In simple words, when you join two independent clauses with only a comma then, it can be turned into a comma splice.
It is very important for the writers to completely avoid grammatical errors. One of the grammatical errors is a comma splice, which has to be carefully observed and corrected in order to make an efficient publication.
For example,
1. My sisters will go to the palace in the morning, they should come back by 9:30 p.m. (Incorrect)
The above example sentence is a perfect example of a comma splice. The two sentences are independent sentences that are joined with a comma. This is absolutely incorrect. One cannot join these two independent sentences with only a comma.
How to Fix a Comma Splice?
Do not get worried!
You can easily fix a comma splice by following each of the below strategies.
1. You can simply add a semicolon, which is a punctuation mark. For example,
• My sisters will go to the palace in the morning; they should come back by 9:30 p.m. (Correct)
Check Out: What Is a Colon?
2. You can add a conjunction with a comma to make it an error-free sentence. For example,
• My sisters will go to the palace in the morning; and they should come back by 9:30 p.m. (Correct)
3. In the same way, you can also split this sentence into two separate sentences to make it grammatically correct. For instance,
• My sisters will go to the palace in the morning. They should come back by 9:30 p.m. (Correct)
Comma Splice vs. Run-On Sentence: What’s the Difference?
While both comma splices and run-on sentences involve incorrectly joining independent clauses, they are not the same thing. The key difference lies in how the two clauses are connected.
Comma Splice
A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined together with just a comma, which is grammatically incorrect because the comma isn’t strong enough to separate two complete thoughts.
- Incorrect: I love to travel, I will visit Italy next summer.
In this sentence, both parts before and after the comma can stand alone as separate sentences, making the comma splice incorrect. To fix it, you can use a semicolon, a conjunction, or split the sentence into two.
Corrected Versions:
- I love to travel; I will visit Italy next summer.
- I love to travel, and I will visit Italy next summer.
Run-On Sentence
A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are joined together with no punctuation or coordinating conjunction at all. It’s essentially a string of sentences that run together without proper separation, making it confusing to read.
- Incorrect: I love to travel I will visit Italy next summer.
In this case, there’s no punctuation or conjunction between the two independent clauses, which makes it a run-on sentence. Like a comma splice, it can be fixed by adding punctuation or a conjunction.
Corrected Versions:
- I love to travel; I will visit Italy next summer.
- I love to travel, and I will visit Italy next summer.
Quiz
Now, to test yourself, identify those sentences that contain a comma splice.
1. Before I start the lecture, I want to introduce myself.
2. I needed to go to the market, I went out early in the morning.
3. The students have prepared their projects, they are really fast in work.
4. I am not happy about his work, so I am going to reject his entire project.
5. Whenever you will apologize, I will definitely work with you.
6. My sister loves to make handmade jewellery, she just tried a new design.
In the above sentences, you can see comma splices in 2, 3, and 6.
Apart from 2, 3, and 6, the rest of the sentences are grammatically correct sentences. In 1 and 5, you can see subordinate clauses. On the other hand, in 4, there is a conjunction ‘so’ used to link the two clauses.
What Did You Learn?
So, a comma splice should be fixed up in order to make writing grammatically correct and organized. A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses joined together with a comma, which is completely incorrect.