Column Six

The Grammarian Speaks


Run-ons, Clauses, and Punctuation Marks—Oh My!


One of the most frequent problems I have noticed in stories, letters, and essays written by young authors is the run-on. A run-on is an improper sentence form created when two independent clauses are connected improperly. (An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.) There are three ways to join two independent clauses properly as a sentence and avoid run-ons.


The first and most common way is to separate the clauses by a comma and coordinating conjunction. “And”, “but”, and “yet”, are common coordinating conjunctions. As an example, consider the following: “The girl threw the ball, and the dog caught it.” A more common, but incorrect, method of writing this sentence would be “The girl threw the ball and the dog caught it.”


A second method is to place a semicolon between the independent clauses. This works best when a pause between the clauses is preferred, such as in a suspenseful moment in a novel or an important point in an essay. As in the sentence above, instead of “The girl threw the ball and the dog caught it”, one would write “The girl threw the ball; the dog caught it.” This method would not fit in many situations, and is thus not as versatile as the comma and coordinating conjunction.


The third way is to make both independent clauses separate sentences, separated by a period or other end mark. The only problem with this method is that, if overused, it could tend to shorten and stagger one’s writing style. Of course, simple sentences have their place in writing, but their use should be carefully monitored. Thus, the above example would be “The girl threw the ball. The dog caught the ball.”


Of course, one of the marks of a talented author is the ability to mix up his clauses, punctuation, and sentence types for a varied and exciting style. Avoiding run-ons, however, is an excellent step in the right direction. I wish you the best of success!


The Grammarian