Sentence Structure Review

Standard Focus: Avoiding Unintentional Splices and Run-on Sentences.

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🛑 Identify the Problem

The goal is to avoid sentences where two or more independent clauses (complete thoughts) are improperly joined.

1. Run-on Sentence (Fused Sentence)

Two independent clauses are joined with no punctuation or connecting word.

• ❌ Example: The bell rang the students rushed out the door.

• Correction Method: Fix with a period, semicolon, or conjunction.

2. Comma Splice

Two independent clauses are joined only by a comma, which is not strong enough to connect them alone.

• ❌ Example: The test was difficult, I spent an hour studying for it.

Correction Method: Change the punctuation or add a conjunction.

Multiple Choice

What is a comma splice?

• Two independent clauses joined by a comma

• Two independent clauses joined by a period

• Two independent clauses joined by a conjunction

• Two independent clauses joined by a semicolon

Multiple Choice

What is the correction method for a run-on sentence?

• Use a comma

• Use a conjunction

• Use a period or semicolon

• Leave it as is

Multiple Choice

Fix:
Carrie was grounded for a week when she was finally finished her punishment, she was able to see her friends again.

• week. When
• week because
• week and

Multiple Choice

Fix this:
Maddie's cell phone rang in class the teacher began to yell at everyone.

• class, and the teacher
• class, the teacher

Multiple Choice

FIX this:
My favorite pie is pumpkin apple is a close second, though.

• pumpkin, apple
• pumpkin, but apple

Multiple Choice

What are the four methods to create a complete, controlled sentence by properly joining or separating independent clauses?

• Separate

• Link Closely

• Link with FANBOYS

• Subordinate

FANBOYS = For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So (Coordinating Conjunctions)

Subordinating Conjunctions = although, as long as, because, before while, whenever, when, whereas, since, if, after, until, 

IC = Independent Clause (a complete thought)

DC = Dependent Clause (an incomplete thought)

Solution	Punctuation / Connector	Rule / Formula	Example Correction
1. Separate	. (Period)	IC. IC	The bell rang. The students rushed out the door.
2. Link Closely	; (Semicolon)	IC; IC	The test was difficult; I spent an hour studying for it.
3. Link with FANBOYS	, + {FANBOYS}	IC, FANBOYS IC	The bell rang, so the students rushed out.
4. Subordinate	{Subordinating Conjunction}	DC, IC. OR ICDC	Because the bell rang, the students rushed out. The students rushed out because the bell rang.

Categorize

Options (9)

My sister ate my sandwich, so I kicked her.

English is my favorite subject.

I enjoy watching movies and going out with friends.

Would you like to go to the movies or go to the mall?

I need to study, so I cannot go out tonight.

I need to pass this class for my prerequisite.

Since I stayed home and studied, I passed the test.

I passed the test since I stayed home and studied.

I went to the game even though I was tired.

Identify the following sentences as simple, compound, or complex.

Simple Sentence

Compound Sentence

Complex Sentence

Multiple Choice

How can you fix a run-on sentence by using a subordinating conjunction?

• By removing the subordinating conjunction from the sentence.

• By using a coordinating conjunction to separate the two independent clauses.

• By using a subordinating conjunction to join the two independent clauses.

• By adding a semicolon between the two independent clauses.

Multiple Choice

Select the answer would fix the following run-on sentence by using a coordinating conjunction: "Sarah asked the teacher if she could bring her pet frog to school, the teacher said no."

• Sarah asked the teacher if she could bring her pet frog to school; The teacher said no.

• Sarah asked the teacher if she could bring her pet frog to school, but the teacher said no.

• Sarah asked the teacher if she could bring her pet frog to school. The teacher said no.

• There is nothing wrong with the original sentence; it does not need to be fixed.

Multiple Choice

Please pick correction that uses a conjunction: The kittens are all grown up now, they have become regular members of our family.

• The kittens are all grown up now. They have become regular members of our family.

• The kittens are all grown up now, and they have become regular members of our family.

• The kittens are all grown up now; they have become regular members of our family.

 Review Checklist: Self-Edit

1. Period Check: Did I use a period to separate two complete thoughts?

2. Semicolon Check: Are the clauses joined by a semicolon closely related in meaning?

3. Comma Check: When using a comma, did I also use a FANBOYS right after it to connect two complete thoughts?

Subordination Check: If I started a sentence with a subordinating word (e.g., because, when, if), did I use a comma before the main/independent clause?

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of the 'Subordination Check' in the review checklist?

• To check for semicolon usage

• To ensure correct comma placement

• To verify the use of subordinating conjunctions

• To separate complete thoughts

Multiple Choice

I loved the Newsela article about pigeons in hats people should not do that it's cruel.

• sentence

• fragment

• run-on/fused sentence

• comma splice

Multiple Choice

Identify the error type: Two sentences (independent clauses) hooked together with a comma

• Fragment

• run-on/fused sentence

• Comma hook

• Comma splice

Multiple Choice

What change, if any, should be made to sentence 14?

• change . to ?
  

• add , after March 17
  

• add have after you

• no change needed

Multiple Choice

Doctor Strange hurt his hands, he went to see the Sorcerer Supreme.

• Complete sentence

• Sentence fragment / Incomplete sentence

• Comma splice

• Run on