A run-on sentence is a sentence that improperly combines two or more independent clauses without the correct punctuation or conjunctions. Independent clauses are groups of words that can stand alone as complete sentences because they contain a subject and a predicate.
Run-on sentences can confuse readers because they lack the necessary boundaries to signal where one thought ends and another begins. They can often be corrected by using appropriate punctuation (like a period, semicolon, or comma with a coordinating conjunction) or by restructuring the sentence.
For example, the following is a run-on sentence:
"I went to the store I bought some milk."
This can be corrected in several ways:
- "I went to the store. I bought some milk."
- "I went to the store, and I bought some milk."
- "I went to the store; I bought some milk."
Ensuring correct sentence structure enhances clarity and readability in writing.
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