Missing

Think about run on sentences this way they are missing essential punctuation the reader does not have a way to tell where one sentence ends and another begins even though with some careful attention he might be able to fill in the blanks and know what the writer means to say without the help of periods and capital letters punctuation functions as a stopping and starting point and as a way to let the reader know how to separate one thought from the next.

The paragraph above is a major run on. It consists of several sentences without punctuation to separate them and, thereby, guide the reader through the jumble. Even if it is not particularly difficult to understand, it is probably extremely annoying to most readers.

Good punctuation, punctuation that is aligned with the rules of grammar and context and meaning, can be virtually invisible to the reader because it is unobtrusive. No one will do a double take if end punctuation appears when the sentence ends. Most people won’t say, “Oh, yes, look at that lovely dot.”

The absence of punctuation, on the other hand, is decidedly conspicuous to the reader and might lead to remarks that are not exactly complimentary. The logic of sentences depends on punctuation marks, small bits that we don’t notice when they are where they are supposed to be but do note when they are missing.

Think about run on sentences this way: they are missing essential punctuation. The reader does not have a way to tell where one sentence ends and another begins, even though with some careful attention he might be able to fill in the blanks and know what the writer means to say without the help of periods and capital letters. Punctuation functions as a stopping and starting point and as a way to let the reader know how to separate one thought from the next.

Roxy’s tip: Use punctuation appropriately to avoid run ons.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!