Run-ons are grammatical errors that occur in written sentences when two or more independent clauses (complete sentences) are joined together without proper punctuation or conjunctions to indicate a separate thought or idea. Run-ons may also be referred to as fused sentences. Instead of properly separating the independent clauses, they run on together without any clear distinction between them, causing confusion for the reader.
For example, the sentence "I like to swim, she likes to run" would be considered a run-on because it contains two independent clauses joined together with only a comma. A correct version of this sentence would be "I like to swim, and she likes to run." Here, the conjunction "and" clearly separates the two independent clauses.
Run-ons can be corrected by using appropriate punctuation, such as a period, semicolon, or comma with a coordinating conjunction like "and," "but," or "or." Additionally, run-ons can be fixed by using subordinating conjunctions like "although," "while," or "because" to connect one independent clause to the other, creating a complex or compound-complex sentence structure.
It is important to identify and correct run-ons in writing to ensure clarity and readability. Run-ons can hinder the proper understanding of ideas and make sentences appear awkward or unprofessional. By using appropriate punctuation and conjunctions, writers can effectively separate their thoughts and convey their message clearly to readers.
