Comma Splices & Run-Ons are NOT your Friends!

By: Stephanie Saunders J

• Independent Clauses are parts of a sentence that are complete thoughts that can stand alone. *independent-alone*

• An easy way to tell if you have one is to put a period at the end of what you think is an independent clause, and if it makes a complete sentence, it is independent.

• Sometimes we don't want to make two complete sentences out of two independent clauses, because complex sentences add variety to our writing.  But, when we join independent clauses INCORRECTLY, we get comma splices and run-ons.

• A Comma Splice occurs when only a comma separates independent clauses.

      Examples:

     1.  The Writing Center is helpful, I like to go there.

     2.  The Writing Center takes walk-ins, however, it is best to make an appointment.

     3.  The Center is a comfortable place to visit, in addition, the tutors are nice.

• To fix these sentences, you can use a semicolon or period to separate the independent clauses, use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet), or change one of the independent clauses to a dependent one.

      Examples:

          1.  The Writing Center is helpful; I like to go there.

          2.  The Center takes walk-ins, but it is best to make an appointment.

3.  The Center is a comfortable place to visit because the tutors are nice. 

(More info: in this example, "In addition, the tutors are nice" changes to "because   the tutors are nice," which is a DEPENDENT clause because it cannot stand alone).

• A Run-on occurs when there is NO punctuation at ALL between independent clauses.

       Examples:

        1.  The Writing Center is helpful I like to go there.

        2.  The Center takes walk-ins however it is best to make an appointment.

        3.  The Center is a comfortable place to visit in addition the tutors are nice.

Another tip for catching run-ons:  Read your papers out loud! Without punctuation there are no pauses, so run-ons can sound funny and leave you out of breath.  This might help you recognize and fix them.

• You can correct these using the same ideas as we used for comma splices.  To review, these ideas are:

Use a semicolon or period to separate the independent clauses.  Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet), or change one of the independent clauses to a dependent one.

• Now referring to the examples, try to write these sentences (or your own) in different ways.  It will become much easier with practice--Good Luck!! J

Works Cited:

Handout taken from Radford University Writing Center

Under supervision of Ann Moser