Understanding Sentence Boundaries

In this activity, you will learn to recognize complete sentences and to revise your writing to correct sentence fragments and run-on sentences.

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Understanding Sentence Boundaries

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Let's review some sentence basics...

Multiple Choice

A complete sentences includes...

• a subject and a predicate

• a capital and end punctuation

• a complete thought

• all of these

Multiple Choice

The predicate of the sentence is the...

• WHO part

• WHAT part

• HOW part

Multiple Choice

The subject of the sentence is the...

• WHO part

• WHAT part

• HOW part

Multiple Choice

Whispered to my mom.

• missing subject

• missing predicate

• missing both

Multiple Choice

Dolphins swam in the clear, blue ocean.

• complete sentence

• fragment

Multiple Choice

With brown hair and blue eyes, she.

• complete sentence

• fragment

Multiple Choice

Which part of speech expresses action or a state of being?

• adverb
• interjection
• preposition
• verb

Multiple Choice

A clause is...

• A group of words that makes sense on its own.

• A group of words containing only a subject

• A group of words that DOES NOT makes sense on its own.

Multiple Select

What is a conjunction?

• A conjunction joins two words, ideas, phrases or clauses together in a sentence and shows how they are connected.

• A way of tying two people together.

• Railroad crossings? In Railroad class?

• FANBOYS!

  For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so!

Skilled writers use complete sentences to express complete thoughts. A sentence fragment is less than a complete sentence; that is, it is missing one or more elements that make it complete. A run- on is more than a complete sentence; that is, it runs two or more complete sentences together as if they were one.

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​Recognizing Complete Sentences and Sentence Fragments

​Knowing the differences between complete sentences and sentence fragments is an important part of becoming a strong writer and self-editor.

• A sentence includes at least one independent clause. An independent clause includes a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

Look at these sentences from A Wrinkle in Time:

• She looked around.

• She was completely alone.

• Her heart began to pound.

Each one has a subject (yellow) and a verb (green). Each one expresses a complete thought.

​Recognizing Complete Sentences and Sentence Fragments

​A sentence fragment may be missing a subject and/or a verb, or it may not express a complete thought.

• Fragment (missing a subject): Beginning to pound.

• Fragment (missing a verb): Her heart in her throat.

• Fragment (not a complete thought): When she realized her situation.

Writers usually use complete sentences to express their meaning. Sometimes, though, a writer chooses to use sentence fragments to produce a specific effect in his or her writing.

This excerpt from A Wrinkle in Time includes two fragments:

• Mrs. Whatsit said to remember that she loves me. That's what I have to think about. Not about being afraid. Or not as smart as IT.

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Multiple Select

Identify the complete sentences in the excerpt below.

Mrs. Whatsit said to remember that she loves me. That's what I have to think about. Not about being afraid. Or not as smart as IT.

• Mrs. Whatsit said to remember that she loves me.

• That's what I have to think about.

• Not about being afraid.

• Or not as smart as IT.

Multiple Select

Identify the fragments in the excerpt below.

Mrs. Whatsit said to remember that she loves me. That's what I have to think about. Not about being afraid. Or not as smart as IT.

• Mrs. Whatsit said to remember that she loves me.

• That's what I have to think about.

• Not about being afraid.

• Or not as smart as IT.

​Recognizing Run-on Sentences

​Sometimes two or more complete sentences run together as if they are a single sentence. This creates a run-on sentence.

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Like sentence fragments, run-ons are usually avoided, though some writers may use them for effect. For example, using run-ons can show rambling dialogue.

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Run-ons can be confusing because they make it a hard to see where one thought ends and another begins. Alternatively, the connection between the sentences might not be clear.

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Multiple Choice

Select the sentence that is a fragment or a run-on sentence. 

• Probably two to three hours, depending on how hard the task is.

• The test seemed impossible, but I managed to make an A.

• We went shopping this past weekend.

• He wanted the blue one.

Multiple Choice

Select the sentence that is a fragment or a run-on sentence. 

• When you use the conjunctions and, for, nor, but, or, for, or, yet, so.

• They promised to be there in time for the reception, but I expect they will be late.

• There were four in our group.

• Let's meet at Lucy's house, and remember to bring the soft drinks and popcorn.

Multiple Choice

Select the sentence that is a fragment or a run-on sentence. 

• This position requires speaking, writing, and supervising skills.

• The conversation took place in her office, which was cluttered with papers and

  books.

• The activity is brisk in the living room and in the kitchen while people are

  searching for a place to sit.

• This is not what I requested the color is too dark, and it's the wrong size.

​Recognizing Run-on Sentences

​Look at this run-on:

• Madeleine L'Engle wrote many acclaimed books for children and adults, her best-known work, A Wrinkle in Time, won the 1963 Newbery Medal.

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This word group contains two whole sentences (independent clauses) and two whole complete thoughts. With no punctuation between them, the sentences are not clear.

​A run-on can be revised in several ways:

• ​It can be made into two separate sentences:

  Madeleine L'Engle wrote many acclaimed books for children and adults. Her best-known work, A Wrinkle in Time, won the 1963 Newbery Medal.

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​Recognizing Run-on Sentences

• ​A comma and coordinating conjunction (such as and, but, or, so, or yet) can be added, making a compound sentence:

Madeleine L'Engle wrote many acclaimed books for children and adults, and her best-known work, A Wrinkle in Time, won the 1963 Newbery Medal.

• In some cases, the clauses can be joined by a semicolon—if the clauses are closely connected in meaning.

Madeleine L'Engle wrote many acclaimed books for children and adults; her best-known work, A Wrinkle in Time, won the 1963 Newbery Medal.

• Run-ons can also be reworded so that one of the independent clauses becomes a phrase or dependent clause.

Madeleine L'Engle wrote many acclaimed books for children and adults, including her best-known work, A Wrinkle in Time, which won the 1963 Newbery Medal.

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​Recognizing Run-on Sentences

• ​A comma and coordinating conjunction (such as and, but, or, so, or yet) can be added, making a compound sentence:

Madeleine L'Engle wrote many acclaimed books for children and adults, and her best-known work, A Wrinkle in Time, won the 1963 Newbery Medal.

• In some cases, the clauses can be joined by a semicolon—if the clauses are closely connected in meaning.

Madeleine L'Engle wrote many acclaimed books for children and adults; her best-known work, A Wrinkle in Time, won the 1963 Newbery Medal.

• Run-ons can also be reworded so that one of the independent clauses becomes a phrase or dependent clause.

Madeleine L'Engle wrote many acclaimed books for children and adults, including her best-known work, A Wrinkle in Time, which won the 1963 Newbery Medal.

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Multiple Choice

Which of these corrects the following run-on?

In the last year, the dog park has hosted many events, it draws many people.

• In the last year. The dog park has hosted many events, it draws many people.

• In the last year, the dog park has hosted many events. It draws many people.

• In the last year, the dog park. Has hosted many events, and it draws many people.

• In the last year the dog park has hosted many events, it draws many people.

Multiple Choice

Which of these corrects the following run-on?

He attempted the tricks the larger dog did, he did not succeed.

• He attempted the tricks the larger dog did; he did not succeed.

• He attempted the tricks the larger dog did, or he did not succeed.

• He attempted the tricks the larger dog did he did not succeed.

• He attempted the tricks the larger dog did. he did not succeed.

Multiple Choice

Which of these corrects the following run-on?

The dog park holds many events, they include Doggy Olympics, Puppy Pool Party, and Healthy Pet Program.

• The dog park holds many events; They include Doggy Olympics, Puppy Pool Party, and Healthy Pet Program.

• The dog park holds many events, but they include Doggy Olympics, Puppy Pool Party, and Healthy Pet Program.

• The dog park holds many events. They include Doggy Olympics, Puppy Pool Party, and Healthy Pet Program.

• They hold many programs like Doggy Olympics, Puppy Pool Party, and Healthy Pet Program.

Multiple Choice

Which of these corrects the following run-on?

Some dog parks are small this makes it difficult to have big events.

• Some dog parks are small, this makes it difficult to have big events.

• Some dog parks are small this makes it difficult. To have big events.

• Some dog parks are small. this makes it difficult to have big events.

• Some dog parks are small. This makes it difficult to have big events.

Multiple Choice

Which of these corrects the following run-on?

Adopting pets began in 1869, dog parks were established in 1979.

• Adopting pets began in 1869, And dog parks were established in 1979.

• Adopting pets began in 1869. dog parks were established in 1979

• Adopting pets began in 1869, and dog parks were established in 1979.

• Adopting pets began in 1869; Dog parks were established in 1979.

A compound sentence contains TWO independent clauses that are combined with a conjunction!

• The wide receiver caught the ball, and he danced into the end zone.

• The teacher gave us plenty of time to do the homework, but I forgot it at home.

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​compound sentence

Simple sentences contains ONE independent clause.

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• I finished a book last night.

• ​The train whistled past.

Simple sentence

Sentence types

A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

• When the class was over, Tyler forgot to push in his chair, so Mr. Gilcrest hunted him down.

• ​Without delay, Tyler raced back to the room, and he pushed the chair in nicely like the rest.

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​compound-complex sentence

A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

• ​When he got to the store, he immediately realized that he didn’t have his wallet.

• Derek Jeter, who plays shortstop for the Yankees, was honored this weekend in the Bronx.

complex sentence

Sentence types

Multiple Choice

Elijah remained at home because he had a sore throat.

• simple sentence

• compound sentence

• complex sentence

Multiple Choice

Her left arm was badly broken at the wrist during the car accident.

• simple sentence

• compound sentence

• complex sentence

Multiple Choice

Although he searched everywhere, Mr. Brooks could not find the keys to the computer lab.

• simple sentence

• compound sentence

• complex sentence

Multiple Choice

Which of the following sentences is a compound-complex sentence?

• The incessant ticking and chiming echoed off the weathered walls of the clock repair shop.

• Elissa was very sick today and we will take her to the hospital now, before she gets worse.

• When he got a cream pie smashed in his face, everyone laughed.

• I have paid my dues; as a result, I expect to receive all the privileges listed in the bylaws.

Multiple Choice

Mrs. Carrero said that will be enough, and everyone agreed.

• simple sentence

• compound sentence

• complex sentence