Questions: Run-On Sentences and Sentence Fragments

Question 1

Which of the following is a sentence fragment?

• A. She ran to the store because she needed milk.
• B. Although the storm had passed, the streets were still wet.
• C. Because she was tired after the long drive.
• D. He studied for hours and finally finished the test.

Answer: (C)

Option C is a dependent clause written alone. 'Because' is a subordinating conjunction that signals incompleteness — the clause cannot stand alone even though it has a subject and verb. Options A, B, and D are all complete sentences. Note that B contains a dependent clause (Although the storm had passed), but it is correctly attached to an independent clause.

Question 2

Which of the following is a run-on sentence?

• A. She was exhausted; however, she kept working.
• B. She was exhausted, but she kept working.
• C. She was exhausted she kept working.
• D. She was exhausted, and keeping working longer than expected.

Answer: (C)

Option C fuses two independent clauses ('She was exhausted' and 'she kept working') with no punctuation or conjunction between them — a classic run-on. Option A is correct (semicolon + transitional adverb). Option B is correct (coordinating conjunction after a comma). Option D is a different kind of error (faulty parallelism) but not a run-on.

Question 3

A very long sentence with many clauses is generally a run-on sentence.

• T. True
• F. False

Answer: False

Length is irrelevant to the run-on diagnosis. A run-on is defined by structure: two or more independent clauses joined without proper punctuation or conjunction. A long sentence with multiple properly connected clauses — using semicolons, coordinating conjunctions, or subordinating conjunctions — is a well-formed sentence, not a run-on.

Question 4

A comma placed between two independent clauses is strong enough punctuation to join them into one sentence.

• T. True
• F. False

Answer: False

This is the comma splice — the most common run-on error. A comma signals a pause, not a complete join. To connect two independent clauses, you need a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) after the comma, a semicolon alone, or a semicolon with a transitional adverb. 'She studied hard, she passed the exam' is a comma splice and must be corrected.

Question 5

What is the difference between a fragment and a run-on sentence, in terms of what each gets wrong about sentence structure?

Model answer: A fragment is incomplete — it lacks a subject, a complete verb, or a complete thought, and cannot stand alone. A run-on has too much — it joins two or more complete independent clauses without the required punctuation or conjunction. Fragments are too little; run-ons are too much.

Both errors violate the rules of independent clause structure, but in opposite directions. Understanding this contrast helps writers diagnose which error they have made: Is there a complete thought here that needs more? (fragment) Or are there two complete thoughts crammed together without proper separation? (run-on)