This presentation is brought to you by chomp! Grammar Bytes!, chomp! 2014 by Robin L. Simmons.

Fragments, Comma Splices, and Fused Sentences

How do I know if I have too little in a sentence . . . And how can I tell if I have too much?

You presentation will learn to This recognize covers avoiding complete sentence sentences, employ fragments, appropriate comma splices, punctuation, and and fused use subordination . . andsentences coordination

A fr a gment, comma splice, and/or fused sentence item on an objective test might look like this . . .

Sample Item
At the pizzeria, pizzeria, Jolene Joleneeavesdropped eavesdroppedon onthe the A argument at the next table, table,while table hot hotcheese cheese hot cheese B cascaded over cascaded overher herslice sliceof ofpizza pizzaonto ontoher herbare bare C The comma between Is the lap. table and hot punctuation (or

A.pizzeria; Jolene B.table while B.table whilehot hot C.pizza. Onto C.cascaded. Over D.No change is necessary.

lack of at A, makes a it) comma , or C that splice, B an error option B fixes. incorrect?

A s e n t e n c e m u s t h ave a subj ect , verb , a n d com pl ete thought.

Andre practiced jump shots to impress Coach Nelson.

Andre = subject, practiced = verb,

and the thought = complete, so you have a sentence.

Recognize a fr a gment w hen you see one.

Andre As And Andre spun spinning spun spun the the ball the ball the to ball to ball show show to to show off show off his his off off skills. his skills. his skills.
Finally Now there!sAno Yikes Spinning ! Nowthe a subject, a verb, so you thought is not verb, so you have and still a have complete a a fragment complete! ! fragment thought! .

Recognize fused sentences and comma splices .

Andre sank a perfect basket from half court court unfortunately coach s back turned. unfortunately the the coach s back waswas turned.
Andre sank a perfect basket from half court, court, unfortunately coach s back turned. unfortunately the the coach s back waswas turned. You cannot You cannot run join two together two sentences with sentences with no a punctuation! comma!

Fix the er r or with a period and a capital letter .

Andre sank a perfect basket from half court court. Unfortunately, the coach s back turned. unfortunately the coach s back was was turned.

Swish
goes the period!

Fix the er r or with a comma and a coor dinating conjunction .

Andre sank a perfect basket from half court court, but the coach s back was turned. unfortunately the coach s back was turned.

FANBOYS for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.

Be my

Fix the er r or with a semicolon .

Andre sank a perfect basket from half court court; unfortunately, the coach s back turned. unfortunately the coach s back was was turned.

Use the semicolon sparingly 3 to 4 times per essay, max.

Fix the er r or with a

subor dinate conjunction .

Andre sank a perfect basket from half court after unfortunately the coachs back the coach was turned. s back was turned.

incomplete
thought.

Reduce one of the two clauses to an

T hese ar e the subor dinate conjunctions.

after although as because before even though if, even if in order that once provided that

since so [that implied], so that than that though unless when, whenever where, wherever, whereas whether while

Remember these gener al punctuation r ules w hen subor dinating one of the clauses in the er r or.
+,+

Subordinate clause Main clause

main clause.

++

subordinate clause.

Here s our sample:

Although Andre sank a perfect basket from half court, the coachs back was turned. Andre sank a perfect basket from half court after the coachs back was turned.
Adding an Dropping unnecessary the comma after court like a comma isis like grandstanding championship game turnover ! is when a teammate open!

Quick Test
Directions: In the items that follow, choose the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose No change is necessary.

Show me you got game!

Item 1
The dogs drooled drooledwhile while we we ate ate slices slices of of hot hot A pizza but pizza pizza, but but the the the cat cat cat feigned feigned feigned nonchalance nonchalance nonchalance even even even B C though we knew that she wanted a pepperoni.
A.drooled. While B.pizza, but B.pizza, but C.nonchalance. Even D.No change is necessary.

Item 2
Mary Ellen screamed, screamed,her herroommate roommate sspet pet tarantula crawled out of the bag of popcorn.

A.screamed her B.screamed; because, her C.screamed as C.screamed asher her D.No change is necessary.

Item 3
Running late with dinner, dinner,Elizabeth Elizabeth fussed fussed with with A seasonings and seasonings and wiped wiped spots spots off off the the B glasses. While glasses. glasses while Whilethe thefamily familystared staredat attheir theirempty empty C C plates.

A.dinner; Elizabeth B.seasonings, and C.glasses while C.glasses while D.No change is necessary.

Item 4
Everyone scrambled off the lakeside patio. patio. When When the 10-foot alligator lumbered onto shore. A.patiowhen A.patio when B.patio; when C.patio, when D.No change is necessary.

Item 5
The glass of iced tea promised thirst-quenching refreshment. refreshment refreshment Roseanne, Roseanne Roseanne however, ,,however, however, had had had to to beat tobeat beat A B B Maria to the refrigerator refrigerator as as they they raced raced through through C the front door.

A. B. C. D.

refreshment.Roseanne refreshment. Roseanne however; had refrigerator; as No change is necessary.

Item 6
Warren wanted to make a good impression on Melody but Melody butthe the soda soda explosion explosion that that soaked soaked his his shirt ruined their first meeting.
A.Melody; but, the B.Melody; however, B.Melody; however, the the C.Melody, however, the D.No change is necessary.

Item 7
Because of the hot sun, ice cream ran down the Because of the hot sun, sun, ice icecream creamran randown downthe the A A cone and coated Randalls fingers, for his cone and cone andcoated coatedRandall Randall s sfingers, fingers, his his tongue tongue tongue B C B C couldnt keep up. couldnt keep up. A.sun; ice cream A.sun; ice cream B.cone, and B.cone, and C.fingers, for his C.fingers, for his D.No change is necessary. D.No change is necessary.

Item 8
Wanda took a deep breath and got ready to yell. yell. Because Paul Because Paul was was about about to to explain explain why why his his half half of of the rent would be late again. A.yell, because B.yell because B.yell because C.yell for D.No change is necessary.

Item 9
After Simon bought roses for Emily, Emily, he hespotted spotted A Dereks car in her driveway drivewayand andrealized realizedthat thatthis this B gesture would not repair the relationship relationship or or win win C back her love.

A.Emily. he B.driveway. And C.relationship; or D.No change changeis isnecessary. necessary.

Item 10
Since Larry had studied for hours; hours;he hewas was relieved to find a big red A at the top of his grammar quiz.
A.hours he B.hours. He C.hours, he C.hours, he D.No change is necessary.

Grammar Bytes!
provides additional handouts and exercises on fragments, comma splices, chomp! and fused sentences. Go to chomp! chompchomp.com !

The End.