Part I: Fragments and Run-On Sentences

Name: _____________________ Date:

LA Per.

Sentence Variety Practice

Part I: Fragments and Run-on Sentences

Directions: Each of the following sentences is either a fragment or a run-on, which are INCORRECT in our writing and need to be fixed. Rewrite the sentences so that they are grammatically CORRECT.

1. He went to the store, he bought a candy bar.

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2. Having went to the store to buy food for dinner.

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3. When I went to the park to sit on the swings.

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4. Education is the key to success, you should always try your best.

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5. Until she went to the library to study.

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6. Studying all night for the big test next week.

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7. Although Tom did his homework for a week, he failed reading class, he missed all of the other weeks.

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8. Janie couldn’t stand Tammy, even though Tammy didn’t do anything, Janie was a mean person.

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PART II: Simple, Complex, and Compound Sentence Practice

To identify a sentence correctly you need to know the difference of a simple, complex and

compound sentence.

● A simple sentence, also called and independent clause, contains a subject and a

verb/predicate, and it expresses a complete thought.

● A compound sentence, contains two sentences (independent clauses) joined by a COMMA & a conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

● A complex sentence, has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent

Clauses (fragment/phrase). A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, if, although, etc.

Directions: 1.Tell whether each sentence is SIMPLE, COMPOUND, or COMPLEX.

2.If it is a compound sentence, circle the comma & conjunction (fanboys).

3.If it is a complex sentence, circle the dependent clause (fragment/phrase) and split the following sentence (independent clause) into subject/predicate.

1. She has a blue backpack.________________________

2. We went to the park, and we had hot dogs on the grill. _________________

3. The children finished their work, and they played on the computer. ________________

4. After she noticed it was full or errors, the teacher returned the students homework.

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5. As my teacher read Mick Harte Was Here, I felt sorry for Phoebe, the main character.

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6. We rang the doorbell, but no one answered it. __________

7. When Miss Jones entered the room, we all became quiet. __________

8. Since we’ve lost every game but one, no one is excited about football this year. __________

9. When I’m tired , I’m not good company for anyone. __________

10. Susan sang a solo and accompanied herself on the piano. __________

Part III: THE APPOSITIVE PHRASE

An appositive is a word placed after another word (always a noun or pronoun) to explain or identify it. The appositive always appears after the word it explains or identifies.

ex. My uncle, a lawyer, is visiting us.

My teacher, Miss Marshall, is very strict.

ex. My radio, an old portable, is in the repair shop.

The boys climbed the mountain, one of the highest in the West.

Directions: Underline the appositive phrase in each of the following sentences.

Example: Our house, a brick bungalow, is on Oak Street.

1. Queen Victoria, one of England's greatest monarchs, ruled for sixty-three years.

2. Jane made the salad, a tossed one with French dressing.

3. Harvey Jensen, the pro at the country club, is giving me golf lessons.

4. James Hilton's book, Lost Horizon, has been filmed twice.

5. Chemistry, Sue's favorite subject, is easy for her.

6. Jerry is visiting in Peoria, his old home town.

7. Mr. and Mrs. Miller, our neighbors for the past eight years, are moving to Dallas.

8. Have you ever read The Red Pony, a novel by John Steinbeck?

9. Groucho Marx, the star of many film comedies, also had his own television show.

10. The boys repaired our television set, an eighteen-year-old portable.

Part IV: Improving Sentence Structure

An independent clause is a complete sentence with a subject and a verb. It is possible to connect two independent clauses in a sentence by using a comma and a conjunction. But watch out! Using a comma alone is known as a comma splice, and it is incorrect. Another common error is to run two independent clauses together without a comma or a conjunction. This is called a fused structure (or a run-on).

Read each example below. All of the sentences contain two sentences (independent clauses).

Some are joined correctly, but others are fused or have a comma splice.

Fix the incorrect sentences by joining the sentences (independent clauses) correctly.

Place a check mark next to the sentence if it is correct.

1. She tried to run and she could not move.

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2. For once he was hungry, and there was a huge spread laid out before him.

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3. The dog lay in the sun the cat cleaned itself by the door.

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4. We were going to Grandma’s, she wanted to see us.

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5. The boy looked at the pile he turned to get the shovel and began to dig.

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6. The planets are far away but we can learn about them with information gathered by telescope.

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