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Is the run on ?

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by Param800 » Sat Jan 19, 2013 12:29 pm
I think this sentence is right and is not a run-on sentence. Because we are combining a dependent clause with an independent clause. Thus, use of comma is correct.

While driving to dinner --- dependent clause
Fred lost his wallet ----- independent clause
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by Bill@VeritasPrep » Sat Jan 19, 2013 1:21 pm
Param is correct. It is not a run-on sentence.
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by ceilidh.erickson » Sat Jan 19, 2013 4:33 pm
A run-on sentence is any sentence in which two independent clauses are improperly joined. An independent clause is anything that could stand on its own as a full sentence. Consider the following:

I know, you know.

"I know" and "you know" are both independent clauses, so this is incorrect. There are several ways to fix a run-on sentence:

- Add a semicolon, which is used to separate independent clauses: I know; you know.

- Add a conjunction: I know, and you know.

- Make one of the clauses subordinate/dependent: I know that you know. Or, Whatever I know, you know.

In this case, "while driving to dinner" is not a dependent clause, but rather a modifying phrase, so it's perfectly acceptable to attach it to the independent clause "Fred lost his wallet."
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by sana.noor » Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:16 pm
You can write this sentence without comma as: Fred lost his wallet while driving to dinner. its not a run-on sentence. while driving to dinner is a dependent clause.
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