This article stays with the theme of the common errors a college student makes when they use a comma. A comma splice is such a common error. 5.5% of college students will neglect to put a comma between two independent clauses (Connors, R. J., & Lunsford, A. A., 1988).
Independent Clauses
To fix a comma splice, you must be able to identify independent clauses. Having been previously mentioned on this blog, a lonely clause is a clause unable to be a complete sentence. An independent clause is a clause that is the opposite, however, and can be a complete sentence.
In these next two examples, the lonely clauses are underlined and the independent clauses are italicized. Notice how the lonely clauses are unable to be a complete sentence, while the independent clauses can be a complete sentence.
- “We will throw you a party, because you want to take time off.”
- “If we want to win, we will work harder.”
A Comma Splice
A comma splice happens when a comma joins two independent clauses. This is incorrect because in this case the comma functions as a semicolon (Williams, E. H., 2013). A semicolon joins two independent clauses.
Here are two examples of a comma splice. Notice how the parts of the sentence between the commas function each as a complete sentence.
- “The dog ate its meal, it looked up and wagged its tail.”
- “Twenty sets of plates were laid on the table, every plate had its own unique design.”
Review
How to Fix Comma Splices
- Rewrite the independent clauses so that each have their own sentence
- Rewrite the sentence so that a semicolon replaces the comma
- Rewrite the sentence and add a joining word from this list after the comma
- And, but, or, yet, for, nor, so
- “The dog ate its meal, so it looked up and wagged its tail.”
- After, although, because, before, if, since, though, unless, until, when, where, while
- “Twenty sets of plates were laid on the table, since every plate had its own unique design.”
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