San Juan College Student Success Center Writing Center

Sentence Structure 101Run- ons: Comma SplicesSan Juan Colleges Student Success Centers Writing Center is only offering suggestions or ideas to improve papers. These are not algebraic formulas that must be followed. The final decision is up to the writer.A comma splice is the use of a comma between statements, which make sense when independently stated and are grammatically correct (these are called independent clauses), that are not connected without an appropriate conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or punctuation mark.

Incorrect: The parents were still having to buy all their childrens books, they had to learn everything from spelling rules to grammar rules.Correct: The parents were still having to buy all their childrens books. They had to learn everything from spelling rules to grammar rules.

Incorrect:My brother is into sports, when he was little he wanted to be a coach.Correct:My brother is into sports. When he was little he wanted to be a coach.

Checking to see if a Sentence has a Comma Splice

Comma splices can be easily corrected by asking yourself these questions.

Would the section before the comma make sense on its own? How about the section after the comma?

If the answer is yes, then it is a comma splice.

Correcting Comma Splices

There are at least five ways of fixing comma splices.

Replace the comma with a period.

Example: Many people are afraid of computers they do not realize how easy it is to learn basic tasks.Many people are afraid of computers. They do not realize how easy it is to learn basic tasksMore on back

Replace the comma with a semicolon.

Example:It is hope that keeps people going, hope keeps people alive.It is hope that keeps people going; hope keeps people alive.

Replace the comma with a conjunction.

Example:It was the congregation that has gone mad over why the parson had covered his face with a black veil, it is Parson Hooper that didnt like the masks he saw on his congregation.It was the congregation that has gone mad over why the parson had covered his face with a black veil, and it is Parson Hooper that didnt like the masks he saw on his congregation.Reword the sentence.

Example:Charles Babbage also tired to solve navigational equations by using a 25,000 component machine, he was one of the first to try this.

Charles Babbage was one of the first to try to solve navigational equations by using a 25,000 component machine.

Make one section of sentence dependent on the other (known as a subordinating one clause to make it a dependent clause) to create a complex sentence.

Example:Mary walked into the room, she found a mouse on her desk.

When Mary walked into the room, she found a mouse on her desk.