English 9 / Unit 9: Grammar and Usage
9.3 Fragments and Run-Ons
Notes
A complete sentence needs a subject, a verb and a complete thought.
- Fragment: an incomplete sentence. "Because the bus was late." Fix: attach it to an independent clause. "We missed class because the bus was late."
- Run-on (fused sentence): two independent clauses with no punctuation. "I love soccer I play every day."
- Comma splice: two independent clauses joined only by a comma. "I love soccer, I play every day."
- Fix run-ons and splices with: a period, a semicolon, a comma + FANBOYS, or a subordinating word ("Because I love soccer, I play every day").
Practice
Which is a sentence fragment?
It has no subject or complete verb.
"The movie ended, everyone clapped." This is a:
Two independent clauses are joined only by a comma.
Which correctly fixes "My phone died I couldn't call you"?
A semicolon can join two related independent clauses.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 9 test.