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The 1986 Study
Record Number: W7N12A
Transcript of the Student's Text
Coded for Statistical Analysis
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Mrs. Lane

      \-\[LAVFWhen I was {in the third grade,}] I had one {of the niciest teachers} {in the school.} \-\Her name is Mrs Lane. \-\She would do a lot just [RAVFso you would pass her class.] \-\She always would help you {with anything.} \-\Sometimes she would even take you out {for pizza.} \-\[LAVFWhen she took you out] there was no limit. \-\But I still did not eat a lot {of pizza.} \-\Some#NuA04 {of the time} she would even take us {to her house.} \-\[LAVFWhen we got {to her house}] we would play games [RAVFwile she would fix us something to eat.*INFAJ02] \-\Then [LAVFwhen we finish eating*GerDO01] we would play some more games. \-\Mrs Lane has two children \R\RO#35I think [RNDOshe has two girls.] \-\I only know met her daughter once the oldest one.#App03 \-\I never met her husband \C\but I know [RNDOshe is married.=PV] \-\I don't even know his name \R\RO#36I just seen him before \-\The way#NuA04 [LAJFshe talks] her husband is nice {like her.} \-\I will only find out [RAVFif I ever meet him.] \-\I might not ever meet him. \-\I might not ever meet him [RAVFsince Mrs Lane was my third grade teacher.] \-\That was about four years#NuA03 ago. \-\But know she teachest my little sister. \-\She says [RNDOMrs Lane is still nice.] \-\She might even be nicer. \-\I wish [RNDOshe could teach me now {instead of some} {of the teachers} [RAJFthat teach me now.]] \-\Who knows \R\RO#37she mite teach me [RAVFwhen I get {in High School}] [RAVFif she gets switched=PV {by luck.}] \-\That would proble be the best thing [RAJFthat's happened {to me} {in school.}]
 
 
Analysis of Fragments, Comma-Splices and Run-ons

RO #35 -- Amplification: "Two girls" is more detailed than "two children": "Mrs Lane has two children -- I think she has two girls."
RO #36 -- Subordination, (and Amplification): This one is complicated, so I'll quote the context of the original: "\-\I never met her husband \C\but I know she is married. \-\I don't even know his name \R\I just seen him before" The "I just seen him before" provides the cause for both "I know she is married" [because I have seen him], and for "I don't even know his name" [because I have *only* seen him]. The writer may have been unsure of how to attach it to both main clauses, and thus left it as a run-on. Although I am counting this one in the subordination group, I'm guessing that many readers would accept a dash here: " \-\I don't even know his name -- I just saw him before."
RO #37 -- Other:  The use of a question mark after a rhetorical question may have caused the problem. In the writer's mind, the "Who knows" might have been equivalent to "perhaps," which would put the end of the rhetorical question after "luck." "Perhaps she might teach me [RAVFwhen I get in High School] [RAVFif she gets switched by luck]?" The run-on is sixteen words long, two words shorter than this writer's longest, but well above the 9.2 average for the passage. Thus, by the time the writer got to "luck," the question mark may have slipped from STM. It oould, of course, simply have been a careless error.