Run on sentences
Ill-defined term causes big problems

To get students to eliminate run on sentences that mingle within the markers of a traditional sentence, you need to help students identify the boundaries of a sentence.

If you want to accomplish that task easily, scrap the textbook terminology.

Do not use such English teacher jargon as:

• A run on, which students think means one very long sentence.

• Run on sentences, which students think means several long sentences.

• Fused sentence, which students which students think means a sentence whose grammar is so dangerous the sentence that might blow up.

I will use the old fashioned terms here because they are the terms most teachers use, but be forewarned:

Using the term run on sentences to teach grammar is as useful as shooting yourself in the foot to cure a corn.

At the end of this page, I'll give you a better term to use, one that isn't as apt to mislead students. If you can't wait, you can fast forward by clicking here, but don't forget to come back.

Test with tags, yes-no questions

Once more, we will build tag sentences and yes-no questions from a word group bearing the boundary markers of a declarative sentence.

In each set of examples, the first item A is the original "sentence," B is the tag sentence, and C is the yes-no question.

If you are unfamiliar with the use of tags and yes-no questions in isolating subjects and verbs, you can learn about them at the page about the subject of a sentence, as well as several other pages as well.

Set 1: run-together sentences

A (Original). Kathy got out the ladder she got out the plastic.

B. Kathy got out the ladder she got out the plastic, didn't she?

C. Did Kathy get out the ladder she get out the plastic ?

In this set, students might not see that A and B are fused sentences or run on sentences. They will surely see something wrong in C.

Set 2: run-together sentences

A (Original). Maribeth failed to notice the cat it was lying beneath the ladder

B. Maribeth failed to notice the cat it was lying beneath the ladder, didn't she?

C. Did Maribeth fail to notice the cat it was lying beneath the ladder?

In this set, items A and C don't sound too awfully bad to many students. However, B will tell most students there is something wrong with the original.

When in doubt: reverse

If students have any question about whether the item consists of two sentences disguised as a single sentence, they do the exercise again. This time they reverse the order of the word groups they think are sentences.

That reversal trick helps writers to figure out a tough situation like set 3.

Set 3: run-together sentences

A (Original). Laura made up her mind Jenny was still debating.

B. Laura made up her mind Jenny was still debating, didn't she?

C. Did Laura make up her mind Jenny was still debating?

If these sentences were spoken, students would know immediately if the boundaries of the items are correctly marked. The meaning of the written item is far less clear.

Reversing the order of the clauses gives us this set:

A (reversed). Jenny was still debating Laura made up her mind.

B. Jenny was still debating Laura made up her mind, didn't she?

C. Was Jenny was still debating did Laura make up her mind?

A careful reading suggests that original item was two run on sentences together. It would be simple to fix the original by adding one word without changing the sentence boundaries. Do you know what that repair would be?

Use term run-together sentences

Instead of the terms:

• Run on sentence

• Run on sentences

• Fused sentence

use the term run-together sentences. That label is far easier for students to understand.

By any name, run on sentences arise from failure to recognize a complete sentence. The same basic problem underlies the problems we call sentence fragments.