ENGL201

Chapter Nine:
Parallelism and Sentence Problems
Part I: Sentence Problems
• Sentence Fragments
• Run-on Sentences
• Comma Splice
Objectives
A good essay has clear and well-written sentences.

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify and correct fragments

2. Identify and correct run-on sentences
3. Identify and correct comma splices

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Fragments
What is a complete sentence?

Complete sentence = subject + verb + complete meaning

Cars have many disadvantages, such as causing air pollution.

Cars have many disadvantages, such as causing air pollution.

complete meaning
subject verb

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Fragments
If any element is missing, Fragment
Cars have many disadvantages. Such as causing air
pollution.
Complete Sentence Independent Clause
Cars have many disadvantages.
complete meaning
subject verb

Incomplete Sentence Dependent Clause

Such as causing air pollution. Fragment
incomplete meaning
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Fragments

Another example:

When we meet someone special. It is hard to know if it is love or attraction.

Subordinating conjunction
Is meaning complete?
When we meet someone special. It is hard to know if it is love or attraction.

subject verb subject verb

dependent clause independent clause

When we meet someone special. Fragment

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Fragments with Subordinating Conjunctions

To fix a fragment with a subordinating conjunction,

attach/join the fragment to the nearby complete sentence.

Incorrect: After I had a long day at work. I drove to the

bank. fragment complete sentence

Correct: After I had a long day at work, I drove to the

bank.
no comma
Correct: I drove to the bank after I had a long day at
work. Subordinating Conjunctions:
although, because, if, even if, since, though, even though, unless, when,
while, so that, after, as long as, before, once, until, rather than, as soon
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as
 Let’s correct the following sentence together
complete sentence
Incorrect: My parents left their late-shift jobs early. Because they wanted to
be with my younger siblings at bedtime. fragment

Correct: My parents left their late-shift jobs early because they wanted to be
with my younger siblings at bedtime.

Correct: Because my parents wanted to be with my younger siblings at

bedtime, they left their late-shift jobs early.

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 Let’s correct another sentence together
complete sentence
Incorrect: Robots are important in medicine. For example, can help doctors in
hospitals. fragment

Correct: Robots are important in medicine. For example, they can help doctors
in hospitals.
added a new word (subject) to make it complete

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Fragments
How do we correct a sentence fragment?
The best way. To fix a fragment. Is to combine the parts. Adding words
also.
1. The best way to fix a fragment is to combine the parts.
2. You can also add some words to make it complete.

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Run-on Sentences

You are writing this sentence and it does not end you keep on
writing non-stop the sentence becomes unclear and hard to
understand for the reader you don’t like that, do you?

A run-on sentence goes on without any punctuation at the right place.

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Run-on Sentences

Amanda has a good job she never worries about money.

complete sentence 1 complete sentence 2

Amanda has a good job she never worries about money.

subject verb subject verb

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Run-on Sentences: How to fix them?

1. Add a full stop 

Amanda has a good job. She never worries about money.
2. Add a semicolon ;  A semicolon is used only when two sentences are
Amanda has a good job;related.
she never worries about money.

3. Add a comma , + a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)

Amanda has a good job, so she never worries about money.
4. Add a subordinating conjunction
a) at the beginning: Because Amanda has a good job, she never worries
about money.
b) in the middle: Amanda never worries about money because she has a
no comma
good job. 12
Run-on Sentences: How to fix them?

5. Add a conjunctive adverb (a transition)

a) with a full stop: Amanda has a good job. Therefore, she never worries
about money.
b) with a semicolon: Amanda has a good job; therefore, she never worries
about money.
 in some cases
6. Add a relative pronoun (who, that, or which) and reorganize the sentence
Amanda, who has a good job, never worries about money.

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 Coordinating Conjunctions

Examples:
1. For: The shop is making more profit, for we started delivering across
Lebanon. functions like “because”

2. And: Most teens have Instagram accounts, and some upload pictures at least
once a week.

3. Nor: These prisoners do not see their families, nor do they celebrate
holidays.
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4. But: Disney parks are closed, but they are offering free online tours.

5. Or: Visitors can enter for free, or they can pay a small donation.

6. Yet: The world has a plan to defeat coronavirus, yet most countries are
not using it.

7. So: Global warming has become a serious issue, so governments should

take immediate action.

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 Relative Pronouns
include words like: who, whom, which, that, whose…

Examples:

The school is in a city that has high illiteracy rates.

The mother whose child won two awards is proud.

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Comma Splice

Sentences end with a full stop, you must not put a

comma to separate two sentences, is that clear?

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Comma Splice

The fans pushed forward, players began to

panic.
complete sentence 1 complete sentence 2
The fans pushed forward, players began to panic.

subject verb subject verb

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Comma Splice: How to fix them?

1. Add a full stop 

The fans pushed forward. Players began to panic.
2. Add a semicolon ;  A semicolon is used only when two sentences are
related.
The fans pushed forward; players began to panic.
3. Add a comma , + a coordinating conjunction(FANBOYS)
The fans pushed forward, and players began to panic.

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Comma Splice: How to fix them?

4. Add a subordinating conjunction

a) at the beginning: Since the fans pushed forward, players began to
panic.
b) in the middle: Players began to panic since the fans pushed
forward.
5. Add a conjunctive adverb (a transition)
a) with a full stop: The fans pushed forward. As a result, players
began to panic.
b) with a semicolon: The fans pushed forward; as a result, players
began to panic.
* Notice that a relative pronoun cannot be used in this case.
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Comma Splice

Remember: Not every sentence with a comma has a comma splice.

• If you enjoy mediation, you will love yoga.

• A healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and proteins.
• Children are the gifts of life; however, some can be hard to deal with.
• According to new research, the city does not have clean water to use.
• Booklovers like to borrow books, but they are afraid of sharing their
books.

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Comma Splice

Sentences end with a full stop. You must not put a

comma to separate two sentences; is that clear?

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Sentence Problems: Guided Activity
1. The college’s computerized billing system needs to be repaired, it billed
students twice (comma
for tuition.
splice)
Correct: The college’s computerized billing system needs to be repaired; it billed
students twice for tuition.
2. Lobsters are cannibalistic and feed on each other this is one reason they are
difficult to raise in captivity.
(run-on sentence)
Correct: Lobsters are cannibalistic and feed on each other. This is one reason
they are difficult to raise in captivity.
3. The tests were easy. Especially the essay questions. I am confident I did well.
(fragment)
Correct: The tests were easy, especially the essay questions. I am confident I did
well.
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Sentence Problems: On Your Own Activity

Read the following sentences carefully. Identify and correct any mistake you
find related to comma splice, run-on sentences, and fragments.

1. The team played badly, they deserved to lose the championship.

2. Many Americans spend hours at the beach, and they do not apply
sunscreen. Despite warnings about the sun’s dangers.

3. The highway was blocked it had snowed all night and most of the morning.

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Sentence Problems: On Your Own Activity
1. The team played badly, they deserved to lose the championship.
Comma splice
Possible Correction: The team played badly, so they deserved to lose the championship.

2. Many Americans spend hours at the beach, and they do not apply sunscreen. Despite
warnings about the sun’s dangers.
Sentence fragment
Possible Correction: Many Americans spend hours at the beach, and they do not apply
sunscreen despite warnings about the sun’s dangers.

3. The highway was blocked it had snowed all night and most of the morning .
Run-on sentence
Correct: Because it had snowed all night and most of the morning, the highway was
blocked.
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Check Part II: Parallelism