RLA grammar, punctuation, and sentence clarity basics

Sentence fragments, run‑ons, and complete sentences

On the GED RLA, you’re expected to recognize when a sentence is complete and when it’s broken or overloaded.

What makes a complete sentence?

A complete sentence needs three things:

• A subject (who or what)
• A verb (what happens / what the subject is or does)
• A complete thought (it can stand alone and make sense)

Examples (all complete):

• The storm ended.

  • Subject: storm
  • Verb: ended
  • Complete thought: yes.

• Many students on the team were exhausted after the game.

  • Subject: students
  • Verb: were
  • Complete thought: yes.

What is a sentence fragment?

A fragment is a group of words that looks like a sentence but is missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought.

Common fragment types:

• No subject:
  • Ran down the street. (Who ran?)
• No verb:
  • The girl with the red backpack. (What about the girl?)
• Dependent clause by itself (starts with words like because, although, when, if, which, that):
  • Because the bus was late. (…what happened?)

Fixing fragments: usually you either

• attach them to a nearby full sentence, or
• add the missing subject or verb.

Examples:

1. Fragment: Because the bus was late.
   Fix: Because the bus was late, we missed the beginning of the movie.

2. Fragment: The girl with the red backpack.
   Fix: The girl with the red backpack waved at me.

What is a run‑on sentence?

A run‑on happens when you join two complete sentences incorrectly (with just a comma, or with nothing between them).

• Fused sentence (no punctuation):
  • The test was difficult many students failed.
• Comma splice (comma only):
  • The test was difficult, many students failed.

Both parts on each side are complete sentences:

• The test was difficult.
• Many students failed.

They’re just glued together wrong.

Ways to fix a run‑on:

• Make two sentences (add a period):
  • The test was difficult. Many students failed.
• Use a comma + coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so):
  • The test was difficult, so many students failed.
• Use a semicolon if the ideas are close and balanced:
  • The test was difficult; many students failed.

Practice: correct some fragments and run‑ons

Try to fix these; then check the sample fixes.

1. While the sun was setting.
2. The library was closed we went to the coffee shop instead.
3. Many people enjoy the park, it is quiet and clean.
4. Walking along the river.

Possible fixes:

1. Fragment (dependent clause). One fix:
   While the sun was setting, we finished our walk.

2. Run‑on (fused). One fix:
   The library was closed, so we went to the coffee shop instead.

3. Run‑on (comma splice). One fix:
   Many people enjoy the park because it is quiet and clean.
   or: Many people enjoy the park; it is quiet and clean.

4. Fragment (no clear subject). One fix:
   We were walking along the river.