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Have you ever written a long sentence and wondered if it’s correct? If it joins two complete ideas without the proper punctuation or conjunction, it’s likely a run-on sentence.
In this post, you’ll learn what a run-on sentence is, see clear examples, and discover how to fix them easily.
What Is a Run-On Sentence?
A run-on sentence happens when two or more independent clauses (complete thoughts) are joined incorrectly, without the right punctuation or connecting word.
Example (incorrect):
I love writing it helps me relax.
Here, there are two complete ideas:
- I love writing.
- It helps me relax.
They’re joined with no punctuation or conjunction, which makes it a run-on sentence.
Correct Versions
Here are four ways to fix the same example:
- Use a period:
→ I love writing. It helps me relax. - Use a semicolon:
→ I love writing; it helps me relax. - Use a comma and a conjunction:
→ I love writing, and it helps me relax. - Use a subordinating conjunction:
→ I love writing because it helps me relax.
All of these versions are grammatically correct.
More Run-On Sentence Examples
| ❌ Run-On Sentence | ✅ Correct Version |
|---|---|
| She enjoys cooking she makes dinner every night. | She enjoys cooking, and she makes dinner every night. |
| The weather was terrible we stayed home. | The weather was terrible, so we stayed home. |
| He wanted to go he forgot his keys. | He wanted to go, but he forgot his keys. |
| It was raining we didn’t go out. | It was raining, so we didn’t go out. |
| I tried to call you the line was busy. | I tried to call you, but the line was busy. |
Run-On Sentence vs. Comma Splice
A comma splice is a type of run-on sentence. It happens when two complete sentences are joined only with a comma — without a coordinating conjunction (like and, but, or, so).
Example (comma splice):
I love writing, it helps me relax.
To fix it:
- I love writing, and it helps me relax.
- I love writing. It helps me relax.
So, all comma splices are run-on sentences, but not all run-ons are comma splices.
How to Fix Run-On Sentences (Quick Guide)
| Method | Example | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Add a period | I love music. It makes me happy. | Separate ideas completely. |
| Add a semicolon | I love music; it makes me happy. | Use when ideas are closely related. |
| Add a comma + conjunction | I love music, and it makes me happy. | Use for smooth connection. |
| Make one clause dependent | I love music because it makes me happy. | Use because, although, when, if, etc. |
Quick Practice Exercise
Read the following sentences carefully. Some of them are run-on sentences. Rewrite each one correctly.
- She was tired she went to bed early.
- I finished my homework I watched a movie.
- They like pizza they eat it every weekend.
- The sun was shining we decided to have a picnic.
- He didn’t study for the test he still got a good grade.
- I wanted to buy a new phone I didn’t have enough money.
- The traffic was heavy we were late for the meeting.
2. I finished my homework, and I watched a movie.
3. They like pizza, and they eat it every weekend.
4. The sun was shining, so we decided to have a picnic.
5. He didn’t study for the test, but he still got a good grade.
6. I wanted to buy a new phone, but I didn’t have enough money.
7. The traffic was heavy, so we were late for the meeting.
Common Mistake Alert
Not all long sentences are run-ons! A long sentence is fine if the clauses are connected correctly with conjunctions or punctuation.
Example:
Even though it was raining, we decided to go hiking because we had been planning the trip for months.
This is long — but grammatically correct!
Conclusion
A run-on sentence happens when two complete thoughts are joined incorrectly. To fix it, use a period, semicolon, conjunction, or subordinating word.
Improving your sentence structure will make your writing clearer, smoother, and more professional.
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