Run-on sentences – What it is & How to Fix it in 2025?
How to Fix Run-on Sentences in English Writing
Run-on sentences are troublemakers. They can turn a great idea into a mess. They stuff multiple thoughts together without a pause, making writing harder to follow. Also, they confuse readers, and that’s not what they want.
But it's very easy to fix run-on sentences. In this short but informative guide, we will share a few of the best strategies to resolve run-on and write clear and concise sentences.
How to Fix Run-on Sentences?
There are simple and easy steps you have to follow in terms of resolving run-on sentence issues. Let’s get to the point!
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Spot the Issue
To resolve this problem, you need to find out first. Generally, we don't notice run-on sentences while writing or even proofreading. If you are writing the content or proofreading it, avoid this mistake.
If you find two or more independent clauses in a sentence without proper punctuation or connecting words, highlight it immediately. Once you spot all these sentences, you can easily resolve them.
Let's take an example to understand how we spot run-on sentences!
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"The sun was setting it painted the sky orange." |
These are two independent ideas mashed together. Now that we have identified the issue, we can immediately resolve it using different methods.
Let's explore those methods!
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Use a Period
The easiest and simplest way to fix this is to split the sentence. A period forces a hard stop, giving each idea its own space.
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Incorrect ✘ |
The sun was setting it painted the sky orange. |
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Correct ✔ |
The sun was setting. It painted the sky orange. |
With a single hard stop, we made each sentence stand on its own. This approach works best when both ideas are equally important. However, avoid this practice when you are writing a sentence with an independent and a dependent clause.
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Add a Comma and a Coordinating Conjunction
When fixing a sentence with an independent or a dependent clause, you can use this effective way to resolve run-on sentences. Add a comma at the end of the first independent clause and then use a coordinating conjunction to start the next one. The coordinating like and, but, or, and so act like bridges, smoothly connecting thoughts.
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Incorrect ✘ |
The sun was setting it painted the sky orange. |
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Correct ✔ |
The sun was setting, and it painted the sky orange. |
That little comma in this sentence clears the entire situation. Moreover, it gives readers a natural pause and prevents the sentence from running wild.
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Use a Semicolon
Semicolons play a delicate role when the ideas are closely related but don’t need a conjunction. They keep the flow going without the abrupt stop of a period.
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Incorrect ✘ |
The sun was setting it painted the sky orange. |
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Correct ✔ |
The sun was setting; it painted the sky orange. |
Look, there are no extra words here, just a smooth connection. This trick works quite well when both clauses are independent but strongly linked to each other.
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Try a Subordinating Conjunction
Sometimes, you can even fix run-on sentences by making one clause dependent. Using this technique, you can reflect on how one idea is connected to the other.
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Incorrect ✘ |
The sun was setting it painted the sky orange. |
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Correct ✔ |
As the sun was setting, it painted the sky orange. |
The word 'as' has shifted the structure here. It makes the second clause dependent on the first one. However, it didn't change the meaning of the sentence. Instead, improve your sentences a bit. You can also use words like because, while, although, since, etc., to remove run-on sentences and make them clear and engaging.
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Use a Relative Clause
You can also modify one part into a relative clause, which provides additional information without creating a run-on sentence.
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Incorrect ✘ |
The sun was setting it painted the sky orange. |
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Correct ✔ |
The sun, which was setting, painted the sky orange. |
It has improved the overall flow of the content and added a bit of drama to the text. You can use this strategy to write fictional content and make your text more interesting.
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Reword for Clarity
Not every fix requires punctuation. Sometimes, rephrasing sentences is the best option. It can change the structure and make a sentence more natural.
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Incorrect ✘ |
He loves pizza he eats it every day. |
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Correct ✔ |
Since he loves pizza, he eats it every day. |
Here, we’ve turned one clause into a dependent clause, eliminating the run-on without breaking the flow. If you are not great at rewording, you can even use an online paraphrasing tool to reword your sentences and improve their flow. It will automatically enhance the sentence and remove such issues in the content.
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Leverage an Online Grammar Checker
Lastly, if you are still struggling to spot and fix run-on sentences, there is nothing to worry about. In this case, you can get some assistance from an online grammar checker.
Thankfully, plenty of online grammar checkers are available to help writers instantly spot all types of grammar issues in the text and rectify them immediately. Proofread your content with a grammar checker; it will find and fix all such issues using the best strategies according to the context.
Wrapping Up
Run-on sentences are terrible. They confuse readers, impact content quality, and ruin the reputation of writers. However, if you spot them, you can quickly fix them in no time. Fortunately, there are plenty of techniques to resolve the issue. Use any of them that suits your content, and you can make your writing crisp, clear, and impossible to ignore.
