Quick Help: Editing for comma splices and fused sentences

Quick Help: Editing for comma splices and fused sentences

If you find no punctuation between two of your independent clauses—groups of words that can stand alone as sentences—you have identified a fused sentence. If you find two such clauses joined only by a comma, you have identified a comma splice. Revise comma splices and fused sentences with one of these methods.

  1. Separate the clauses into two sentences.

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  2. Link the clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, or yet).

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  3. Link the clauses with a semicolon.

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    If the clauses are linked with only a comma and a conjunctive adverb—a word like however, then, therefore—add a semicolon.

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  4. Recast the two clauses as one independent clause.

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  5. Recast one independent clause as a dependent clause.

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  6. In informal writing, link the clauses with a dash.

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