Final answer:
The run-on sentence among the two options is “This macaroni dish tastes rather bland, pass the salt, please.” as it has two independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunctions to separate them. The sentence can be corrected by adding a semicolon or a conjunction. The other sentence provided is correct and not a run-on.
Step-by-step explanation:
Run-On Sentence Identification
The sentence, “This macaroni dish tastes rather bland, pass the salt, please.” is an example of a run-on sentence. The reason it is classified as a run-on sentence is that it contains two independent clauses:
“This macaroni dish tastes rather bland” and “pass the salt, please” without the proper punctuation or coordinating conjunctions to separate them.
To correct this, the sentence could be rewritten as “This macaroni dish tastes rather bland; pass the salt, please.” or “This macaroni dish tastes rather bland, so please pass the salt.”
On the other hand, the sentence, “Bears in Yellowstone National Park hibernate for about five months.” does not have any issues as it is a complete sentence conveying a single complete thought without the inclusion of an extra independent clause. It is therefore not a run-on sentence.
Editing sentences to avoid run-on sentences is crucial for clear communication. Run-on sentences can be fixed by adding a coordinating conjunction, a period, a semicolon, or by turning one of the independent clauses into a subordinate clause. It is also important to avoid excessive length or complexity that does not serve the intended purpose.
To correct this, the sentence could be rewritten as “This macaroni dish tastes rather bland; pass the salt, please.” or “This macaroni dish tastes rather bland, so please pass the salt.”