Completing Sentences:

1
Completing Sentences

• A Mini-workshop to Teach SSS Participants Methods
  for eliminating or correcting sentence fragments
  and run-ons

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Student Support Services (SSS) Troy University
(main campus)
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Right Click for Each of the Seven Workshop
Objectives

• Define the term complete sentence.
• Define the term verbals and show ways to
  correctly use them.
• Identify and dispel some sentence-related MYTHS.
• Point out two pains -- Fragments and Run-ons.
• Offer tips for correcting run-ons and fragments.
• Provide practice exercises and an opportunity to
  test comprehension.
• Provide supplemental study materials.

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A Complete Sentence . . .

• must have one full independent clause.
• must be comprehensible (clear).
• Remember this little equation
• Independent Clause Subject Verb

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A Complete Sentence . . .

• Examples of very simple,
• but complete sentences
• (1) Talk!
• Why is this a complete sentence?
• Because . . . the implied subject is either
  you, someone, anyone, or everyone.
• (2) John talks.
• Remember the Equation?
• Independent Clause Subject Verb

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Is this a Complete Sentence? No way.

• 1. John talking.
• Present participle verb - ing
• Talking John.
• (Talking is acting as an adjective for John.)

Talking and to talk are used as verbals a verbal
is a form of a verb functioning as another part
of speech.
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Is this a Complete Sentence?

• 2. John to talk.
• Infinitive to verb
• An Infinitive is a type of Verbal.
• To talk is a verbal infinitive that is
  functioning as an Adjective.
• To talk answers the question, which John are you
  talking about?.
• Answer The John (or the person) who is
• supposed to talk

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Correctly Using Verbals

• Possible Corrections
• John is talking. (Add a helping or linking verb.)
• John is to talk. (Add a TO BE verb.)
• John enjoys talking.
• John has been invited to talk.
• John volunteers to talk. (Add a verb.)
• John will talk to his plants. (Eliminate the
  infinitive.)
• John talks too much. (Change the verbal to a
  verb.)

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Review the Study Materials Handout.

• Take a moment to look over the To be Verbs
  handout. You will need to learn these verbs and
  their pronoun partners. Study them and learn to
  recite them.
• Learning to be verbs will help you write
  clearer sentences and will keep you from falling
  into that mythical verbals pit.

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Why Are We Afraid to Complete Sentences?

• Because . . . We Believe the Myths
• and Become Dependent on Myths .
• A myth is a learned belief or response
• to anxiety. Myths are not facts.

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Myths About Sentences

• Myth Never start a sentence with and or but.
• Fact There is no such grammatical rule. A
  full sentence starting with and or but is a
  legitimate sentence.
• However, such usage may not appeal
  stylistically to your reading audience.

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Sentence Myths (cont.)

• Myth Keep your sentences extremely simple.
• Often complex thoughts demand complex sentences.
  At college level, you are writing for readers who
  can handle complex sentences, if the sentences
  are clearly written.
• However, (1) do not compromise clarity or (2)
  risk wordiness in order to create a complex
  sentence.
• Edit your sentences by eliminating unnecessary
  words and by rephrasing sentences so the subject
  is up front , at the beginning of the sentence.

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Sentence Myths (cont.)

• Correction A good way to spot unnecessarily
  long sentences is to skim for sentences
  that begin with There is, There are, and It
  is.
• Example There is a giant leak in the
  roof.

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Sentence Myths (cont.)

• Consider rephrasing the sentence, beginning
  with the subject of the sentence so you can
  edit out the there is.
• Revisions The roof has a giant leak.
• The roof leaks badly.
• If the sentence sounds more direct and to the
  point use the new version. If you want to slow
  the reader down a little, use the original.

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Two Agitating Pains . . .

• Fragments
• and
• Run-ons . . .

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What Is A Fragment?

• Fragments are groups of words that do not form a
  complete thought or a complete sentence.
• Fragments sometimes occur because the subject or
  the verb, or even part of the verb, is missing.

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Fragments (cont.)

• Example of fragment
• The large dog with huge paws.
• - Dog is the simple subject, but there is no
  verb to show the action.
• Corrected sentence
• The large dog with the huge paws jumped over the
  fence.
• Note Articles, Adverbs and Prepositional
  Phrases add clarity and detail.

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Fragments (cont.)

• In the corrected sentence, dog is the subject,
  and jumped is the verb.
• Together, the words form a complete thought
  therefore, the example is a complete sentence.
• The large dog with the huge paws jumped over the
  fence.

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Sentence Fragments Practice Exercise

• These sentences appeared in papers written by
  college students.
• Indicate fragments and suggest corrections.
• ____ 1. Then I attended Morris Junior High. A
  junior high that was a bad experience.
• ____ 2. The scene was filled with beauty. Such as
  the sun sending its brilliant rays to the earth
  and the leaves of various shades of red, yellow,
  and brown moving slowly in the wind.
• ____ 3. He talked for fifty minutes without
  taking his eyes off his notes. Like other
  teachers in that department, he did not
  encourage students' questions.
• ____ 4. Within each group, a wide range of
  features to choose from. It was difficult to
  distinguish between them.
• ____ 5. A few of the less serious fellows went
  into a bar for a steak dinner and a few glasses
  of beer. After eating and drinking, they were
  ready for anything.

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Sentence Fragments Practice Exercise (cont.)

• ____6. It can be really embarrassing to be so
  emotional. Especially when you are on your first
  date, you feel that you should be in control.
• ____ 7. The magazine has a reputation for a
  sophisticated, prestigious, and elite group of
  readers. Although that is a value judgment and
  in circumstances not a true premise.
• ____ 8. In the seventh grade every young boy
  goes out for football. To prove to himself and
  his parents that he is a man.
• ____ 9. She opened the door and let us into her
  home. Not realizing at the time that we would
  never enter that door in her home again.
• ____10. As Christmas draws near, I find myself
  looking back into my childhood days at
  fun-filled times of snowball fights. To think
  about this makes me happy.

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What is a Run-on Sentence?

• A RUN-ON SENTENCE (sometimes called a "fused
  sentence") has at least two parts, either one of
  which can stand by itself (in other words, two
  independent clauses)
• The problem is that the two parts have been
  incorrectly linked instead of being properly
  connected.

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Run-on Sentences

• Comma Splices (a type of Run-on)
• A comma splice is the use of a comma between two
  independent clauses.
• You can usually fix the error by changing the
  comma to a period, which makes the two clauses
  into two separate sentences.
• You can also change the comma to a semicolon (),
  or making one clause dependent by inserting a
  dependent marker word in front of it.

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Run-on Sentences -- Examples

• Error A comma splice
• Incorrect
• I like this class, it is very interesting.
• Correct Options
• I like this class. It is very interesting.
• (or) I like this class it is very interesting.
• (or) I like this class because it is very
  interesting.
• (or) Because it is very interesting, I like this
  class

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Run-on sentences

• Error Fused Sentences (a type of run-on)
• Incorrect
• My professor is intelligent I've learned a lot
  from her.
• Correct Options
• My professor is intelligent. I've learned a lot
  from her.
• (or) My professor is intelligent I've learned a
  lot from her.
• (or) My professor is intelligent and I have
  learned a lot from her.
• (or) My professor is intelligent moreover, I've
  learned a lot from her.

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Run-on Sentences Examples

• Error Fused Sentences
• Fused sentences happen when there are two
  independent clauses not separated by any form of
  punctuation.
• The error can sometimes be corrected by adding a
  period, semicolon, or colon to separate the two
  sentences

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Compound Run-on Sentences

• Compound sentences that are not punctuated
  correctly are run-ons.
• Correct compound run-ons by using one of these
  rules
• Join the two independent clauses with one of the
  coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, or,
  nor, so, yet), and use a comma before the
  connecting word.
• Example He enjoys walking through the
  country, and he often goes backpacking on his
  vacations.

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Correct compound run-ons (cont) . . .

• When you do not have a connecting word (or when
  you use a connecting word other than and, but,
  for, or nor, so, or yet between the two
  independent clauses use a semicolon ().
• Examples (A) He often watched television
  even when only reruns were playing she
  preferred to read instead.
• (B) He often watched TV when there were
  only reruns however, she preferred to read
  instead.)

or
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Run-on Practice ExercisesDirections Correct
these run-ons (rewrite).

• (1) They weren't dangerous criminals they were
  detectives in disguise.
• (2) The dangerous criminals escaped the
  detectives had their backs turned.
• (3) I didn't know which job I wanted I was too
  
• confused to decide.
• (4) I didnt want to work I wanted to go on the
  Alaskan Cruise that I won on the Price is Right.

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Answers to Run-on Exercises

• 1 One Possible Correction
• They weren't dangerous criminals they were
  detectives in
• disguise.
• 2 One Correction
• The dangerous criminals escaped while the
  detectives had their backs turned.
• 3 One Correction
• I didn't know which job I wanted I was too
  confused to decide.
• 4 One Correction
• I didnt want to work. I wanted to go on the
  Alaskan Cruise that I won
• on the Price is Right.

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Workshop Assessment Evaluation

• Please complete the run-on and fragments handouts
  you have been provided, include your name and
  date, and turn in to SSS staff.
• Please complete and sign the Academic Seminar
  Evaluation form and turn in to SSS staff.
• Name of Activity Completing Sentences
• Place SSS Office

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Conclusion

• SSS hopes this presentation has given you some
  useful information.
• Feel free to suggest any other topics that you
  would like to see presented. Stop in the Office
  located in 24 Eldridge Hall or Phone
  334-670-5985.
• Have a great learning experience here at Troy
  University.

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Sources

• Troy University Writing Center. Retrieved July
  18, 2006, at
• http//troy.troy.edu/writingcenter/pdfhandouts/Fra
  gments.pdf
• Fragments. OWL (online writing lab). Retrieved
  July 18, 2006, at http//owl.english.purdue.edu/ha
  ndouts/grammar/g_frag.html
• Run-on sentences. OWL (online writing lab).
  Retrieved July 18, 2006, at http//owl.english.pur
  due.edu/handouts/grammar/g_sentpr.html
• Hacker, Diana. Rules for Writers. 5th ed.
  Boston/New York Bedford/St. Martins, 2004.