Fragments,

Fragments, Comma
Comma
Splices,
Splices, and
and Fused
Fused
Sentences
Sentences

How do I know And how can

if I have too I tell if I have
little in a too much?
sentence . . .
 This
Youpresentation
will learn to
complete
covers avoiding
recognize
sentence
sentences , employ
fragments,
appropriate
punctuation
comma splices
, and,
use subordination
and fused
coordination
andsentences . .
A
A fragment,
fragment, comma
comma splice,splice,
and/or
and/or fused
fused sentence
sentence item item
on
on an
an objective
objective test test might
might
look
look like
like this
this ......
 Sample
Sample Item
Item
At the pizzeria,
pizzeria, Jolene
Joleneeavesdropped
eavesdroppedon onthe
the
A
argument at the next table,
table,, hot
table hot
while cheese
cheese
hot cheese
B
cascaded over
cascaded overherherslice
sliceofofpizza
pizzaonto ontoher
herbare
bare
C
The
The comma
Is
Is the
comma between
the
between
lap. table
table and hot
hot makes
punctuation
and
punctuation (or
makes
(or
aa comma
lack
lack of
comma it) at A
ofsplice,
it) at
splice, Aan
,,
an
error BB,, or
error that
that C
C B
option
or
option B
A.pizzeria; Jolene incorrect?
fixes.
incorrect?
fixes.
B.table
table while
whilehot
hot
C.cascaded.
pizza. OntoOver
D.No change is necessary.
A
A sentence
sentence must
must have a subject
have a subject,,
verb and complete
verb,, and complete thought
thought..

Andre practiced jump shots to impress

Coach Nelson.

Andre = subject,
practiced = verb,
and the thought =
complete, so you
have a sentence.
Recognize a fragment
Recognize a fragment when
when
you
you see
see one.
one.

Jumped
Andre
As
And spun
spinning
Andre spun
over
the
the
ball
the
ball
theto
ball
=ball
show
fragment
totoshow
off
showhis
off
off
skills.
his
his
skills.

Andre spun the ball to show off his skills.

= sentence

Finally! A
subject, a
verb, and
a complete
thought!
Recognize fused
Recognize fused sentences
sentences (run-
(run-
ons) and comma
ons) and comma splices
splices..
court
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court
unfortunately
unfortunately the the
coach’s
coach’s
backback
waswas
turned.
turned.

court,
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court,
unfortunately
unfortunately the the
coach’s
coach’s
backback
waswas
turned.
turned.

You cannot
You cannot
run together
join two
two sentences
sentences with
with no
a comma!
punctuation!
Fix
Fix the
the error
error with a period
with a period and
and a
a
capital
capital letter
letter..

court.
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court
Unfortunately,
unfortunately the coach’s
the coach’s
backback
was was
turned.
turned.

Swish
goes the
period!
Fix
Fix the
the error
error with a comma
with a comma andand
a coordinating
a coordinating conjunction
conjunction..

court,
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court
but
unfortunately
the coach’s
theback
coach’s
wasback
turned.
was turned.

Be my
FANBOYS —
for, and, nor,
but, or, yet,
and so.
Fix
Fix the
the error
error with
with a
a
semicolon
semicolon..

court;
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court
unfortunately,
unfortunately the coach’s
the coach’s
backback
was was
turned.
turned.

Use the
semicolon
sparingly — 3
to 4 times per
essay, max.
Fix
Fix the
the error
error with
with a
a
subordinate
subordinate conjunction
conjunction..

Andre sank a perfect basket from half court after

unfortunately
the coach’s back
the was
coach’s
turned.
back was turned.

Reduce one
of the two
clauses to an
incomplete
thought.
These
These are
are the
the subordinate
subordinate
conjunctions.
conjunctions.

 after  since
 although  so [that implied], so that
 as  than
 because  that
 before  though
 even though  unless
 if, even if  when, whenever
 in order that  where, wherever, whereas
 once  whether
 provided that  while
Remember these general
Remember these general
punctuation
punctuation rules
rules when
when
subordinating
subordinating one
one of
of the
the clauses
clauses
in
in the
the error.
error.

Subordinate clause +,+ main clause.

Main clause +Ø+ subordinate clause.

 Here’s
Here’s our
our sample:
sample:

Although Andre sank a perfect basket from half

court, the coach’s back was turned.

Andre sank a perfect basket from half court after the

coach’s back was turned.

Adding an
Dropping
unnecessary
the
the comma
after courtis
comma isislike
like a
grandstanding
championship game
whenturnover
a teammate
teammate ! is
open!
 Quick
Quick Test
Test

Directions: In the items that follow, choose

the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
“No change is necessary.”

Show me
you got
game!
 Item
Item 1
1

The dogs drooled

drooledwhilewhilewe
weate
ateslices
slicesofofhot
hot
A
pizza but
pizza
pizza, but
butthe
the
thecat
cat
catfeigned
feigned
feignednonchalance
nonchalance
nonchalance even
even
even
B C
though we knew that she wanted a pepperoni.

A.drooled. While
B.pizza,
pizza, but
but
C.nonchalance. Even
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 2
2

Mary Ellen screamed,

screamed,her
herroommate’s
roommate’spet
pet
tarantula crawled out of the bag of popcorn.

A.screamed her
B.screamed; because, her
C.screamed
screamed as
asher
her
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 3
3
Running late with dinner,
dinner,Elizabeth
Elizabethfussed
fussedwith
with
A
seasonings and
seasonings andwiped
wipedspots
spotsoff
offthe
the
B
glasses. while
glasses.
glasses While
Whilethe
thefamily
familystared
staredatattheir
theirempty
empty
CC
plates.

A.dinner; Elizabeth
B.seasonings, and
C.glasses
glasses while
while
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 4
4

Everyone scrambled off the lakeside patio.

patio. When
When
the 10-foot alligator lumbered onto shore.

A.
A.patio
patiowhen
when
B.patio; when
C.patio, when
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 5
5
The glass of iced tea promised thirst-quenching

refreshment.Roseanne,
refreshment
refreshment Roseanne,
Roseanne, however,
however,
however, had
had
had
to to
beat
tobeat
beat
A BB
Maria to the refrigerator
refrigeratorasasthey
theyraced
racedthrough
through
C
the front door.

A.refreshment.Roseanne
A.refreshment. Roseanne
B.however; had
C.refrigerator; as
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 6
6

Warren wanted to make a good impression on

Melody but
Melody butthe
thesoda
sodaexplosion
explosionthat
thatsoaked
soakedhis
his
shirt ruined their first meeting.

A.Melody; but, the

B.Melody;
Melody;however,
however,the
the
C.Melody, however, the
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 7
7
Because of the hot sun, ice cream ran down the
Because of the hot sun,
sun, ice
icecream
creamranrandown
downthe
the
A
A
cone and coated Randall’s fingers, for his tongue
cone and
cone andcoated
coatedRandall’s
Randall’sfingers,
fingers,his
histongue
tongue
B C
B C
couldn’t keep up.
up
couldn’t keep up.
up
A.sun; ice cream
A.sun; ice cream
B.cone, and
B.cone, and
C.fingers, for his
C.fingers, for his
D.No change is necessary.
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 8
8

Wanda took a deep breath and got ready to yell.

yell.
Because Paul
Because Paul was
was about
about to
to explain
explain why
why his
his half
half of
of
the rent would be late again.

A.yell, because
B.yell
yell because
because
C.yell for
D.No change is necessary.
 Item
Item 9
9
After Simon bought roses for Emily,
Emily, hehespotted
spotted
A
Derek’s car in her driveway
drivewayand
andrealized
realizedthat
thatthis
this
B
gesture would not repair the relationship
relationshipororwinwin
C
back her love.

A.Emily. he
B.driveway. And
C.relationship; or
D.No change
changeisisnecessary.
necessary.
 Item
Item 10
10

Since Larry had studied for hours;

hours;hehewas
was
relieved to find a big red A at the top of his
grammar quiz.

A.hours he
B.hours. He
C.hours,
hours, he
he
D.No change is necessary.
The End.