Definition
A run-on sentence joins independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunctions. In draft prose it often signals rushed thinking; in rare cases writers use it for breathless effect.
Example
She saw the smoke she grabbed the phone she forgot to lock the door reads as uncontrolled urgency unless revised.
Related terms
Common mistakes
- Confusing a long but correctly punctuated sentence with a run-on.
- Leaving run-ons unfixed because they feel energetic rather than unclear.