- Effective Writing Practices Tutorial
- Punctuation
- Comma Splice
Comma Splice
When two complete sentences are joined by a comma, and there is no conjunction present, we get a comma splice.
| Incorrect: | She decided not to contribute to the project anymore, she had done her share of the work. |
Correcting the Problem
These are closely related sentences, but each of them completes a thought; therefore, they either need a period, a semicolon, or a comma with a conjunction between them.
Rule to Remember
A comma splice occurs when two complete sentences are joined by a comma, and there is no conjunction present.
| Correct: | She decided not to contribute to the project anymore. She had done her share of the work. |
| Correct: | She decided not to contribute to the project anymore; she had done her share of the work. |
Comma splices can be avoided by using
- a period between two complete sentences
| Incorrect: | A Minneapolis bridge collapsed last night, several people were reported missing. |
| Correct: | A Minneapolis bridge collapsed last night. Several people were reported missing. |
- a semicolon between two complete sentences
| Incorrect: | I got up late this morning, I missed my interview. I was having a terrible day! |
| Correct: | I got up late this morning; I missed my interview. I was having a terrible day! |
- a conjunction (either coordinating or subordinating)
| Incorrect: | I am going out of town tomorrow, need to visit my grandmother. |
| Correct: | I am going out of town tomorrow because I need to visit my grandmother. |
Rule to Remember
A comma splice can be corrected with:
- a period;
- a semicolon;
- a conjunction;
- a semicolon and a transitional word.
- a semicolon and a transitional word followed by a comma
| Incorrect: | Our team completed the group project, haven't submitted it yet. |
| Correct: | Our team completed the group project; however, we haven't submitted it yet. |
| Correct: | Our team completed the group project. However, we haven't submitted it yet. |
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