Analysis of Fragments, Comma-Splices
and Run-ons
CS #23 -- Amplification (also Subordination):
"These dogs are very loving dogs -- they really make nice pets for children."
It could also be subordination: "These dogs are very loving dogs, so they
really make nice pets for children." Ot it could be "Because these dogs
are very loving dogs, they really make nice pets for children." Because
we usually isolate the teaching of grammar from the teaching of logic and
thinking, we should probably expect run-ons such as this one, even from
students who are well beyond seventh grade. In this case, the splice suggests
that the writer saw these two clauses as closely related. There are, however,
at least three possible options, none of which is very well taught. Not
knowing what to do, the writer left the splice. (See the Instructional
Matrices section on teaching
grammar and logic.)
RO #38 -- Amplification (or Subordination):
The second main clause gives more details about the two dogs:
"My brother has two Shasa Apso -- both are puppies of my dog Prissy." The
second clause could be subordinated: "My brother has two Shasa Apso, both
of whcih are puppies of my dog Prissy." Although there are no appositives
in this passage, the writer may also be starting to develop the appositive:
"My brother has two Shasa Apso, both puppies of my dog Prissy."
RO #39 -- Contrast: "One is a female;
the
other is a male." |