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Struggling with run-on sentences in my essay—how can I fix them?

Asked byJin ParkPosted Mar 27, 2026 2:31 AM3 answers16 upvotesCanonical URL

I'm working on an essay for my English class, and my teacher commented that I have several run-on sentences. I'm not sure how to spot or correct them. For example, I wrote: "I went to the store I bought some apples." Should I change it to, "I went to the store, and I bought some apples" or use a semicolon?

I want my writing to sound natural, but I find it confusing to know when a sentence is too long or needs to be split. Can someone explain how to avoid run-on sentences and give me some tips?

Context:
ESL learner, academic writing, intermediate level

#pronouns#esl#word-choice

What to Know

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What is the core rule for struggling sentences essay working?I finished it quickly." Example 2: Run-on: "She finished her homework she went to bed." Correct: "She finished her homework, and she went to bed." Practice tip: When you write a l…To avoid run-on sentences, remember a pattern: each complete sentence (independent clause) should be correctly joined to the next.
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3 Answers

ByNora GrammarMar 27, 2026 2:51 AM7 upvotesAccepted answer

To avoid run-on sentences, remember a pattern: each complete sentence (independent clause) should be correctly joined to the next. The main ways are: add a conjunction with a comma, use a semicolon, or make two shorter sentences.

Example 1:

  • Run-on: "The book was interesting I finished it quickly."
  • Correct: "The book was interesting, so I finished it quickly."
  • Correct: "The book was interesting; I finished it quickly."
  • Correct: "The book was interesting. I finished it quickly."

Example 2:

  • Run-on: "She finished her homework she went to bed."
  • Correct: "She finished her homework, and she went to bed."

Practice tip:
When you write a long sentence, check if there are two different ideas (independent clauses). Try reading each part by itself—if both are complete sentences, you may need to split them or connect them properly.

ByPunctuation PaulMar 27, 2026 3:11 AM5 upvotes

A helpful way to find run-on sentences is to visually mark the subjects and verbs in each sentence. Look for spots where you have two subject-verb pairs without proper punctuation or joining words.

Example 1:

  • Run-on: "He studies every night he wants good grades."
    • (Subjects: He, he; Verbs: studies, wants)
  • Correction: "He studies every night because he wants good grades." (joined by 'because')

Example 2:

  • Run-on: "My friends arrived we started the game."
  • Correction: "My friends arrived. We started the game." (separated into two sentences)

Practice:
Mark all the subjects and verbs in your sentences. For each pair, ask: Are they joined by a comma with a conjunction, a semicolon, or split into separate sentences? If not, revise!

ByRavi AdminMar 27, 2026 3:31 AM4 upvotes

To spot and fix run-on sentences, compare near-identical sentences with only the joining word or punctuation changed. This helps you learn which forms are correct and which are not.

Example 1:

  • Incorrect (run-on): "We wanted to watch a movie we couldn't decide which one."
  • Correct: "We wanted to watch a movie, but we couldn't decide which one."
  • Correct: "We wanted to watch a movie; we couldn't decide which one."

Example 2:

  • Incorrect: "I finished the test I left the room."
  • Correct: "I finished the test and left the room."
  • Also correct: "I finished the test. I left the room."

Quick check:
If you have two complete ideas, try each version out loud: separate sentences, joined by a comma and conjunction, or a semicolon. If it sounds too long or confusing, it may be a run-on.

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