GRAMMAR AND ITS CORRECT

USAGE

Course: English writing skillsBBA-1Instructor: Farhana Aziz

COMMA SPLICE A comma splice is simply a sentence in which

a comma is called on to do more than is appropriate. When a sentence contains two independent clauses — each of which could essentially stand on its own — separated by a comma.

E.g: I know what to do, I just don’t know how to do it.

Correct:

I know what to do but I just don’t know how to do it. ORI know what to do. I just don’t know how to do it.

FUSED SENTENCE When a sentence contains two

independent clauses — each of which could essentially stand on its own — not separated by a comma or by nothing at all. It is also called run-on sentence.

E.g: I know what to do I just don’t know how to do it.

Correct: I know what to do however, I just don’t know how to do

it.OR

I know what to do. I just don’t know how to do it.

5 STRATEGIES TO FIX THE

COMMA SPLICE

1.TURN THE INDEPENDENT CLAUSES INTO SEPARATE SENTENCES. Divide the sentence into two (and set “Of

course” off with a comma as well):

 E.g: “Of course not all companies will survive, it is our goal to give the investing public accurate information on all companies.”

“Of course, not all companies will survive. It is our goal to give the investing public accurate information on all companies.”

2. ADD COORDINATING CONJUCTION Insert a coordinating conjunction to join the

clause with the other one.

Use words like And, for, nor, yet, but, or, so etc to join two sentences.

E.g: “At times, it resembled the pitch of a whirring

blender, at other moments, an angelic choir.”

Correct: “At times, it resembled the pitch of a whirring blender, and at other moments, an angelic choir.”

(The final comma and the phrase “an angelic choir” are correct;”)

3. ADD SUBORDINATING CONJUCTION Insert a subordinating conjunction to convert

either clause into a subordinate clause (one that depends on the other to be the main clause):

Use while, infact, instead, because, as soon as, since, although etc to join two sentences and make the other one subordinate.

E.g: “Some buildings hearken back to Main

Street, USA, others offer strip-mall modernism.”

Correct: “Some buildings hearken back to Main Street, USA, while others offer strip mall modernism.” (While could, alternatively, begin the sentence.)

4. REPLACE COMMA WITH A SEMICOLON Separate the independent clauses with a

semicolon and add a conjunctive adverb. The semicolon will tell the reader that the ideas in the two sentences are closely connected, and the conjunctive adverb describes the connection.

E.g: He doesn’t need the map right now, he just

follows the direction kim pointed out to him.

Correct: He doesn’t need the map right now; instead, he just follows the direction kim pointed out to him.

5. TURN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE INTO A PHRASE Eliminating the subject and verb will

turn the second clause into a modifying phrase. Thus closely connecting the ideas.

E.g: At high noon we were off paddling down

the Potomac River, we were two to a canoe with a gear in the middle.

Correct: At high noon we were off paddling down the Potomac River, two to a canoe with a gear in the middle.

STRATEGIES TO FIX THE FUSED

SENTENCE

HER MOOD WAS GOOD I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK IF SHE HAD A FEW MINUTES TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS. Because her mood was good, I took the

opportunity to ask if she had a few minutes to answer some questions.

Her mood was good, that’s why / so I took the opportunity to ask if she had a few minutes to answer some questions.

Her mood was good; I took the opportunity to ask if she had a few minutes to answer some questions.

Her mood was good, taking the opportunity to ask if she had a few minutes to answer some questions.

Her mood was good. I took the opportunity to ask if she had a few minutes to answer some questions.

FRAGMENT SENTENCES

A fragment is either an incomplete sentence lacking a subject or predicate, or a dependent clause punctuated as a sentence.

Even though fragment begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, it cannot stand alone as a sentence.

E.g: Tonight its my turn. A ride-along with

Sergent Rob of the Green valley police dept.

Tonight its my turn for a ride-along with Sergent Rob of the Green Valley Police Dept.

YOUR TURNMaking the other clause subordinate: Frank turned the cards one at a time. Each time telling

me something about my future.

Frank turned the cards one at a time each time telling me something about my future.

Making both clauses independent: The world that I was born into demanded continuous

work. Where nobody got ahead, and everyone came home tired.

The world that I was born into demanded continuous work. Nobody got ahead, and everyone came home tired.

YOUR TURNAdd subject to the other clause to make it

complete: The crowd in the lounge is basically young.The

teenage and early twenties generation.

The crowd in the lounge is basically young.The teenage and early twenties generation gathers together.

Leave the fragment as it is to create special effect:

The bare utility of the clock echoes the simplicity of the office. No sign of a large hardwood desk or a pillowy leather chair or even a wall with shelves filled with imposing law books.

4 P’S TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT COMPLETELY

PLEASE PRACTICE, PRACTICE & PRACTICE

Enough for the day.