Commas and Run Ons

Practicing Commas and Fixing Run-Ons

Run-Ons

​Sentences are combined incorrectly

Fused: Sarah gave me a sandwich it was turkey.

Comma Splice: Sarah gave me a sandwich, it was turkey.

3 Way to Fix Run-ons

1. Separate with a period: Sarah gave me a sandwich. It was turkey.

2. Add a semicolon: Sarah gave me a sandwich; it was turkey.

3. Add a comma and conjunction: Sarah gave me a sandwich, and it was turkey.

Multiple Select

Choose all the ways you could fix this run-on: My father left for a trip I won't see him for a week.

• My father left for a trip, so I won't see him for a week.

• My father left for a trip, I won't see him for a week.

• My father left for a trip; I won't see him for a week.

Conjunctions

Learn the acronym FANBOYS

For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So

Examples

I ate dinner, for I was hungry.
I ate dinner, and now I'm not hungry.
I didn't eat dinner, nor was I hungry.
I ate dinner, but I'm still hungry.
I ate dinner, yet I'm still hungry.
I ate dinner, so I'm not hungry.

Match

Match the type of sentence

• Fused

• Comma Splice

• Correctly Combined

My father went on a trip I won't see him for a week.

My father went on a trip, I won't see him for a week.

My father went on a trip, so I won't see him for a week.

• My father went on a trip I won't see him for a week.

• My father went on a trip, I won't see him for a week.

• My father went on a trip, so I won't see him for a week.

Multiple Select

Which options correctly combine these sentences? Her dog, Muffin, is so mean. It's a Chihuahua.

• Her dog, Muffin, is so mean; it's a Chihuahua.

• Her dog, Muffin, is so mean, it's a Chihuahua.

• Her dog, Muffin, is so mean, and it's a Chihuahua.

• Her dog, Muffin, is so mean, a Chihuahua.

Multiple Select

Identify all of the sentences with comma splices.

• Even after I asked questions, I still didn't understand.

• My mother's father, my grandfather, is a very happy man.

• I lost my class ring in my best friend's house, I never found it.

• Weekends are my favorite, I can sleep in as late as I want.

• What's important is kindness, we all need to be kind to each other.

Multiple Select

Identify all of the sentences that are fused.

• People ask a lot of questions I find it annoying.

• There's a list of people to call I'm not sure whom I should choose.

• I answered the door because I knew it was James.

• I cried for a long time after Lucy left.

• Sarah fell she broke her arm.

One more way to fix them!

Make one of the independent clauses (sentences) dependent.

Rely on an independent clause to make a sentence.

​Example: After I gave blood this morning . . .

Dependent

Can stand alone as a sentence.

​
Example: I gave blood this morning.

​Independent

Clauses

After
Although
As
Because
Before
Even if
Even though
If
In order to

Add subordinating conjunctions

Once
Provided that
Other than
Since
So that
Than
That
Though
Unless

Until
When
Whenever
Where
Whereas
Wherever
Whether
While
Why

Do NOT use a comma before the clause.

Example: I did well on the test because I studied so hard.

​Come at the middle/end

Use a comma after the clause.

Example: Because I studied hard, I did well on the test.

​Come at the beginning

When subordinating clauses...

Subordinate a clause to combine sentences

I had a late lunch. I'm not hungry.

Since I had a late lunch, I'm not hungry.

I'm not hungry since I had a late lunch.

Multiple Select

Choose the options that correctly combine these sentences:

I've never bought tickets online before. I'm a little nervous about it.

• Because I've never bought tickets online before, I'm a little nervous about it.

• I'm a little nervous about it because I've never bought tickets online before.

• I've never bought tickets online before, so I'm a little nervous about it.

• I've never bought tickets online before, I'm a little nervous about it.

• I've never bought tickets online before; I'm a little nervous about it.

Multiple Choice

Choose the most correct punctuation:

Even after I promised; she still didn't trust me.

• NO CHANGE

• promised, she

• promised she

• promised. She

Multiple Choice

Choose the most correct punctuation:

He fell asleep while I was outside.

• NO CHANGE

• asleep, while I

• asleep while, I

• asleep; while

Two More Uses of Commas

No comma unless the and has been omitted

Example: Small and brown table

Example: The small, brown table

​2 Items

Use a comma after and

​Example: I enjoy hiking, biking, and swimming.

​3 or More Items

Lists

Be careful of complex lists!

Identify what is grouped together and what should be separated with commas

I often eat biscuits and gravy, cereal and milk, and eggs with cheese for breakfast.

Appositives

Extra information in the sentence

Example: The mother, who wasn't even there, had a lot to say.

Test: if it can be deleted, add commas around it:
The mother, who wasn't even there, had a lot to say.

Multiple Select

Choose the correctly punctuated sentences.

• Takis, my favorite snack, can be very messy.

• I really listening to jazz, pop and hip hop.

• While I didn't know much about it, I was very excited to try skiing.

• According to my loud, and abrasive friend, I should be more approachable.