7 | Comma Splices and Fused Sentences
7|Comma Splices and Fused Sentences
A main clause is a group of words that has both a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence (see 4a).
Splice two ropes, and you join them into one. Splice two main clauses by putting only a comma between them, however, and you get a faulty construction called a comma splice. Here are two perfectly good main clauses, each separate, each able to stand on its own as a sentence:
The detective wriggled on his belly toward the campfire. The drunken smugglers didn’t notice him.
Splicing those sentences with a comma makes for difficult reading.
| COMMA SPLICE | The detective wriggled on his belly toward the campfire, the drunken smugglers didn’t notice him. |
Even more confusing than a comma splice is a fused sentence: two main clauses joined without any punctuation.
| FUSED SENTENCE | The detective wriggled on his belly toward the campfire the drunken smugglers didn’t notice him. |
Lacking clues from the writer, a reader cannot tell where to pause. To understand the sentence, he or she must halt and reread.
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The next two pages show five easy ways to eliminate both comma splices and fused sentences, also called run-ons. Your choice depends on the length and complexity of your main clauses and the effect you desire.
A sentence is a word group that includes both a subject and a predicate and can stand alone (see 5a).
7aWrite separate complete sentences to correct a comma splice or a fused sentence.
Coordinating conjunctions join elements with equal or near-equal importance (see 1g and 19a–19c).
7bUse a comma and a coordinating conjunction to correct a comma splice or a fused sentence.
If both clauses are of roughly equal weight, you can use a comma to link them—as long as you add a coordinating conjunction after the comma.
7cUse a semicolon or a colon to correct a comma splice or a fused sentence.
A semicolon can connect two closely related thoughts, emphasizing each one.
If the second thought illustrates or explains the first, add it with a colon.
7dUse subordination to correct a comma splice or a fused sentence.
If one main clause is more important than the other or you want to give it more importance, make the less important one subordinate by adding a subordinating conjunction. In effect, you show your reader how one idea relates to another: you decide which matters more.
For advice on subordination, see 19d–19f. For a list of subordinating conjunctions, see 19e.
7eUse a conjunctive adverb with a semicolon and a comma to correct a comma splice or a fused sentence.
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If you want to cram more than one clause into a sentence, you may join two clauses with a conjunctive adverb. Conjunctive adverbs show relationships such as addition (also, besides), comparison (likewise, similarly), contrast (instead, however), emphasis (namely, certainly), cause and effect (thus, therefore), or time (finally, subsequently). These transitional words and phrases can be a useful way of linking clauses—but only with the right punctuation.
For a list of conjunctive adverbs, see 19a.
A writer might consider a comma plus the conjunctive adverb however enough to combine the two main clauses, but that glue won’t hold. Stronger binding—the semicolon along with a comma—is required.
EXERCISE 7-1 Revising Comma Splices and Fused Sentences
In the following examples, correct each comma splice or fused sentence in two ways, and decide which way works better. Be creative: don’t correct all the same way. Some may be correct as written. Example:
Lee’s comic book superheroes are ordinary people with flaws they also have extraordinary abilities.
Iron Man (Tony Stark) has a superpowered suit and the ability to fly, he is a heavy drinker and suffers from anxiety.
Teenaged nerd Peter Parker is another example he has spider-like abilities to spin webs and scale buildings.
Thor is a godlike superhero who comes to Earth with super strength and the ability to fly, his weakness is his fondness for humans.
Bruce Banner was a brilliant scientist who studied gamma radiation, an accident caused him to turn into a giant destructive hulk when he gets angry.
Other well-known superheroes include Superman and Batman, they originated in the 1930s.
Superman is the last survivor of the planet Krypton he has x-ray vision and super strength he is weakened by kryptonite.
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Batman has no superhuman abilities, he fights crime using his ingenuity and his physical prowess.
Wonder Woman came along in 1941 she is a warrior princess based on the Amazons of Greek mythology.
Many superhero characters are making comebacks in high-budget films, they feature famous actors and impressive special effects.
EXERCISE 7-2 Revising Comma Splices and Fused Sentences
Revise the following passage, using subordination, a conjunctive adverb, a semicolon, or a colon to correct each comma splice or fused sentence. You may also write separate complete sentences. Some sentences may be correct. Example:
Have you ever wondered why you drive on parkways and park on driveways, that’s about as logical as your nose running while your feet smell! When you think about it, these phrases don’t make sense yet we tend to accept them without thinking about what they literally mean we simply take their intended meanings for granted. Think, however, how confusing they are for a person who is just learning the language. If, for example, you have just learned the verb park, you would logically assume that a parkway is where you should park your car, of course when most people see a parkway or a driveway they realize that braking on a parkway would be hazardous, while speeding through a driveway will not take them very far. However, our language is full of idiomatic expressions that may be difficult for a person from another language background to understand. Fortunately, there are plenty of questions to keep us all confused, such as why Americans commonly refer to going to work as “punching the clock.”