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A comma splice occurs when writers join two independent clauses with a comma only. It’s just like a run-on, except where the two independent clauses meet, there is a comma.
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Comma splices and run-on sentences are caused by punctuation errors and are corrected in similar ways. A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses (groups of words that can stand alone as sentences) are joined together by a comma.
Define: Give the meaning; bring attention to different interpretations and problems with the definition. Demonstrate/illustrate/show: Present the stages/factors that give rise to a phenomenon or show how an assertion is valid; present in a logical order with examples/evidence/reasoned arguments.
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A comma splice, or comma fault, is an error caused by joining two independent clauses with a comma but without a coordinating conjunction. Oftentimes, the subject of the second sentence is
- What Is A Comma Splice?
- Using A Semicolon to Fix A Comma Splice
- Using A Period to Fix A Comma Splice
- Adding A Conjunction to Fix A Comma Splice
- Is A Comma Splice Ever Ok?
- Worksheet: Comma Splice Examples
A comma splice occurs when a comma is incorrectly used to join two independent clauses. This is considered a grammatical error because it can affect the clarity and flow of a sentence. To fix a comma splice, you can use a semicolon, use a period, or add a conjunction.
You can replace the comma with a semicolonwhen a logical or sequential connection between the two parts of the sentence is clear. A semicolon is similar to a period, but it suggests a closer link between the two clauses. The word appearing immediately after a semicolon should begin with a lowercase letter.
You can replace the comma with a period so that each of the independent clauses is a separate sentence. This is particularly effective when the ideas of the two clauses are distinct and the relationship between them does not need to be emphasized.
You can also fix a comma splice by retaining the comma and adding a coordinating or subordinating conjunction to one of the clauses.
While comma splices are not acceptable in formal or academic writing, they are very common in conversational contexts like text messaging, social media, and email, and nobody is likely to object to them there. They can also be used in creative writing. For example, comma splices are commonly used in fiction to emphasize the speed of a character’s s...
Test your knowledge of comma splices by using our practice worksheet below. Determine which sentences contain a comma splice.
Typically, when instructors tell you that you have a comma splice in your writing, what they are identifying is a single sentence that fuses two independent clauses (or two complete and separate ideas).
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Prewriting, outlining, and revising are strategies that will help you create better essays every time you use them. In this chapter, a four-step sequence for creating effective essays is set out. Internalizing this sequence will guide and direct you every time you approach a writing task.
