Proofreading

Run-on Sentences

Run-on sentences are among the most common sentence-level errors. Although many people think of run-ons as sentences that are just "too long," the problem has little to do with sentence length.

Simply put, run-on sentences are created when two (or more) independent clauses are improperly joined. (An independent clause is a clause that contains a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence.)

In a run-on, independent clauses may be run together, with no punctuation or transitional words between them:

The attorney encouraged her client to settle the case out of court the client refused because he wanted to go to trial.

Or they may be insufficiently connected with just a comma:

The lawyer handed the judge a memo, it fell on the floor.

(This type of run-on is often called a comma splice.)

Once you've identified them, run-ons can be easily corrected in several ways:

•Make the run-on two separate sentences. This is often the best choice when the original sentence is very long.

The attorney encouraged her client to settle the case out of court. The client refused because he wanted to go to trial.

• Use a semicolon, or a semicolon plus a transitional word, to link the clauses.

The lawyer handed the judge a memo; however, it fell on the floor.

• Use a conjunction (and a comma) to join the clauses:

The lawyer handed the judge a memo, but it fell on the floor.

• Reword the sentence to turn one of the independent clauses into a dependent clause using a subordinating conjunction.

When the lawyer handed the judge a memo, it fell on the floor.

Examples of common subordinating conjunctions are when, because, before, after, whereas, while, and unless.

Practice exercise

The following sentences are all run-ons. Print them out and try to devise two different ways to correct each one.

1. The co-op board voted to fine the tenant for noisiness, it is not clear whether he violated any established rule.

2. Tom was always late for his lawyering seminar he knew it annoyed the professor and would affect his grade but he just couldn't get up on time.

3. The defendant will argue that she had no knowledge that the merchandise was stolen however, the evidence indicates otherwise.

4. The mortgage company refused to issue a refund check for excess funds in the Smiths' escrow account, this violated the law.

5. The textbook gives many examples of run-on sentences, there is no answer key, how can we check our answers?

Click here to check your answers