Writing Services: Grammar & Sentence Structure

Independent clauses are complete sentences. They have:

• subject (s)
• verbs (s)
• a complete idea

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Example:

Run-on sentences have one or more independent clauses combined, but they often:

• Have missing punctuation OR
• Incorrect punctuation

Example: 

In the example above, punctuation is missing. We have two complete sentences but nothing separating them or combining them effectively. This is an example of a run-on sentence. 

Correction techniques

The first step to correcting basic run-on sentences is to identify the simple sentences (independent clauses) and pull them apart. In the example above, the two simple sentences are:

1. Emily bought her dog a lot of food.
2. The dog ate all of it.

Now that we've identified the two simple sentences, we can apply three different correction techniques. 

Add a period

Emily bought her dog a lot of food. The dog ate all of it.

Add a FANBOY and comma

Emily bought her dog a lot of food, and the dog ate all of it.

Add a semi-colon

Emily bought her dog a lot of food; the dog ate all of it. 

Image source: Tutoring Hour website. 

Adding a period, or FANBOY and comma, are the most common corrections techniques.

We recommend adding periods if you struggle to write compound or complex sentences. Writing short, simple and clear sentences can be a great way to get your ideas across.

The semi-colon is meant to be used more sparingly - only a few times in a paper. Semi-colons are meant to extend the first sentence by separating two complete sentences with closely related ideas. 

Sentence fragments are incomplete sentences and cannot stand on their own. Fragments are missing one or more of the following:

• subject (s)
• verbs (s)
• Don't express a complete thought

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Dependent clause fragments

There are many types of fragments, but we will focus on one of the most common types: dependent clause fragments. These fragments DO have a subject and verb but don't express a complete thought. Therefore, a fragment is not a complete sentence.

Examples:

Source for examples: Seneca College.(2020). Grammar: Sentence Building Handout 

Notice how none of the examples above express a complete idea. You are left with questions (ex: what happens when you finish exercising?). These sentences have an opening word (dependent clause marker), they also have subjects and verbs, but the thought has not been completed. Examples of dependent clause markers can be found here (OWL Purdue website). 

Correction techniques

The first step to correcting dependent clause fragments is to successfully identify the fragment. 

Can you identify which sentence is the fragment in the example below? 

Answer: the first sentence is a fragment. It does not express a full idea and it opens with a set-up word. Although I enjoy spending time with friends.

Now that we've identified the fragment, there are three correction techniques that can be applied. Notice that these corrections techniques are very different from the correction techniques above (for run-on sentences). 

Attach fragment to an independent clause with a comma 

Although I enjoy spending time with friends, I usually prefer staying at home.

We always add a comma if the fragment comes first in the sentence. Notice there's a natural pause after the dependent clause. Combining a dependent clause with an independent clause creates a complex sentence.  

Attach fragment to an independent clause without a comma

I usually prefer staying at home although I enjoy spending time with friends.

Notice that we do not add a comma when the fragment comes last in the sentence. 

Remove dependent clause marker

I enjoy spending time with friends. I usually prefer staying at home.

Notice how removing although creates a complete sentence (the dependent clause now becomes an independent clause). We now have two complete, simple sentences with periods. 

Writing simple, short, and well-constructed sentences is an excellent way to ensure clarity. 

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