A fused sentence (or run-on) occurs when two independent clauses are joined without punctuation or without a coordinating conjunction.
Fused sentence: Independent clause independent clause. At first I wanted to be a doctor now I don't.
Some easy ways to correct a fused sentence are as follows:
1. Add a period after the first independent clause and capitalize the next word. (IC. IC)
At first I wanted to be a doctor. Now I don't.
2. Add a semicolon after the first independent clause. (IC; IC) At first I wanted to be a doctor; now I don't.
3. Add a comma and a coordinating conjunction after the first independent clause. (IC, CC IC)
At first I wanted to be a doctor, but now I don't.
Directions: For each sentence below, write FS if it is a fused sentence or C if it is correct.
1. According to MSNBC, a New Jersey major wants forecasters held responsible for dire predictions. Forecasters who predict blizzards should be held accountable for their predictions. FUSED
2. Major Richard Bowe wants to know if the forecasts of heavy snow and blizzard conditions were mistakes or a deliberate attempt to generate ratings.
3. He suggests errant forecasters ought to be held responsible for losses by businesses and others who lost money by listening to the forecasts.
4. A spokesperson from the National Weather Service notes that forecasts are judgments based on available information; they are not any kind of guarantee. FUSED
5. The storm was originally forecast to wreak havoc on the entire northeastern portion of the United States; however, the storm left most major cities unscathed. FUSED
6. Washington, Philadelphia, and New York took much less of a beating than first predicted; the storm came nowhere near to living up to its hype. FUSED
7. Snow accumulations from the storm, which began battering the region late Monday, ranged from 18 inches to 30 inches.
8. Red-faced forecasters were scratching their heads over how they could be so wrong in their predictions.
9. Forecasters had grappled with conflicting computer models before predicting that New England would be the hardest-hit area.
10. Forecasters thought the storm would paralyze the entire coast; they predicted it could be the worst blizzard in 35 years. FUSED
11. Those fears were not realized; the storm dissipated. FUSED
12. Many areas got slush and rain instead of snow.
13. "Our models aren't perfect; we'd be the first to admit that," said the director of the National Centers for Environmental Preditions. FUSED
14. I am not sure why those folks are complaining. Would they have been happier if there had been a disaster? FUSED
15. Things could be worse; forecasters warn another storm could come as early as Friday. FUSED
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