional writers often use intentional
  fragments for
• emphasis and variety since they want to attract
  and maintain their
• audience.
• The perfect jacket for all occasions. Dressy with
  a tie. Casual with a polo shirt. Stain resistant.
  Waterproof. Inside and outside pockets. Secret
  pocket for important documents. Roomy.
  Hand-turned lapels. Five-button cuffs. Comes in
  charcoal or black. Order now while supplies last.
  One per customer, please.
• Want to lose weight? Have friends? Get a good
  job? Find that special someone? Join the TopNotch
  Health and Sports Club and make all your dreams
  come true. Sign up today! Join now and get the
  first month free. Also a tee shirt with our logo.
  And two free passes for anyone you know. A great
  bargain!
• Subscribe to Computer Casuals. The only magazine
  that tells you what to wear while you work at
  your computer. Youll feel better knowing you
  look right for Games. Chats. Surfing.

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Fragmentsfrom John McKernans The Writers
Handbook, 2nd ed.

• Avoid unintentional fragments in academic and
  business writing.
• A fragment IS NOT a true sentence, though it is
  capitalized and punctuated as if it were a
  sentence.
• A true sentence must have the following
• subject - complete, finite verb - a complete
  thought
• Examples
• Correct
• The buying of so many American companies and so
  much real estate by the Japanese has caused
  concern on Wall Street.
• Incorrect
• The buying of so many American companies.
  (missing complete thought)
• The buying of so many American companies causing
  concern on Wall Street. (missing complete verb)
• Of so many American companies has caused
  concern. (missing a subject)

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Spotting Fragmentsfrom Frederick Crews The
Random House Handbook, 6th Ed.

• You can recognize many fragments by the words
  they introduce.
• Subordinating terms such as although, because,
  especially, even, except, for example, including,
  instead of, so that, such as, that which, who,
  and when.
• A PASSAGE ERROR-RIDDEN WITH FRAGMENTS
• I have always helped my older brother. Especially
  with his car. In addition, I assisted him with
  many chores. Such as washing the car and
  vacuuming the interior. He let me do whatever I
  wanted. Except start the engine. Now I drive my
  own car. Which is a 1993 Chevy. Because of my
  experience with cars, I am thinking of possible
  jobs to help pay the cost of upkeep. Including
  driving a cab. Because maintaining a car can be
  extremely expensive.
• REVISED
• I have always helped my older brother, especially
  with his car. In addition, I assisted him with
  many chores, such as washing the car and
  vacuuming the interior. He let me do whatever I
  wanted except start the engine. Now I drive my
  own car, which is a 1993 Chevy. Because of my
  experience with cars, I am thinking of possible
  jobs to help pay the cost of upkeep, including
  driving a cab because maintaining a car can be
  extremely expensive.

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Fragmentsfrom John McKernans The Writers
Handbook, 2nd ed.

• A group of words can contain a subject and a verb
  and still be a
• fragment
• Local agencies will become overcrowded and
  ineffective. Unless the number of mental health
  services is increased.
• On Thursday, we reported the numbers of our
  missing travelers checks. Which were lost during
  our arrival in New Orleans that morning.
• If there are no more malpractice suits, the
  hospital will win its license renewal. However,
  no one can be sure. Because patients are very
  quick to go to court.

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Revising Fragmentsfrom John McKernans The
Writers Handbook, 2nd ed., and Martha Kollns
Understanding English Grammar, 4th Edition

• Connect the fragment to the preceding sentence,
  which is most likely the sentence from which the
  fragment is disconnected.
• Local agencies will become overcrowded and
  ineffective. Unless the number of mental health
  services is increased.
• On Thursday, we reported the numbers of our
  missing travelers checks. Which were lost during
  our arrival in New Orleans that morning.
• If there are no more malpractice suits, the
  hospital will win its license renewal. However,
  no one can be sure. Because patients are very
  quick to go to court.
• Revised
• Local agencies will become overcrowded and
  ineffective unless the number of mental health
  services is increased.
• On Thursday, we reported the numbers of our
  missing travelers checks, which were lost during
  our arrival in New Orleans that morning.
• If there are no more malpractice suits, the
  hospital will win its license renewal. However,
  no one can be sure because patients are very
  quick to go to court.

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Revising Fragmentsfrom John McKernans The
Writers Handbook, 2nd ed., and Martha Kollns
Understanding English Grammar, 4th Edition

• Connect the fragment to the preceding sentence,
  which is most likely the sentence from which the
  fragment is disconnected.
• --The prime rate went down two percentage
  points during the last quarter.
• Although government economists are still
  worried about high inflation and low
  productivity.
• --I like many kinds of snacks. Pizza being the
  best.
• Revised
• The prime rate went down two percentage points
  during the last
• quarter although government economists are
  still worried about high
• inflation and low productivity.
• I like many kinds of snacks, pizza being the
  best.

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Revising Fragmentsfrom John McKernans The
Writers Handbook, 2nd ed., and Martha Kollns
Understanding English Grammar, 4th Edition

• Connect the fragment to the preceding sentence,
  which is most likely the sentence from which the
  fragment is disconnected.
• --In August of 1992, Hurricane Andrew hit
  Florida and Louisiana with winds that clocked 175
  mph. The countrys worst natural disaster in this
  century.
• --At the class reunion, we laughed and
  reminisced. And sang old songs from the sixties.
• Revised
• In August of 1992, Hurricane Andrew hit Florida
  and Louisiana with winds that clocked 175 mph,
  the countrys worst natural disaster in this
  century.
• At the class reunion, we laughed and reminisced
  and sang old songs from the sixties.

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Revising Fragmentsfrom John McKernans The
Writers Handbook, 2nd ed., and Martha Kollns
Understanding English Grammar, 4th Edition

• Change the fragment to a sentence.
• --Ill never forget the birthday present my dad
  bought me when I was ten.
• A new three-speed bike.
• --Political and religious systems, social
  customs, loyalties and traditions tumbling down
  like so many rotten apples off a tree.
• Revised
• Ill never forget the birthday present my dad
  bought me when I was ten.
• It was a new three-speed bike.
• Political and religious systems, social customs,
  loyalties and traditions came tumbling down like
  so many rotten apples off a tree.

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Revising Fragmentsfrom John McKernans The
Writers Handbook, 2nd ed., and Martha Kollns
Understanding English Grammar, 4th Edition

• Add the missing subject or verb, or remove or
  change the punctuation.
• --His character was stern. His manner reserved
  and usually forbidding.
• --The speech for my film class took a long time
  to prepare. And then turned out poorly. I
  needed a live audience. But didnt have one for
  the test.
• Revised
• His character was stern. His manner was reserved
  and usually forbidding.
• The speech for my film class took a long time to
  prepare and then turned out poorly. I needed a
  live audience but didnt have one for the test.

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Revising Fragmentsfrom John McKernans The
Writers Handbook, 2nd ed., and Martha Kollns
Understanding English Grammar, 4th Edition

• The study showed that many employees eventually
  begin to neglect their duties. Merely because
  they become bored with their job.
• The Color Purple is the story of the trials and
  tribulations of two sisters. Overcoming obstacles
  to discover themselves and to find each other
  after a long separation.
• Since 1945, New York has been the undisputed
  center of the art world. A center that is
  livelier than those of prewar Europe.
• In 1977, there were 200,000 foreign students
  attending colleges and universities in the United
  States the largest number coming from the Middle
  East.

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Revising Fragmentsfrom John McKernans The
Writers Handbook, 2nd ed., and Martha Kollns
Understanding English Grammar, 4th Edition

• The study showed that many employees eventually
  begin to neglect their duties merely because they
  become bored with their job.
• The Color Purple is the story of the trials and
  tribulations of two sisters overcoming obstacles
  to discover themselves and to find each other
  after a long separation.
• Since 1945, New York has been the undisputed
  center of the art world, a center that is
  livelier than those of prewar Europe.
• In 1977, there were 200,000 foreign students
  attending colleges and universities in the United
  States, the largest number coming from the Middle
  East.

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Run-On/Fused Sentencesfrom James A. Heffernan's
and John E. Lincolns Writing A College
Handbook, 2nd ed. and Mamie Hixons Real Good
Grammar, Too, 2nd ed.

• RUN-ON SENTENCE
• A sentence construction error that occurs
• when two independent clauses
• (complete sentences)
• are not separated by a
• coordinating conjunction
• or any punctuation

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Run-On/Fused Sentencesfrom James A. Heffernan's
and John E. Lincolns Writing A College
Handbook, 2nd ed. and Mamie Hixons Real Good
Grammar, Too, 2nd ed.

• A LONG SENTENCE IS NOT NECESSARILY A RUN-ON
  SENTENCE.
• CORRECT SENTENCE
• Black-bearded, pale-faced, with thin, compressed
  lips, aquiline nose,
• and dark, piercing eyes, he slouched in his
  weather-stained uniform
• yet he was greatly beloved by the few who knew
  him best, and he was
• gifted with that strange power of commanding
  measureless devotion
• from the thousands whom he ruled with an iron
  hand.

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Run-On/Fused Sentencesfrom James A. Heffernan's
and John E. Lincolns Writing A College
Handbook, 2nd ed. and Mamie Hixons Real Good
Grammar, Too, 2nd ed.

• A RUN-ON SENTENCE
• CAN BE A SHORT SENTENCE.
• RUN-ON SENTENCE
• The new CEO isnt only handsome hes rich too.
• Walk with your feet dance with your heart.

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Run-On/Fused Sentencesfrom James A. Heffernan's
and John E. Lincolns Writing A College
Handbook, 2nd ed. and Mamie Hixons Real Good
Grammar, Too, 2nd ed.

• Examples
• Henry David Thoreau went to the woods in order to
  simplify his life he
• also wanted to live close to nature.
• Most working people get at least one raise a year
  however, inflation
• often leaves them with no increase in buying
  power.
• Ethan didnt show up for class until it was half
  over then he asked the
• professor if he could leave early.

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Revising Run-On Sentences

• Revision 1 Add a period and a capital letter.
• Henry David Thoreau went to the woods in order to
  simplify his life. He also
• wanted to live close to nature.
• Most working people get at least one raise a
  year. However, inflation often
• leaves them with no increase in buying power.
• Revision 2 Add a semicolon
• Henry David Thoreau went to the woods in order to
  simplify his life he also
• wanted to live close to nature.
• Most working people get at least one raise a
  year however, inflation often
• leaves them with no increase in buying power.

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Revising Run-On Sentences

• Revision 1 Add a period and a capital letter.
• Ethan didnt show up for class until it was half
  over. Then he asked the
• professor if he could leave early.
• Revision 2 Add a semicolon
• Ethan didnt show up for class until it was half
  over then he asked the
• professor if he could leave early.

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Run-On/Fused Sentencesfrom the HBJ Handbook,
1992 Edition

• Liz is already fluent in English and Spanish in
  addition, she is learning Chinese.
• Emily Dickinson wrote her poems in seclusion she
  never intended them for publication.
• Rus works part time as a security guard he is
  helping to pay his tuition.
• Stewart and Rosemary flew to Denver from there,
  they drove to the ski lodge in Aspen.
• Cloning has aroused great interest as a
  scientific novelty however, its implications seem
  frightening to many.

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Revising Run-On Sentences

• Liz is already fluent in English and Spanish in
  addition, she is learning Chinese.
• Emily Dickinson wrote her poems in seclusion she
  never intended them for publication.
• Rus works part time as a security guard he is
  helping to pay his tuition.
• Stewart and Rosemary flew to Denver from there,
  they drove to the ski lodge in Aspen.
• Cloning has aroused great interest as a
  scientific novelty however, its implications
  seem frightening to many.

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Comma Splices/Comma Faultsfrom John McKernans
The Writers Handbook, 2nd ed.

• COMMA SPLICE aka
• COMMA FAULT
• A comma splice is a sentence error, not a comma
  error. A comma splice occurs when two complete
  sentences are separated only by a comma.

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Comma Splices/Comma Faults

• The following sentence contains a
• comma error, NOT a comma splice
• Whats more dangerous than aggressive driving, is
  indecisive driving.
• A comma error is a punctuation error, not a
• sentence error.

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Revising Comma Splicesfrom John McKernans The
Writers Handbook, 2nd ed.

• The divorce rate has risen sharply in recent
  years, many couples, consequently, now choose to
  live together before marrying.
• Graduate students who are also teaching
  assistants (TAs) carry a double burden, they
  must balance the needs of their students against
  the demands of their own studies.
• Angie arrived on campus with mixed feelings, she
  was already homesick as well as excited.
• Mrs. Webb listens to everyone's opinions, then
  she makes up her own mind.

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Revising Comma Splicesfrom John McKernans The
Writers Handbook, 2nd ed.

• The divorce rate has risen sharply in recent
  years many couples, consequently, now choose to
  live together before marrying.
• Graduate students who are also teaching
  assistants (TAs) carry a double burden they
  must balance the needs of their students against
  the demands of their own studies.
• Angie arrived on campus with mixed feelings she
  was already homesick as well as excited.
• Mrs. Webb listens to everyone's opinions then
  she makes up her own mind.

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Comma Splicesfrom James A. Heffernan's and John
E. Lincolns Writing A College Handbook, 2nd ed.

• Henry David Thoreau went to the woods in order to
  simplify his life, he also
• wanted to live close to nature.
• Most working people get at least one raise a
  year, however, inflation often
• leaves them with no increase in buying power.
• Ethan didnt show up for class until it was half
  over, then he asked the
• professor if he could leave early.

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Comma Splice Revisionsfrom James A. Heffernan's
and John E. Lincolns Writing A College
Handbook, 2nd ed.

• Revision 1 Add a period and a capital letter.
• Henry David Thoreau went to the woods in order to
  simplify his life. He also
• wanted to live close to nature.
• Most working people get at least one raise a
  year. However, inflation often
• leaves them with no increase in buying power.
• Ethan didnt show up for class until it was half
  over. Then he asked the
• professor if he could leave early.
• Revision 2 Add a semicolon
• Henry David Thoreau went to the woods in order to
  simplify his life he also
• wanted to live close to nature.
• Most working people get at least one raise a
  year however, inflation often
• leaves them with no increase in buying power.
• Ethan didnt show up for class until it was half
  over then he asked the
• professor if he could leave early.

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A Few Exceptionsfrom John McKernans The
Writers Handbook, 2nd ed.and Mamie Hixons Real
Good Grammar, Too, 2nd ed.

• Intentional use of fragments
• Used for effect
• We live in Florida, and summers are always hot.
  So hot!
• Two exceptions to comma splices
• Short, parallel independent clauses joined by
  commas
• He fished, she cooked, we all ate.
• I came, I saw, I conquered.
• Short question and short statement joined by
  commas
• I didnt know, did you?

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BONUS QUESTION

• IS THE FOLLOWING WORD GROUP A RUN-ON, FRAGMENT,
  COMMA SPLICE, OR CORRECT?
• Verizon Wireless said Sunday that it would pay up
  to 90 million in refunds to 15 million cell
  phone customers who were wrongly charged for data
  sessions or Internet use, one of the largest-ever
  customer refunds by a telecommunications company.
• Breaking News Alert
• The New York Times
• Sun., October 03, 2010 -- 521 PM ET

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BONUS QUESTION

• IS THE FOLLOWING WORD GROUP A RUN-ON, FRAGMENT,
  COMMA SPLICE, OR CORRECT?
• Verizon Wireless said Sunday that it would pay up
  to 90 million in refunds to 15 million cell
  phone customers who were wrongly charged for data
  sessions or Internet use, one of the largest-ever
  customer refunds by a telecommunications company.
• Breaking News Alert
• The New York Times
• Sun., October 03, 2010 -- 521 PM ET

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SENTENCING

• Now that you have completed this crash course
  in Sentence Errors, you have the following
  sentencing
• Dont write run-on sentences they are hard to
  read.
• Do not separate two sentences with a comma, use a
  semicolon or a period.
• And no sentence fragments.

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Resources

• Dean, Kitty Chen. English Grammar in Context.
  Boston Allyn and Bacon, 2001.
• Heffernan, James A., and John E. Lincoln.
  Writing A College Handbook. 2nd ed. New York
  W.W. Norton Company, Inc., 1986.
• Hixon, Mamie Webb. Real Good Grammar, Too. 2nd
  ed. Dubuque, Iowa Kendall/Hunt Publishing
  Company, 1997.
• Kolln, Martha. Understanding English Grammar,
  Fourth Edition. New York MacMillan Publishing,
  1990.
• McKernan, John. The Writers Handbook. 2nd ed.
  New York Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1991.