On the ACT English Section, Address Run-Ons and Fragment Sentences

Five text sections and 75 associated questions make up the ACT English section. The 45-minute exam measures your command of the language, proficiency with grammar, and ability to produce written material. In ACT English exams, run-on sentences and fragments are frequent occurrences. Let's examine what they are and how to resolve them.

What to Expect from the English Exam Format  

A few questions are centered on the writing in the passage's underlined portion. A question number will be linked to the paragraph that has been underlined. You will examine the possible replacements for the underlined text to determine whether doing so would enhance the writing.

In order to make the correct selection, you will need to consider the information around the underlined material to ensure that your decision is logical to the surrounding contexts. Other questions will not have any underlined material to focus on. Instead, you will focus on the passage as a whole or one section of the passage.  

What Is a Run-On?

Run-on sentences are caused when there is incorrect usage of punctuation or a comma splice. A comma splice occurs when a comma combines two incomplete sentences that have no common conjunction.  

Example: There was a big storm, the game was canceled.

Correction: There was a big storm, and the game was canceled.

You can also spot run-on sentences if two or more sentences are combined without using punctuation. Keep an eye out for sentences that have two unrelated subjects. The subject of the sentence should be clear.  

Example of a run-on: After the game they went back to the locker room Sarah forgot her bag and had to walk all the way back to the field.  

Correction: After the game, they went back to the locker room. Sarah forgot her bag and had to walk all the way back to the field.  

This version is corrected by turning this run-on sentence into two separate sentences.  

Correction: After the game, they went back to the locker room, but Sarah forgot her bag and had to walk all the way back to the field.  

This version is corrected by adding a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

What Is a Fragment?

There are several things to look for when ensuring that a sentence is not a fragment. However, the most important thing is to check whether a sentence lacks a subject or a verb. This instantly makes it a fragmented sentence. The sentence can also be a fragment if the sentence is entirely a subordinate clause or if the sentence has an “-ing” verb or an “-ed” verb without a helping verb.  

You should also be aware of sentences that contain relative clauses, prepositional clauses, or appositives, but the main clause is incomplete.  

Example of an incomplete main clause: Because of the storm.  

Correction: Because of the storm, the game was canceled.

The sentence does not have a verb: After the show.

Correction: We left after the show.

The sentence does not have a subject: Studied the ACT practice tests.  

Correction: I studied the ACT practice tests.

The sentence is a subordinate clause: Before the game.  

Correction: Before the game, they got dinner.

The sentence has an “-ing” verb or an “-ed” verb without a helping verb: The kids walking to school.  

Correction: The kids are walking to school.

The main clause is incomplete: The shelf, which held books and files.

The sentence does not make sense without the prepositional phrase, “which held books and files,” There must be a verb tethered to the subject, “the shelf.”

Correction: The shelf, which held books and files, extends across the entire wall.

Similarly, here’s another sentence that lacks a prepositional phrase: The fourth book, which took the author three years to write.  

Correction: The fourth book, which took the author three years to write, is the longest and most exciting book in the series.  

In the original sentence, “The fourth book” is an incomplete main clause. By crossing out the relative clause, “which took the author three years to write,” the error is clearer. The corrected version adds a verb so the main clause is completed.  

Quick Tips to Remember

Now that we know what these terms mean, let’s go through a few quick tips to help you with fragments and run-on sentences in ACT English tests.  

1. Spot the usual suspects: If you’ve read a sentence and there isn’t a glaring mistake, try looking for the most common mistakes that make a fragment or run-on sentence.  

2. Eliminate: The common point of confusion for most students taking the exam is that more than one answer choice seems like the right one. If you find yourself in the same tricky situation, eliminate the choices that you know are most definitely wrong. This will limit your options and help you reach the right answer quicker.  

3. Prompts to prompt you: At the start of most questions, you will find a simple instructional prompt that will help guide you through what is expected.  

4. Remember the rules: If you’re confused about which answer to pick, remember the rules used in the ACT English section. See which options best follow the rules and pick from among them.  

Sentence fragments and run-ons in ACT practice is key while prepping for the exam. There are a fair number of questions that focus on this topic.

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