Run-On Sentence Worksheet KEY

Fifteen of the following sentences are run-on sentences. Please correct each one of them on the lines below.
Use all three ways to correct run-on sentences at least three times each (period, semicolon, comma plus
coordinating conjunction).
Five of them are correct. Write a C under each correct sentence.

1. My father retired from the Air Force last year he is writing a book about his experiences.

My father retired from the Air Force last year. He is writing a book about his experiences.

2. Jeff mowed the grass this morning tonight he will water the flowers and bushes.

Jeff mowed the grass this morning; tonight he will water the flowers and bushes.

3. The small girl seemed to be lost, she was crying and looking for her mother.

The small girl seemed to be lost; she was crying and looking for her mother.

4. Mrs. Dawson inherited a large sum of money from her brother she can buy a new car now.

Mrs. Dawson inherited a large sum of money from her brother, so she can buy a new car now.

5. Kathy and Jerry worked very hard on their project therefore they felt they deserved a high grade.

Kathy and Jerry worked very hard on their project. Therefore they felt they deserved a high grade.

6. I can never beat my little brother at video games, he has them all mastered.

I can never beat my little brother at video games; he has them all mastered.

7. Dave is flying to Orlando for spring break, he will be gone a week.

Dave is flying to Orlando for spring break. He will be gone a week.

8. We are moving to Cincinnati in July I'll go to school there.

We are moving to Cincinnati in July, and I'll go to school there.

9. The storm passed quickly through the area last night, and it caused a lot of damage.

CORRECT

10. We will be on vacation next week we will be unable to attend your party.

We will be on vacation next week, so we will be unable to attend your party.

11. We bought shoes, luggage, hats, and swimsuits at the mall fortunately, we have a large trunk in our car.

We bought shoes, luggage, hats, and swimsuits at the mall. Fortunately, we have a large trunk in our
car.
12. I didn't think it would be necessary to take my umbrella; after all, the sun was shining when I left home.

CORRECT

13. Most of my study time is spent on biology it's my toughest class.

Most of my study time is spent on biology; it's my toughest class.

14. My car ran out of gas therefore I was late for my appointment.

My car ran out of gas; therefore I was late for my appointment.

15. A fifth-grade student from our school won the spelling competition; she spelled words I had never heard
before.

CORRECT

16. My younger brother collects aluminum cans to recycle and is saving the money for a new computer.

CORRECT

17. Jerry's dad is a pilot for a large airline sometimes he is gone for several days at a time.

Jerry's dad is a pilot for a large airline. Sometimes he is gone for several days at a time.

18. My family reunion is in three months I wonder if everyone will be there.

My family reunion is in three months. I wonder if everyone will be there.

19. I've missed several classes because I was ill I hope I will pass English class.

I've missed several classes because I was ill. I hope I will pass English class.

20. Jeff is planning on going to Las Vegas for vacation; he'll need to take a lot of money.

CORRECT
DIRECTIONS
Decide which of the following groups of words are run-on sentences.
_ If the group of words is a correct sentence, write S; if it is a run-on, write R-O.
_ Revise each run-on sentence by (1) making it two separate sentences; (2) inserting a semicolon, or (3) using a
comma and a coordinating conjunction.

R-O 1. Brown bears include the grizzly and the Kodiak; the largest brown bear is the Kodiak.
R-O 2. Kodiak bears weigh as much as 1,700 pounds, and they grow to a height of ten feet.
S 3. Bears can live more than 30 years in the wild.
S 4. Bears’ sense of smell is more developed than their hearing or sight.
R-O 5. Females give birth to as many as four cubs; the cubs stay with their mother two or three years.
R-O 6. Many people are afraid of bears, but encounters with bears are actually infrequent.
R-O 7. Grizzly bears are solitary animals; they do not want to interact with people.
S 8. Generally, bears attack only when they are surprised, or when they are protecting their young.
R-O 9. People should always store food and garbage properly. Bears could be attracted by the smell.
R-O 10. Never try to outrun a bear; it can run more than 30 miles per hour.
R-O 11. School in Munich was too rigid and boring for young Einstein. He did not do well.
R-O 12. However, young Einstein showed a talent for mathematics. At the age of 12, he taught himself
Euclidean geometry.
R-O 13. After finishing secondary school, he entered the Federal Polytechnic Academy in Switzerland; he
did not like the teaching methods there.
R-O 14. The academy frustrated him, but he could learn in a way that interested him.
R-O 15. Einstein chose to educate himself; he missed classes often and spent the time studying physics on
his own.
R-O 16. His professors had low opinions of him, but he graduated anyway in 1900.
R-O 17. In 1905, he published a paper on physics. The University of Zürich awarded him a Ph.D. for this
work.
S 18. In the same year, he published four more papers that presented new thoughts on the nature of light
and other important concepts.
R-O 19. Physicists resisted his ideas at first. Eventually his general theory of relativity was confirmed
through observation.
R-O 20. Einstein achieved international recognition, and in 1921 he received the Nobel Prize in physics.
DIRECTIONS The following paragraph is confusing because it contains some sentence fragments and run-on
sentences.

*For the key, I will just underline the fragments and highlight the run-ons. Then I will paste a corrected version
of the paragraph below.

Although penguins look clumsy on land. They are graceful in the water. Their bodies are perfectly

suited for swimming and diving. Because their wings are shaped like flippers; penguins use them to propel

themselves through the water at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. Penguins use their webbed feet to steer, most

penguins can even swim like porpoises. Leaping out of the water to breathe and then diving back in with one

graceful motion. Penguins frequently need to dive deep to catch prey. Sometimes descending to depths of over a

thousand feet. The water pressure can be great enough to collapse lungs. Penguins also have special air

chambers in their bodies, when a penguin dives, the chambers squeeze, air is forced into the lungs. The extra air

keeps the lungs from collapsing. The chilly waters that penguins prefer would be too cold for most birds,

penguins are insulated by waterproof feathers and a thick layer of fat. Penguins more than make up for being

awkward on land. By being perfectly suited for the water.

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CORRECTED VERSION:

Although penguins look clumsy on land, they are graceful in the water. Their bodies are perfectly suited

for swimming and diving. Because their wings are shaped like flippers, penguins use them to propel themselves

through the water at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. Penguins use their webbed feet to steer; most penguins can

even swim like porpoises, leaping out of the water to breathe and then diving back in with one graceful motion.

Penguins frequently need to dive deep to catch prey, sometimes descending to depths of over a thousand feet.

The water pressure can be great enough to collapse lungs. Penguins also have special air chambers in their

bodies; when a penguin dives, the chambers squeeze, and air is forced into the lungs. The extra air keeps the

lungs from collapsing. The chilly waters that penguins prefer would be too cold for most birds, but penguins are

insulated by waterproof feathers and a thick layer of fat. Penguins more than make up for being awkward on

land by being perfectly suited for the water.