Run-on Reductions

Guide

 

Run-on Reductions allows students to practice creating sentences by writing run-on sentences and then correcting them.

 

Rationale:  Many students need to practice grammar.  Writing run-on sentences and reducing them will allow rehearsal.  Rehearsal is essential to retention.

 

Instructions:  On a blank sheet of paper, write a run-on sentence that discusses a main idea.  Reduce the sentence down to its component ideas.  Rewrite the ideas in singular or compound sentences.  Repeat the exercise ten times. 

 

General Guidelines

 

·         Use main ideas and major information for sentences

·         Use a guide to grammar to select variations

·         Practice as many variations as possible. 

 

Run-on Reductions Rubric

possible points

expectations

specifics

points earned

.5

Correctness

Simple, correct sentences

 

.5

Diversity

About an array of topics

 

N/A

Completeness

 Up to ten run-ons

 

10

 

total

 

 

Run-on Reductions Example

 

  1. William Howard Taft was a weak leader1 because he fed himself so much and when he got depressed he just ate more2 and he also did not like to be a president3 and it was his wife that pushed him into politics4 so he would be glad when he got out5 to become the Chief Justice.

 

William Howard Taft was a weak leader as President of the United States1.  He did not like being President so much that he became depressed2; this pushed him to eat more3 and as a result he gained weight.  His wife had pushed him into politics4; he would be glad to get out5 and achieve his life’s ambition as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.