PUMPED-UP GRAMMAR!

GEE, KIDS, IT’D BE JUST SUPER

IF YOU WOULDUSE WORDSCORRECTLY!

Fragments and Run-Ons

Day 1

What is a fragment?

A piece of a sentence.

A complete sentence must include at least one full independent clause, with a subject and verb, that can stand on its own. A complete sentence expresses a complete thought.

Examples

A fear of the outside world. (no verb)

Dying to see the show. (no subject)

Because the dramatic rise in temperature killed the plants.(begins with a subordinating word—not a complete thought, so not an independent clause)

Francis arrived at his new school in Rome. Where he was to spend the summer learning Italian.

Which part is a fragment, and how can it be fixed?

Francis arrived at his new school in Rome. Where he was to spend the summer learning Italian.

fragment

Correction: Francis arrived at his new school in Rome, where he was to spend the summer learning Italian.

He talked for fifty minutes without taking his eyes off his notes. Like other teachers in that department, he did not encourage students' questions.

Which part is a fragment, and how can it be fixed?

He talked for fifty minutes without taking his eyes off his notes. Like other teachers in that department, he did not encourage students' questions.

Trick question: both parts are complete sentences.

They were all having a good time. Until one of Joe's oldest and best friends accidentally jumped on Joe’s Xbox.

Which part is a fragment, and how can it be fixed?

They were all having a good time. Until one of Joe's oldest and best friends accidentally jumped on Joe’s Xbox. fragment

They were all having a good time until one of Joe's oldest and best friends accidentally jumped on Joe’s Xbox.

Grammar Warm-Ups

You have TWO minutes to write THREE fragments.

Grammar Warm-Ups

Switch with a neighbor. You have THREE minutes to convert the three fragments into complete sentences by adding or subtracting words.

Day 2

What is a run-on sentence?

Two or more independent clauses run together with no conjunction between them or improper or no punctuation.

One specific kind of run-on is a comma splice: two independent clauses joined by nothing but a comma.

Run-on exampleMosquitos arrived at dusk they whined about our ears

as we huddled in our sleeping bags.

Correct by adding a comma and conjunction:Mosquitos arrived at dusk, and they whined about our ears as we huddled in our sleeping bags.

Or by using a semi-colon:Mosquitos arrived at dusk; they whined about our ears as we huddled in our sleeping bags.

Or by making two sentences:Mosquitos arrived at dusk. They whined about our ears as we huddled in our sleeping bags.

Comma splice exampleSir Richard Burton failed to trace the source of the

Nile, John Hanning Speke discovered it in 1862.

Correct by adding a conjunction:Sir Richard Burton failed to trace the source of the Nile, but John Hanning Speke discovered it in 1862.

Or by using a semi-colon:Sir Richard Burton failed to trace the source of the Nile; John Hanning Speke discovered it in 1862.

Or by making two sentences:Sir Richard Burton failed to trace the source of the Nile. John Hanning Speke discovered it in 1862.

What have we here? “In God we trust” was not the first

motto on the first coin minted in the United States the first motto was “Mind your own business.”

Is there anything wrong with the above sentence, and if so, how can it be fixed?

“In God we trust” was not the first motto on the first coin minted in the United States the first motto was “Mind your own business.”

runs on here

Correction: “In God we trust” was not the first motto on the first coin minted in the United States; on the contrary, the

first motto was “Mind your own business.”

Correction: “In God we trust” was not the first motto on the first coin minted in the United States. On the contrary, the

first motto was “Mind your own business.”

What have we here?

In 1948 Russian defectors wrote about life under Stalin thus the West learned of his ruthless purges.

Is there anything wrong with the above sentence, and if so, how can it be fixed?

In 1948 Russian defectors wrote about life under Stalin thus the West learned of his ruthless purges.

runs on here

Correction: In 1948 Russian defectors wrote about life under Stalin, and thus the West learned of his ruthless purges.

Correction: In 1948 Russian defectors wrote about life under Stalin; thus the West learned of his ruthless purges.

Correction: In 1948 Russian defectors wrote about life under Stalin. Thus the West learned of his ruthless purges.

What have we here? A figure known as the Trickster has a major

role in the myths of many peoples, several North American tribes, for example, have tales featuring Coyote.

Is there anything wrong with the above sentence, and if so, how can it be fixed?

A figure known as the Trickster has a major role in the myths of many peoples, several North American

runs on here

tribes, for example, have tales featuring Coyote.

Correction: A figure known as the Trickster has a major role in the myths of many peoples; several North American tribes, for example, have tales featuring Coyote.

Correction: A figure known as the Trickster has a major role in the myths of many peoples. Several North American tribes, for example, have tales featuring Coyote.

Day 3

Grammar Warm-Ups In pairs, take TEN minutes to write a

paragraph—as long as possible—containing as many run-ons, comma splices and fragments as possible. Go for variety—make them tricky and hard to recognize!

Count up how many run-ons/comma splices you have and how many fragments you have.

When ten minutes are up, switch with another pair. You have FIVE minutes to rewrite the paragraph with NO run-on or fragment errors.