Revising Your Essays PART V Comma Splices

What is a Comma Splice? Two or more sentences joined by a comma.

Example It is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.

How to Correct One Simply removing the comma does not correct the error, but results in a run-on sentence.run-on sentence There are several acceptable ways to correct this:

First Choice Change the comma to a semicolon:semicolon It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark.

2 nd Choice Write the two clauses as two separate sentences: sentences It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark.

3 rd Choice Insert a coordinating conjunction following the comma:coordinating conjunction It is nearly half past five, and we cannot reach town before dark. It is nearly half past five, so we cannot reach town before dark.

4 th Choice Make one clause dependent on the other:dependent As it is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.

Exception… Comma splices are sometimes acceptable when the clauses are short and alike in form, such as: The gate swung apart, the bridge fell, the portcullis was drawn up.