What is a run-on?
Run-on sentences
A run-on sentence is a grammatical error that occurs when punctuation is missing at the end of a sentence, causing it to fuse with the sentence that comes after it.
Example of a run-on sentence:
- Incorrect: I climbed up the mountain the view at the top was breathtaking.
A run-on sentence can be fixed by separating the two independent clauses with a semicolon.
- Correct: I climbed up the mountain; the view at the top was breathtaking.
- Note: This is appropriate use of a semicolon because the two sentences are closely related.
A run-on sentence can be fixed by separating the two independent clauses into two sentences.
- Correct: I climbed up the mountain. The view at the top was breathtaking.
- Note: While this is grammatically correct, a semicolon would be more appropriate because the two sentences are closely related.
A run-on sentence can be fixed by separating the two independent clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction.
- Correct: I climbed up the mountain, and the view at the top was breathtaking.
Comma splices
A comma splice is a grammatical error that occurs when a comma is used to incorrectly combine two independent clauses into a single sentence.
Example of a comma splice:
Incorrect: I climbed up the mountain, the view at the top was breathtaking.
Three options for correcting a comma splice:
- A comma splice can be fixed by separating the two independent clauses into two sentences.
Correct: I climbed up the mountain. The view at the top was breathtaking.
- A comma splice can be fixed by separating the two independent clauses with a semicolon.
Correct: I climbed up the mountain; the view at the top was breathtaking.
- A comma splice can be fixed by separating the two independent clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction.
Correct: I climbed up the mountain, and the view at the top was breathtaking.
