ACT English: Fix Run-On Sentences Using Four Different Methods

Fix 1: Period. Split into two sentences. "The study was comprehensive the results were surprising." → "The study was comprehensive. The results were surprising." Fix 2: Semicolon. Join with a semicolon (for closely related independent clauses). "The study was comprehensive; the results were surprising." Fix 3: Comma + conjunction. "The study was comprehensive, and the results were surprising." Fix 4: Subordination. Demote one clause to dependent status. "Although the study was comprehensive, the results were surprising." Each fix is correct, but they create different emphasis. Students who know all four choose the one that best serves their sentence, earning better grammar scores.

The fix you choose depends on your intent. If you want equal emphasis on both ideas, use a period or semicolon. If one idea is more important, use subordination. If the ideas are closely connected, use a comma + conjunction. This flexibility shows sophisticated writing.

Use a period when the sentences are unrelated or when you want a dramatic pause. ("The data were analyzed. Nothing made sense.") Use a semicolon when the clauses are closely related and equally important. ("The method was rigorous; the results were clear.") Use comma + conjunction when you want a smooth connection with a logical relationship. ("The method was rigorous, so the results were clear.") Use subordination when one clause is more important. ("Because the method was rigorous, the results were clear.") Choosing the right fix improves sentence flow and reader understanding, both of which raise your English score.

On your next practice test, mark every run-on sentence. Try each fix and choose the one that sounds best. This habit trains your ear for sentence variety and correctness.

Find five run-on sentences in ACT English passages. For each: (1) Identify the two independent clauses. (2) Try all four fixes. (3) Choose the one that sounds most natural and emphasizes your intended meaning. (4) Check against the correct answer. This drill teaches you to see multiple valid fixes and choose the best one, a habit that improves your writing quality and grammar score.

Do this drill twice per week for two weeks. By test day, fixing run-on sentences will feel natural and give you multiple confident options.

One or two run-on sentence questions appear per ACT English section. Each is worth 1 point. A student who knows all four fixes gains 2 quick points per English section, raising her composite by nearly 1 full point.

This week, learn all four fixes. By test day, you will handle run-on sentences with confidence and style.