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English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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? Under the bridge by the river. (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? Mia built a robot, and Leo painted it. (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? The tall girl with the red scarf. (The tall girl with the red scarf won the race. / The tall girl, with the red scarf. / The tall girl with the very red scarf. / With the red scarf the tall girl.) → The tall girl with the red scarf won the race.Prompt: Adding more describing words does not fix a fragment.

Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 10 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? The bell rang, and everyone ran outside. (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 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.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 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 bus was late we missed the start of the film. (The bus, was late we missed the start of the film. / The bus was late, we missed the start of the film. / The bus was late we, missed the start of the film. / The bus was late, so we missed the start of the film.) → The bus was late, so we missed the start of the film.Prompt: Find where the first complete thought ends.
  2. Is this a correct sentence or a run-on? The bell rang, and everyone ran outside. (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/ 8

  1. Question 1

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

  2. Question 2

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

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

  3. Question 3

    This is a run-on. Which is the best way to fix it? Tom loves football he plays every Saturday.

    • A. Tom loves football, he plays every Saturday.
    • B. Tom loves football he, plays every Saturday.
    • C. Tom loves football. He plays every Saturday.
    • D. Tom loves. Football he plays every Saturday.

  4. Question 4

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

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

  5. Question 5

    Is this a correct sentence or a run-on? After the rain stopped, the sun came out.

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

  6. Question 6

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

  7. Question 7

    This is a run-on. Which is the best way to fix it? Ana was tired, she went to bed early.

    • A. Ana was tired she went to bed early.
    • B. Ana was tired, she, went to bed early.
    • C. Ana, was tired she went to bed early.
    • D. Ana was tired, so she went to bed early.

  8. Question 8

    Is this a correct sentence or a run-on? The robot beeped, its lights flashed.

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

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

  1. 1. D. The sky went dark, and thunder rumbled.

  2. 2. B. run-on sentence

  3. 3. C. Tom loves football. He plays every Saturday.

  4. 4. A. correct sentence

  5. 5. A. correct sentence

  6. 6. B. I finished my book, so I started a new one.

  7. 7. D. Ana was tired, so she went to bed early.

  8. 8. B. run-on sentence