How not to write a sentence
Three common mistakes to avoid when you craft your text—whether it’s a blog post, press release, or article.
A sentence is a sequence of words that expresses a complete thought. It is an independent clause that contains a subject and a verb. (Note: The subject can be implied, as in an imperative: Stop! The implied subject in this case is you.)
Correct: I woke this morning to the sound of light sabers clashing in the living room.
We get into trouble when we combine two complete thoughts into one sentence without using the appropriate punctuation or conjunction.
Incorrect: I woke I heard the sound of light sabers clashing in the living room.
The run-on sentence
A run-on sentence contains two or more independent clauses with no connector between them. If independent clauses are not separated into distinct sentences by a period, then they must be connected by a comma and a conjunction or by a semicolon.
Correct: I woke. I heard the sound of light sabers clashing in the living room.
Correct: I woke, and I heard the sound of light sabers clashing in the living room.
Correct: I woke; I heard the sound of light sabers clashing in the living room.
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