Belajar Bahasa Inggris Run-on Sentences and Sentence Fragments

EXERCISE 1

DIRECTIONS: Mark the following items F if they contain a fragment, RU if they are run-on sentences, and C if they are correct. Then write corrections eliminating fragments and run-ons. The first one is done for you as an example.

PETUNJUK: Tandai item berikut F jika item tersebut mengandung fragment, RU jika item tersebut adalah run-on sentences, dan C jika item tersebut benar. Kemudian tulis pembetulan yang menghilangkan fragment dan run-ons. Item pertama diselesaikan untuk Anda sebagai contoh.

1. After its introduction in 1969. The float process became the world's principle method of    manufacturing flat sheets of glass. ___ F

After its introduction in 1969, the float process became the world's principle method of     manufacturing flat sheets of glass.

2. We heard a lecture by Professor Taylor. Who is the chairman of the history department. ____
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3. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb and the phonograph. But not the telephone. ____
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4. Arnold Palmer, a famous American golfer, is no longer playing professionally, but he is still respected by golf fans all over the world. ____
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5. Seals appear clumsy on the land, they are able to move short distances faster than most people can run. ____
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6. You can't get to the island from here. Without a boat. ____
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7. While all birds are alike in that they have feathers and lay eggs, there are great differences among them in terms of size, structure, and color. ____
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8. A barometer is a device it is used to measure atmospheric pressure. ____
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9. Sometimes cloth is made by blending natural fibers and synthetic fibers. Rayon and cotton, for example. ____
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10. Professor Roberts bought a car in Rome. Then sold it in Amsterdam after her vacation. ____
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11. Technical climbing means mountain climbing without special equipment, it shouldn't be attempted without training. ____
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12. Almost 92% of people get married over one third of these marriages end in divorce half of all divorced people choose to get married a second time. ____
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 EXERCISE 2

In the following sentences, eliminate fragments by combining them with a main clause or making the fragments into complete sentences.

1. In October of 1933, President Roosevelt signed a bill authorizing construction of a dam. On the Missouri River at Fort Peck, Montana.
2. On the twenty-third day of that month, seventy men began work. Eventually ten thousand on the cold prairie.
3. The chance at construction jobs drew thousands of men to Fort Peck. Who were unemployed or who had lost their farms and businesses.
4. Skilled laborers like carpenters or equipment operators were paid $1.20 an hour. Common laborers 50 sen an hour.
5. Even with those wages. The dam at Port Peck cost $173 million.
6. People stood in line for the chance to earn 50 sen an hour. For every worker, ten more hoping to be hired.
7. Four separate towns sprang up around the dam site. With tents and even packing crates and huts made of scrap lumber.
8. The shanty towns had beer halls, dance halls, and cowboys shooting in saloons. Just like Wild West mining camps.
9. The working conditions were brutal. Summer temperatures well over 100 degree, winter temperatures reaching 62 degree below zero.
10. All the equipment ran 24 hours a day. A way to keep the engines from freezing.
11. The concrete had to be heated before it could be poured. And stoves and open fires for the workers.
12. Each bed in the bachelor quarters was shared by three men. Who slept on the bed in 8-hour shifts.
13. Eight workers were killed. When eight million cubic yards of fill dirt slid from beneath a whole section of the dam.
14. Four years after work began, the river was routed through the spill-way. A 134-square-mile lake forming.
15. In 1943, the first powerhouse was finished. And began providing electrical power for all of Montana.

EXERCISE 1
Model Answer:
2. F:  We heard a lecture by Professor Taylor who is the chairman of the history department.
3. F:  Thomas Edison invented the light bulb and the phonograph, but not the telephone.
4. C:
5. RU: Seals appear clumsy on the land; they are able to move short distances faster than most people can run.
6. F: You can't get to the island from here without a boat.
7. RU:  While all birds are alike in that they have feathers and lay eggs; there are great differences among them in terms of size, structure, and color.
8. RU:  A barometer is a device; it is used to measure atmospheric pressure.
            A barometer is a device used to measure atmospheric pressure. (past participle)
9. F: Sometimes cloth is made by blending natural fibers and synthetic fibers, for example rayon and cotton.
10. F:   Professor Roberts bought a car in Rome then sold it in Amsterdam after her vacation.
11. RU:  Technical climbing means mountain climbing without special equipment; it shouldn't be attempted without training.
12. RU:  Almost 92% of people get married; over one third of these marriages end in divorce and half of all divorced people choose to get married a second time.

EXERCISE 2
Answers may vary, but the following sentences are representative of effective ways of eliminating fragments.

1.  In October of 1933, President Roosevelt signed a bill authorizing construction of a dam on the Missouri River at Fort Peck, Montana.
2.  On the twenty-third day of that month, seventy men began work. Eventually there were ten thousand on the cold prairie.
3.  The chance at construction work drew thousands of men who were unemployed or who had lost their farms and businesses to Fort Peck. OR Thousands of men who were unemployed or who had lost their farms and businesses were drawn to Fort Peck by the chance at construction work.
4.  Skilled laborers like carpenters or equipment operators were paid $1.20 an hour, common laborers 50 sen an hour.
5.  Even with those wages, the dam at Port Peck cost $173 million.
6.  People stood in line for the chance to earn 50 sen an hour. For every worker who got a job, ten more were hoping to be hired.
7.  Four separate towns, consisting of tents and even packing crates and huts made of scrap lumber, sprang up around the dam site.
8.  Just like Wild West mining camps, the shanty towns had beer halls, dance halls, and cowboys shooting in saloons. OR The shanty towns had beer halls, dance halls, and cowboys shooting in saloons, just like Wild West mining camps.
9.  The working conditions were brutal, with summer temperatures well over 100 degree and winter temperatures reaching 62 degree below zero.
10.   As a way to keep the engines from freezing, all the equipment ran 24 hours a day.
11.  The concrete had to be heated before it could be poured. Stoves and open fires had to be provided for the workers.
12.  Each bed in the bachelor quarters was shared by three men who slept on the bed in 8-hour shifts.
13.  Eight workers were killed when eight million cubic yards of fill dirt slid from beneath a whole section of the dam.
14.  Four years after work began, the river was routed through the spill-way, forming a 134-square-mile lake.
15.  In 1943, the first powerhouse was finished and began providing electrical power for all of Montana.