Runons and Comma Splices

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Run-ons and Comma Splices
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Run-ons

• The following is an example of a run-on sentence
• I was hesitant to take the calculus class math
  has never been my best subject.
• What is the mistake with this sentence?
• How would you fix it?

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One way to correct a run-on sentence

• One way to correct a run-on is to put a period
  between the two independent clauses.
• Ex. I was hesitant to take the calculus class.
  Math has never been my best subject.

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A second way to correct a run-on

• You could also use a comma and a coordinating
  conjunction to separate the two independent
  clauses.
• Ex. I was hesitant to take the calculus class,
  for math has never been my best subject.
• If you choose this way to correct a run-on, be
  sure to choose a coordinating conjunction that
  makes sense with the rest of the sentence.

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A third way to correct a run-on

• You could use a semicolon between the independent
  clauses.
• Ex. I was hesitant to take the calculus class
  math has never been my best subject.
• In order to use the semicolon correctly, the two
  independent clauses need to be related and you
  MUST have an independent clause on each side of
  the semicolon.

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Yet another way to correct a run-on

• The fourth way to correct a run-on is to make one
  of the clauses dependent by adding a
  subordinating conjunction.
• Ex. I was hesitant to take the calculus class
  because math has never been my best subject.
• If you make the first clause dependent, be sure
  to put a comma between the two clauses.

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Comma Splices

• The following is an example of a comma splice
• I heard a strange noise, then the lights went
  out.
• What is wrong with this sentence?
• How would you correct it?

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Ways to correct acomma splice

• The same four corrections for a run-on can also
  be used to correct a comma splice.
• Add a period
• Add a coordinating conjunction
• Add a semicolon
• Make one clause dependent

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Corrections

• I heard a strange noise. Then the lights went
  out.
• I heard a strange noise, and then the lights went
  out.
• I heard a strange noise then the lights went
  out.
• After I heard a strange noise, the lights went
  out.