OwlSheets.com

Name Date

Fixing Sentences at the Roller Rink

Find and fix fragments and run-on sentences.

Answer Key

Sentence, fragment or run-on?

A complete sentence has a subject and a predicate and tells a whole thought: Dev laced up his skates. A fragment is missing part of the thought: Laced up his skates. A run-on joins two sentences with no punctuation or with only a comma: The music started we skated.

Marisol and her cousin Dev spent Saturday afternoon at the roller rink. Marisol wrote about their day, but some of her sentences need fixing. Every sentence on this sheet comes from her writing.
1.
Is each group of words a complete sentence, a fragment or a run-on? Sort them.
Holding on to the rail.Marisol rented a pair of purple skates.Dev fell down he laughed and got back up.The rink was crowded, everyone skated in a circle.After the music stopped.The disco ball spun above the floor.Dev and I skated side by side.A song with a fast beat.Dev bought a pretzel Marisol drank some water.
Complete sentenceFragmentRun-on
Marisol rented a pair of purple skates.
The disco ball spun above the floor.
Dev and I skated side by side.
Holding on to the rail.
After the music stopped.
A song with a fast beat.
Dev fell down he laughed and got back up.
The rink was crowded, everyone skated in a circle.
Dev bought a pretzel Marisol drank some water.
2.
Here are some notes Marisol wrote. Two of them are fragments. Underline the two fragments.

The rink opened at noon.Bright lights over the shiny wooden floor.Dev tightened his laces.Because his skates felt loose.Then we rolled onto the floor together.

3.
Which group of words is a complete sentence?
  • A. Racing around the curve with Dev.
  • B. The skaters with glowing wristbands.
  • C. Marisol waved at Dev from the rail.
  • D. When the slow song began to play.

Fix the fragments

Fix a fragment by adding the missing part, such as a subject or a verb, or by joining it to a sentence.

4.
Which choice fixes this fragment?
Spun in a circle on one foot.
  • A. Dev spun in a circle on one foot.
  • B. Spinning in a circle on one foot.
  • C. Spun in a circle on one foot today.
  • D. Spun around in a circle on one foot.
5.
Which choice fixes this fragment?
After we returned our skates.
  • A. After we returned our skates at the counter.
  • B. After we returned our skates. We went home.
  • C. After we returned our skates, and went home.
  • D. After we returned our skates, we went home.
6.
This is a fragment: The best part of the day. Add words to make it a complete sentence. Write the sentence.

The best part of the day was skating to my favorite song.

Fix the run-ons

Fix a run-on by making two sentences, or by adding a comma and a joining word such as and, but, or or so.

7.
Two of these are run-ons. Underline the two run-ons.

Dev skated fast he passed three people.The snack bar sold warm pretzels.Marisol held Dev's hand on the turns.The lights changed colors, they looked like a rainbow.We left the rink at four o'clock.

8.
Which choice fixes this run-on correctly?
The music was loud Marisol sang along.
  • A. The music was loud, Marisol sang along.
  • B. The music was loud. Marisol sang along.
  • C. The music was loud Marisol, sang along.
  • D. The music, was loud Marisol sang along.
9.
Each run-on has been fixed with a comma. Write the joining word from the word bank that makes sense. Use each word one time.
Word bank: so · but · or

Should we rent skates, or should we bring our own?
Dev's laces were loose, so he tied them tighter.
Marisol wanted to skate backward, but she kept wobbling.

10.
Which is a complete sentence with no fragment and no run-on?
  • A. Although Marisol's legs were very tired.
  • B. Marisol's legs were very tired, she was happy.
  • C. Marisol's legs were tired, but she was happy.
  • D. Marisol's legs were tired she was happy.
11.
Fix this run-on. Write it as two complete sentences, or join the two parts with a comma and a joining word.
Dev wants to come back next week he wants to learn to skate backward.

Dev wants to come back next week. He wants to learn to skate backward. (Also correct: Dev wants to come back next week, and he wants to learn to skate backward.)