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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

My opening sentence

Use systematic assessments on patients to maximize the detection of illnesses and injuries in a way that prioritizes a patients needs in the order of importance of vital functions necessary for sustaining life.

Okay, this sounds like a run on sentence to me. I'm tired of using multiple short sentences to complete a thought. So I'm here to make it right.

My first question. What makes this a run on sentence?

Alternatives I've thought of.

Use systematic assessments on patients to maximize the detection of illnesses and injuries in a way that prioritizes a patients needs in the order of importance vital to sustaining life.

If......vital to sustaining life cannot be added. I suppose I could drop it.

Use systematic assessments on patients to maximize the detection of illnesses and injuries in a way that prioritizes a patients needs in the order of importance for survival.

Can anyone think of a better way to word the ranking part of the sentence. The idea I want to convey is the ranking system. In order of importance for sustaining life. An example would be The problem of not breathing vs. a sprained ankle.

thanks for the help guys.
  

Top answer

The original is not a run-on sentence; it is just awkward. You have improved it with your changes. I suggest that more can be done: Assess patients systematically to maximize the detection of illnesses and injuries and prioritize the patient's needs in the order of importance of vital functions.

  • The original is not a run-on sentence; it is just awkward.
  • You have improved it with your changes.
  • I suggest that more can be done: Assess patients systematically to maximize the detection of illnesses and injuries and prioritize the patient's needs in the order of importance of vital functions.
  • ('necessary for sustaining life' = vital)
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2 Answers
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The original is not a run-on sentence; it is just awkward. You have improved it with your changes. I suggest that more can be done:

Assess patients systematically to maximize the detection of illnesses and injuries and prioritize the patient's needs in the order of importance of vital functions.

('necessary for sustaining life' = vital)
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Wow, your enhancement sounds much better to the ear as well. thank you for the quick reply.

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