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GLOW: Grammar Lessons On the Web For the exclusive use of employees of the U.S. Department of State--by Tillyer Associates |
Run-on Sentences
A run-on is a grammar mistake in which two or more independent clauses are put together in the same sentence without using appropriate punctuation or a connecting word.
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Sunil bought a car last week Jamal bought one, too. |
Run-ons can be corrected by using connecting words, such as coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions, as well as by using appropriate punctuation.
Connecting Words: Coordinating Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions are and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet.
Use this pattern:
| indpendent clause | comma [,] | coordinating conjunction | independent clause |
Use and to indicate the addition of the second independent clause.
| Sunil bought a car last week, and Linda bought one, too. |
| Ambassador Ciano doesn't speak Portuguese, and neither does the FSO. |
Use but or yet to indicate contrast between two independent clauses.
| Canada is in North America, but Brazil is in South America. |
| The new Ambassador is young, yet she has a lot of experience. |
Use or to indicate a choice or alternative between two independent clauses.
| I could meet you at your office, or you could pick me up at my apartment. |
Use nor to join two negative independent clauses.
| Juan will not take the train to Florida, nor will he fly. |
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Note: Because nor indicates "negative and," do not use a negative word in the second independent clause. |
Use for to indicate that the second independent clause is the cause of the first.
| Today's meeting will be short, for we all have a lot of work to do. |
Use so to indicate that the second independent clause is the result of the first.
| We all have a lot of work to do, so today's meeting will be short. |
Connecting Words: Subordinating Conjunctions
Common subordinating conjunctions are after, although, because, before, if, once, since, though, unless, until, when, and while.
Use the following patterns:
| independent clause | subordinating conjunction | independent clause | |
| or | |||
| subordinating conjunction | independent clause | comma | independent clause |
Use after, before, once, until, when and while to indicate time relationships. *
| After the mechanics in the motorpool fixed the car, we never had another problem with it. |
| Makiko phoned me before I had a chance to reply to her email. |
| Once the Ambassador finishes her meeting, we can go to lunch. |
| We will wait at the entrance until the driver arrives. |
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When the President visits, everyone will sing the national anthem. |
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Emile can fill out the forms while Jean-Paul speaks with the FSO. |
Use because and since to indicate reason.
| Since Mariem is only fourteen, she can't legally drive in the United States. |
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Raul and Rafael were late for their appointment because the bus broke down on the way to the Embassy. |
Use if to indicate cause and effect.
| If we can finish our work by three o'clock, the Ambassador will let us go home early today. |
Use unless to indicate negative cause and effect.
| Unless we finish this paperwork today, we'll have to come in over the weekend to take care of it. |
Use although and (even) though to indicate "in spite of".
| Although Robert speaks seven languages fluently, he has never left the United States. |
| The guard decided to retire even though his supervisor asked him to stay for one more year. |
Punctuation: Semicolon
A semicolon is used to join two independent clauses that are very closely connected in topic. Use the following pattern:
| independent clause | semicolon | independent clause |
Remember that the two independent clauses must be very closely connected in topic to be joined with a semicolon.
Incorrect:
| The service at the restaurant was horrible; after dinner, we went to the movies. |
Correct:
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The service at the restaurant was horrible; we waited almost an hour to place our order with the waiter. |
Comma Splices
One common problem is caused by using a comma to join two independent clauses. This error is called a comma splice. A comma can be used to join two independent clauses only when it is used with a coordinating conjunction or a subordinating conjunction. A comma can never be used by itself to join two independent clauses in American English.
Incorrect:
| The Ambassador has a lot of work to do today, she probably won't be finished until after 8pm. |
Correct (with coordinating conjunction):
| The Ambassador has a lot of work to do today, so she probably won't be finished until after 8pm. |
Correct (with subordinating conjunction):
| Since the Ambassador has a lot of work to do today, she probably won't be finished until after 8pm. |
Correct (with semicolon):
| The Ambassador has a lot of work to do today; she probably won't be finished until after 8pm. |
* For more on these time relationships, see the GLOW Lesson on "Time Clauses"