Question

Is the following sentence a sentence or a run-on? Sue just started her job, and likes it.

1) Sentence
2) Run-on
3) Cannot be determined

Answer 1

The sentence "Sue just started her job, and likes it" is not a run-on sentence but it is grammatically incorrect because it is missing a subject in the second clause. It could be corrected by stating "Sue just started her job, and she likes it." Understanding the proper structure of sentences helps in avoiding run-ons and ensuring clear communication.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question posed is whether the sentence "Sue just started her job, and likes it" is a sentence or a run-on. This sentence is not a run-on; it's an example of a correct sentence. The clause "Sue just started her job" is an independent clause because it has a subject (Sue) and a verb (started) and can stand alone as a complete thought. The clause "likes it" is a dependent clause that cannot stand alone as a complete thought and needs the independent clause to make sense. However, the sentence is lacking a subject in the second clause, making the sentence feel incomplete. The sentence could be improved by stating "Sue just started her job, and she likes it," adding the subject 'she' to clarify who 'likes it.'

To avoid a run-on sentence, clauses should be properly connected or separated by appropriate punctuation. Run-on sentences typically contain two or more independent clauses that are not correctly separated by punctuation or coordinating conjunctions. In the sentence given, there is an attempt to connect two clauses using a coordinating conjunction 'and,' but the omission of the subject in the second clause makes it technically incorrect rather than a run-on.

Correcting sentences and avoiding run-ons are essential for clear communication. When editing for more effective sentences, considering context and the intended effect of the sentence is crucial. Run-on sentences can sometimes occur when multiple independent clauses are joined without adequate punctuation or coordinating conjunctions, which is not the case here.

Answer 2

The sentence 'Sue just started her job, and likes it' is not a run-on but has a grammatical error due to a missing subject in the second clause. Correcting it to 'Sue just started her job, and she likes it' would make it a proper sentence. Run-on sentences are different as they contain two or more improperly joined independent clauses without correct punctuation or conjunctions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The sentence in question, 'Sue just started her job, and likes it', is not a run-on but it does contain a grammatical error. A subject is missing for the second clause. To correct this, the sentence should be revised to include the missing subject, resulting in 'Sue just started her job, and she likes it'. A run-on sentence typically contains two or more independent clauses that are improperly joined without proper punctuation or conjunctions.

In contrast, the example provided simply misses the subject for the second clause, which makes it an incorrect sentence rather than a run-on. Proper sentence structures, such as compound sentences and complex sentences, should have clear separation between clauses, whether through punctuation like commas and semicolons or through coordinating or subordinating conjunctions.