Is it a complete sentence or a run-on?
Key Notes:
🪐 A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. It has both a subject and a verb.
My friends walk along the path.
🪐 A run-on sentence, also called a run-together sentence, is made up of two sentences that should stand alone.
I knocked on the door it opened.
🪐 To fix a run-on sentence, separate it into two sentences. Add a full stop after the first sentence, and use a capital letter at the beginning of the second sentence.
I knocked on the door. It opened.
🪐You can also fix a run-on sentence by rewriting it as a compound sentence. A compound sentence is two sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
- I knocked on the door, and it opened.
- It started raining, so we ran inside.
Learn with an example
1) Which is a complete sentence?
- Lauren rows the boat first then it’s my turn.
- My cats like that long white string.
My cats like that long white string is a complete sentence. The subject is my cats, and the verb is like.
2) Which is a run-on sentence?
- The women ran up and down the hill.
- We swim in the pool the water is cold.
We swim in the pool the water is cold is a run-on sentence. It has two sentences that should stand alone: We swim in the pool and The water is cold.
3) Which is a complete sentence?
- Matthew works for the newspaper he writes about sports.
- You will get a good education at this school.
You will get a good education at this school is a complete sentence. The subject is you, and the verb is will get.
Let’s try some problems! ✍️
