Semicolon fix: David loves candy I surprised him with a box of chocolates.Ĭomma splices happen so frequently because our thoughts are naturally linked and flowing from one to the next. It says that while each side of the comma can stand alone as an independent clause, when they are linked together, they provide a deeper meaning. In this case, the semicolon acts like a softer period. If you want to imply a relationship without calling it out directly with a coordinating conjunction, you can replace the comma with a semicolon. For instance, “but” creates a reversal while “so” shows causation.Ĭoordinating conjunction fix: David loves candy, so I surprised him with a box of chocolates. Notice how each of these conjunctions reveals a relationship. Coordinating conjunctions are unique in that they allow us to connect two independent clauses. Another solution is to leave the comma in and add one of the seven coordinating conjunctions after it: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
I surprised him with a box of chocolates. This is the simplest fix, and it works best when you don’t need to convey a relationship between the two independent clauses. You can decide which one to use based on the relationship between the two independent clauses.
There are three main ways to remedy a comma splice. OK: You have two independent clauses connected by a comma. In this case, “I surprised him with a box of chocolates” is an independent clause, too. In a comma splice, both sides of the comma can stand alone. Here’s an example comma splice:ĭavid loves candy, I surprised him with a box of chocolates. I came, I saw, I conquered.Elevate your writing with real-time, intelligent assistance Learn MoreĪ comma splice takes two or more independent clauses and connects (or splices) them with a comma. I can’t go with you today as I’m expecting guests.ĥ. I did my homework, but unfortunately, I’ve forgotten to bring it to the class. The cat’s not hungry because she has eaten a steak. I did my homework I've forgotten to bring it to the class.Ĥ. I'm expecting guests I can't go with you today. He’s fast, he’s strong, and he’s going to win.Ģ. The cat has eaten a steak, so she's not hungry. I did my homework, but I've forgotten to bring it to the class. He can’t open the door because it’s locked. Use but, because, and, so, since, or any other appropriate conjunction. If you’re not sure what to do, try one of these solutions.ġ. Once you’ve noticed one in your writing, you can see at least a couple of ways to rewrite the sentence. Fixing Comma SplicesĬomma splices are easier to fix than to spot. They’re made of two or three complete sentences (aka independent clauses) loosely linked by a comma. I came, I saw, I conquered.Īll these sentences have one thing in common. He’s fast, he’s strong, he’s going to win. I did my homework, I’ve forgotten to bring it to the class. I’m expecting guests, I can’t go with you today. Comma Splice Example The cat has eaten a steak, she’s not hungry. Sounds confusing? Let’s see some examples. If that improper connection is made with a comma, that’s called a comma splice. When two or more independent clauses (which can function independently) get linked improperly, that’s a run-on sentence. What is a Comma Splice?Ĭomma splices are pretty similar to run-on sentences.
Otherwise, our writing skills may appear quite poor. If we want to break rules to produce the effect that we want, that’s fine. You can use comma splice as a stylistic device in order to draw attention to a certain mood or to point out the link between clauses.
Most often, it’s an error that may confuse the reader. When two independent clauses accidentally (or deliberately) get spliced by a comma - instead of being separated by a semicolon or period - that’s called a comma splice.
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