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English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 30 minutes

Spot and fix run-on sentences and comma splices

Writing & Editing

CCSS L.4.1.FEngland: Y4 GPS (sentence boundaries)England: Y3/4 Writing (proofreading)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Spot and fix run-on sentences and comma splices.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Complete sentence or fragment?; Simple or compound sentence?

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: A model text, Planning frame, Checklists for editing, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Complete sentence or fragment?; Simple or compound sentence?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? The big brown dog in the garden. (complete sentence / fragment) → fragmentPrompt: Does it say WHO or WHAT, and what they DO or ARE?
  2. Is this a simple sentence or a compound sentence? It was late, but nobody was tired. (simple sentence / compound sentence) → compound sentencePrompt: Count the subject–verb pairs. Each pair that could stand alone is a clause.
  3. Which is the best way to fix this fragment? Because it was raining. (We stayed in because it was raining. / Raining because it was. / Because it was raining a lot. / Because, it was raining.) → We stayed in because it was raining.Prompt: Adding more describing words does not fix a fragment.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
  • Share the objective: Spot and fix run-on sentences and comma splices. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Is this a correct sentence or a run-on? The robot beeped, its lights flashed.
  • Step 1: A run-on joins two complete sentences with nothing, or with only a comma.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: run-on sentence
  • Answer: run-on sentence
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Is this a correct sentence or a run-on? When the robot beeped, its lights flashed. (correct sentence / run-on sentence) → correct sentencePrompt: Count the complete thoughts (subject + verb that could stand alone).
  2. This is a run-on. Which is the best way to fix it? The puppy barked it wanted to play. (The puppy barked it, wanted to play. / The puppy barked, it wanted to play. / The puppy barked because it wanted to play. / The puppy, barked it wanted to play.) → The puppy barked because it wanted to play.Prompt: Find where the first complete thought ends.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. This is a run-on. Which is the best way to fix it? The sky went dark, thunder rumbled. (The sky went dark, and thunder rumbled. / The sky went, dark, thunder rumbled. / The sky, went dark thunder rumbled. / The sky went dark thunder rumbled.) → The sky went dark, and thunder rumbled.Prompt: Find where the first complete thought ends.
  2. Is this a correct sentence or a run-on? We went to the zoo and saw a giraffe. (correct sentence / run-on sentence) → correct sentencePrompt: Count the complete thoughts (subject + verb that could stand alone).

Watch out for

  • Writing everything at once without planning.
  • Editing only spelling and not whether the writing makes sense.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Complete sentence or fragment?.
  • Use concrete materials: a model text.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-4.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Spot and fix run-on sentences and comma splices

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Is this a correct sentence or a run-on? My cat is fluffy. She loves to sleep.

    • A. correct sentence
    • B. run-on sentence

  2. Question 2

    This is a run-on. Which is the best way to fix it? I finished my book I started a new one.

    • A. I finished my book, I started a new one.
    • B. I finished my book I started, a new one.
    • C. I finished, my book I started a new one.
    • D. I finished my book, so I started a new one.

  3. Question 3

    Is this a correct sentence or a run-on? It was snowing, so we built a snowman.

    • A. correct sentence
    • B. run-on sentence

  4. Question 4

    This is a run-on. Which is the best way to fix it? The sky went dark, thunder rumbled.

    • A. The sky went, dark, thunder rumbled.
    • B. The sky went dark, and thunder rumbled.
    • C. The sky went dark thunder rumbled.
    • D. The sky, went dark thunder rumbled.

  5. Question 5

    Is this a correct sentence or a run-on? The bell rang everyone ran outside.

    • A. correct sentence
    • B. run-on sentence

  6. Question 6

    Is this a correct sentence or a run-on? The bell rang, and everyone ran outside.

    • A. correct sentence
    • B. run-on sentence

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Answer key: Spot and fix run-on sentences and comma splices

  1. 1. A. correct sentence

  2. 2. D. I finished my book, so I started a new one.

  3. 3. A. correct sentence

  4. 4. B. The sky went dark, and thunder rumbled.

  5. 5. B. run-on sentence

  6. 6. A. correct sentence