| A run-on sentence is a sentence that contains two improperly joined sentences. The two kinds of run-on sentences are comma splices and fused sentences. |
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| A comma splice occurs when two sentences are joined with only a comma. |
| Incorrect:The teacher told the students to complete the section on comma splices, she also told them to compose a five-page essay. |
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| A fused sentence occurs when two sentences are joined without any punctuation. |
| Incorrect: First I went to the grocery store then I went to the library. |
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| Use a period. |
| The teacher told the students to complete the section on comma splices. She also told them to compose a five-page essay. |
| First I went to the grocery store. Then I went to the library. |
| Use a Semicolon. |
| The teacher told the students to complete the section on comma splices; she also told them to compose a five-page essay. |
| First I went to the grocery store; then I went to the library. |
| Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet). |
| The teacher told the students to complete the section on comma splices, but she also told them to compose a five-page essay. |
| First I went to the grocery store, and then I went to the library. |
| Add a subordinating conjunction or dependent word. |
| Although the teacher told the students to complete the section on comma splices, she also told them to compose a five-page essay. |
| After I went to the grocery store, I went to the library. |
| after | even though | when |
| although | if | whenever |
| as | since | where |
| as if | so that | whereas |
| as though | though | wherever |
| because | unless | whether |
| before | until | while |
| Take the Run-On Sentence Quiz |