What is Wrong with Run-on Sentences?

Many of us write as we think. This is a good idea, since it makes the writing simple, direct, and easy-to-follow. But there is a pitfall too: we may make grammatical mistakes and structural errors, and won’t even have a clue about it. That is because spoken English is informal, and you get accustomed to thinking the grammatically incorrect sentences that run in your mind to be perfectly alright.

One such commonly found error is what is called run-on sentences, which refer to two complete sentences fused together without being linked and punctuated.

Consider the following example:

My mother is a great cook she makes deliciously memorable cakes her doughnuts are just so-so.

Three complete sentences, ‘My mother is a great cook’, ‘She makes deliciously memorable cakes’, and ‘Her doughnuts are just so-so’ have been put in proximity, without the mandatory full-stops or periods. You can correct them as:

My mother is a great cook. She makes deliciously memorable cakes and bread. Her doughnuts are just so-so.

Yet, the sentences are disconnected. If you want to show the connection between the thoughts expressed in these sentences. You could rewrite as follows:

My mother is a great cook, and she makes deliciously memorable cakes and bread. Her doughnuts are no good, though.

Though the doughnuts my mother makes are no good, she is a great cook, and she makes deliciously memorable cakes and bread.

You could use colon/semi-colon and connect the following run-on sentences: I am a woman I am a pilot

I am a woman, yet I am a truck driver.
I am a woman, and I am a truck driver.
I am a woman; nevertheless, I am a truck driver.

There are subtle differences between the three sentences, and you would use one of these, depending on the context.

Just a few rules about using the punctuation marks to combine the sentences:

• Use one of the coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet), to connect the two clauses, and insert  a comma before the connecting word.

_________________________, and _________________________.

He enjoys walking through the country, and he often goes on long treks through the forest.

Entrepreneurship is the study of small businesses, and college students are embracing it enthusiastically.

I didn’t know which job I wanted, and I was too confused to decide.

• If the context precludes the use of the coordinating conjunctions mentioned above, and you want to show the link/connection between the clauses, use semi-colon as follows:

__________________________; _____________________________.

He prefers to watch the TV; he has no interest in books.

or

He prefers to watch the TV; however, he has no interest in books.

They weren’t dangerous fugitives; they were detectives in disguise

Comma Splice

When two independent clauses are connected by only a comma, they constitute a run-on sentence called a comma-splice. When you use a comma to connect two independent clauses, it must be accompanied by a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so).

The exam is going to be difficult, you should start your preparation right away.(comma splice)

should be corrected by inserting a period in the place of the comma; alternatively, you could use a semi-colon.

The exam is going to be difficult; therefore, you should start your preparation right away.

Using Space After the Punctuation Mark

Many insert space before the comma/semi-colon/period. To use the space correctly, insert the punctuation mark immediately after the word, and then add space before the next word/sentence.

Read Also:

http://writinghood.com/style/how-to-combine-two-or-more-sentences/