- Which of the following is a run-on sentence?
Answer: Global supply chains have become increasingly complex companies must develop resilient strategies to manage disruptions and uncertainties.
Choice B is a run-on sentence because it improperly joins two independent clauses without punctuation or conjunction: 'Global supply chains have become increasingly complex' and 'companies must develop resilient strategies to manage disruptions and uncertainties.' Choice A correctly uses a semicolon between independent clauses. Choice C is a properly structured complex sentence. Choice D uses a comma with participial phrase correctly.
- Select the option that eliminates the fragment in the passage.
"The exhibit highlights marine conservation. Focusing on coral-reef restoration and sustainable fishing."
Answer: The exhibit highlights marine conservation, focusing on coral-reef restoration and sustainable fishing.
A joins the participial phrase to the independent clause with a comma, creating one complete sentence. B misuses a semicolon with a coordinating conjunction and leaves a fragment. C begins a new sentence with "Which," creating a dependent clause fragment. D creates a comma splice by linking two independent clauses with only a comma.
- Choose the answer that revises BOTH the fragment and the run-on in the pair of sentences.
"Once the garden was planted. The students watered the seedlings they also recorded growth data daily."
Answer: Once the garden was planted, the students watered the seedlings, and they also recorded growth data daily.
A eliminates the fragment by attaching the dependent clause "Once the garden was planted" to the main clause and fixes the run-on by adding a coordinating conjunction with comma before "and." B introduces a comma splice between two independent clauses. C omits necessary punctuation after a long introductory clause, creating a run-on. D corrects the run-on but keeps the initial fragment.
- Which of the following contains a sentence fragment?
Answer: Because the restaurant received excellent reviews from food critics and local newspapers throughout the metropolitan area.
Choice A is a sentence fragment because it begins with the subordinating conjunction 'Because' and lacks an independent clause to complete the thought. Choice B is a complete sentence with subject and predicate. Choice C is a complete sentence with a subject ('Students who participate in extracurricular activities') and predicate. Choice D is a complete sentence with proper structure including a participial phrase.
- Which revision most effectively corrects the error while maintaining the close logical connection between the two ideas?
Answer: The new regulations were complex; as a result, many business owners struggled to understand them.
When you encounter a sentence with two independent clauses joined only by a comma, you're looking at a comma splice—one of the most common sentence structure errors tested on the Praxis Core Writing exam. The original sentence incorrectly connects "The new regulations were complex" and "many business owners struggled to understand them" with just a comma.
The most effective revision is choice C because it uses a semicolon followed by a transitional phrase ("as a result") to clearly show the cause-and-effect relationship between the complex regulations and business owners' struggles. This construction not only fixes the comma splice but also explicitly signals the logical connection between the ideas, making the relationship crystal clear for readers.
Looking at the other options: Choice A creates two separate sentences, which grammatically works but weakens the connection between the related ideas. Choice B uses a dangling participial phrase ("being complex") that creates an awkward, unclear construction. Choice D attempts to fix the comma splice by adding "so," but this creates an overly casual tone that's less appropriate for formal writing and doesn't emphasize the logical relationship as effectively as the semicolon with transitional phrase.
Remember this pattern: when you see a comma splice in a question, look for the answer choice that both corrects the error AND maintains or strengthens the logical relationship between ideas. Semicolons with transitional phrases like "as a result," "therefore," or "consequently" are often your best bet for showing clear cause-and-effect relationships.
- Which of the following is a run-on sentence?
Answer: Artificial intelligence applications are expanding across industries they enhance decision-making processes and automate routine tasks effectively.
Choice B is a run-on sentence because it incorrectly connects two independent clauses without proper punctuation: 'Artificial intelligence applications are expanding across industries' and 'they enhance decision-making processes and automate routine tasks effectively.' Choice A uses a comma with participial phrase correctly. Choice C is a properly structured complex sentence. Choice D uses a comma with participial phrase appropriately.
- Which option best revises the sentence to correct the fused structure?
Answer: Participants completed the survey online; afterward, they scheduled an in-person interview.
A uses a semicolon followed by the conjunctive adverb "afterward" and a comma, properly separating the two independent clauses. B and C leave comma splices. D produces a fragment beginning with "Afterward."
- Identify the sentence that contains a run-on error.
Answer: Some students revised the proposal during lunch others proofread it after school.
B is a fused sentence: two independent clauses appear without punctuation or a coordinating conjunction. A correctly joins the clauses with ", and." C uses a dependent clause introduced by "While" followed by an independent clause, properly punctuated. D also contains a dependent clause ("Because...") correctly attached to an independent clause.
- Identify the run-on sentence among these options.
Answer: Community support was overwhelming program coordinators expanded services to reach additional neighborhoods and demographics.
Choice C is a run-on sentence with two independent clauses incorrectly fused together without proper punctuation or coordinating conjunction. Choice A is a complete sentence with infinitive phrase properly integrated into the complete thought. Choice B contains proper comma usage in a series with participial phrase structure. Choice D correctly connects a dependent clause to an independent clause with appropriate punctuation and structure.
- Which of the following demonstrates a run-on sentence?
Answer: Project timelines were adjusted to accommodate environmental assessments engineers worked closely with regulatory officials.
Choice B is a run-on sentence with two independent clauses incorrectly joined without proper punctuation or coordinating conjunction. Choice A is a complete sentence with proper relative clause structure. Choice C correctly connects a dependent clause to an independent clause. Choice D properly uses a comma and coordinating conjunction to join two independent clauses.
- Choose the sentence that is free of fragments and run-on errors.
Answer: Although the community center closed early, many residents still finished their workouts before leaving.
Choice A contains a dependent clause ("Although the community center closed early") followed by a complete independent clause, properly connected with a comma; therefore, it is grammatically complete. B is a fused (run-on) sentence with no conjunction or proper punctuation between the two independent ideas. C is a fragment because the dependent clause is punctuated as a sentence by itself. D is a comma splice, joining two independent clauses with only a comma.
- Which of the following contains a sentence fragment?
Answer: To improve employee morale and productivity through comprehensive wellness programs and flexible work arrangements.
Choice B is a sentence fragment because it consists only of an infinitive phrase ('To improve...') without a main subject and verb to form a complete sentence. Choice A is a complete sentence with subject, verb, and object. Choice C is a complete sentence with proper subject-predicate structure and infinitive phrase. Choice D is a complete sentence with subject, verb, and object clause.
- Which sentence contains a fragment?
Answer: To ensure the balance of spices was perfect, repeatedly sampling the sauce.
B is a fragment because it contains only a phrase beginning with an infinitive and does not supply a main clause. A, C, and D each contain a complete independent clause (C and D also include dependent clauses).
- 9. Which revision best combines the two short fragments that begin with "Because" and "Allowing" into a single, complete sentence?
Answer: Because these strips of land connect isolated populations, they allow animals to migrate safely during seasonal changes.
A joins the dependent clause beginning with "Because" to a complete independent clause, eliminating both fragments. B incorrectly uses a semicolon after a dependent clause. C leaves the second fragment unchanged. D combines conjunctions improperly and provides no independent clause after "allowing."
- Which of the following contains a sentence fragment?
Answer: Since the implementation of new quality control measures significantly improved production efficiency and reduced manufacturing defects.
Choice C is a sentence fragment because it begins with the subordinating conjunction 'Since' and lacks an independent clause to complete the complex sentence structure. Choice A is a complete complex sentence with dependent and independent clauses. Choice B is a complete sentence with infinitive phrase expressing purpose. Choice D is a complete sentence with infinitive phrase of purpose.
- Which of the following sentences contains a fragment?
Answer: Because the weather was particularly severe during the winter months of January and February.
Choice B is a dependent clause fragment beginning with 'Because' that lacks an independent clause to complete the thought. Choice A is a complete sentence with an independent clause and proper punctuation. Choice C contains an independent clause with a dependent clause properly attached. Choice D has a dependent clause properly connected to an independent clause.
- Select the sentence that properly avoids a comma splice.
Answer: The forecast predicted heavy rain; nevertheless, the parade continued as scheduled.
A uses a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb "nevertheless" and a comma after it, correctly linking two independent clauses. B and C place only commas or nothing before "nevertheless," creating run-ons. D is a comma splice with no conjunction or proper punctuation.
- Which of the following contains a sentence fragment?
Answer: Hoping to improve customer satisfaction scores and increase loyalty among existing clientele in competitive markets.
Choice B is a sentence fragment because it consists only of a participial phrase ('Hoping to improve...') without a subject and main verb to form a complete thought. Choice A is a complete sentence with subject and predicate. Choice C is a complete sentence with proper subject-verb structure. Choice D is a complete sentence with a clear subject and compound predicate.
- Which of the following contains a sentence fragment?
Answer: By implementing comprehensive data analytics tools that provide real-time insights into consumer behavior and market trends.
Choice B is a sentence fragment because it begins with the preposition 'By' and contains only a prepositional phrase with relative clauses, lacking a main subject and verb. Choice A is a complete sentence with infinitive phrase expressing purpose. Choice C is a complete sentence with infinitive phrase expressing purpose. Choice D is a complete sentence with infinitive phrases expressing purpose.
- Which sentence contains a subtle fragment that may be overlooked?
Answer: The lecture covered renewable energy sources. Including solar panels and wind turbines.
B creates a fragment by punctuating the participial phrase "Including solar panels and wind turbines" as its own sentence. A, C, and D all provide complete independent clauses, properly attached to subordinate elements.
