May 2020: Run-On Sentences and Sentence Fragments

Two of the most common errors in English sentence structures are run-ons (when there is more than one complete sentence punctuated improperly) and fragments (incomplete sentences).

Remember that English sentences contain the following elements:

• They begin with a capital letter: My results matched those of previous researchers.
• They end with punctuation (most often a period): My results matched those of previous researchers.
• They contain a subject that is only given once: My results they matched those of previous researchers.
• They contain a verb (often with a complement or modifier): My results matched those of previous researchers
• They usually follow subject + verb + object word order: My results (subject) matched (verb) those of previous researchers (object).
• They contain a complete idea that stands alone, also known as an independent clause: My results matched those of previous researchers.

See the webpage on Run-On Sentences and Sentence Fragments for more examples, rules, and possible ways to revise these errors in sentence structure.

For more resources, check out

• Sentence Structures and Types of Sentences
• Commas
• Semicolons

Revision Tip: Look back through your most recent draft of your capstone document and search for run-ons and sentence fragments. Sometimes running the document through Grammarly also helps identify errors. Make revisions to your writing as needed for complete sentences.