Run-on Errors and Comma Splice Errors Help

(Pages 538-541 (491-493) of our text Steps to Writing Well)

Please Note: Numbers in parentheses are page numbers of the textbook’s previous edition—the ninth edition.

To be successful in English 101, a student has to master sentencing. One huge step toward this mastery is to learn how to identify and correct run-on sentence errors and comma-splice sentence errors.

Run-on sentences and comma-splice sentences are both results of the same sentencing error.

The error is we are trying to connect two sentences together without proper punctuation.

Here’s a run-on error:

Mitch loves coffee he goes to Starbuck’s every morning.

Note the two sentences join between the words “coffee” and “he,” yet only a blank space joins them—thus, we run right through to the next sentence which creates a run-on sentence error.

The comma splice error is much more common.

Here’s a comma splice error:

Mitch loves coffee, he goes to Starbuck’s every morning.

Again note the two sentences join between the words “coffee” and “he,” yet now we have only a comma to join them.

The rule to remember is simple: a comma by itself is NOT enough punctuation to join two sentences.

You can correct run-on and comma splice errors by using any of the following three methods:

1. Make two sentences:

Mitch loves coffee. He goes to Starbuck’s every morning.

2. Use a semicolon:

Mitch loves coffee; he goes to Starbuck’s every morning.

3. Use a comma and one of the “FANBOYS.” (The FANBOYS are “for,” “and,” “nor,” “but,” “or,” “yet,” and “so”).

The most useful of these are “and,” “but,” “yet,” and “so.”

Here’s the correction:

Mitch loves coffee, so he goes to Starbuck’s every morning.

Practice

Please Note: Numbers in parentheses are page numbers of the textbook’s previous edition—the ninth edition.

To practice, turn to pages 538-539 (491-493) of our text Steps to Writing Well. Read sections 20u (19r) (Run-On Sentence) and 20v (19s) (Comma Splice).

Complete the “Practicing What You’ve Learned” on pp. 540-541 (492-493). After completing these exercises, check your answers with the following answer key:

A. 1. a run-on error occurs between the words “year” and “in.”

2. a run-on error occurs between the words “barrel” and “she.”

3. a run-on error occurs between the words “sermon” and “the.”

4. a run-on error occurs between the words “unit” and “it.”

5. a run-on error occurs between the words “Ages” and “travelers.”

Try to correct all five above using a variety of the three methods we discussed earlier.

B. 1. a comma splice error occurs between the words “1990’s” and “fewer.”

2. a comma splice error occurs between the words “vote” and “she.”

3. a comma splice error occurs between the words “beliefs” and “she.”

4. a comma splice error occurs between the words “women” and “at.”

5. a comma splice error occurs between the words “vote” and “she.”

Try to correct all five above using a variety of the three methods we discussed earlier.

C. 1. a comma splice error occurs between the words “conservatives” and “she.”

2. a run-on error occurs between the words “soup” and “letters.”

3. a comma splice error occurs between the words “rattle” and “ancient.”

4. a comma splice error occurs between the words “carpetbaggers” and “they.”

5. a comma splice error occurs between the words “night” and “according.”

6. a comma splice error occurs between the words “knowledge” and “that’s.”

7. a comma splice error occurs between the words “Jack” and “a.”

8. a run-on error occurs between the words “is” and “it.”

9. This sentence is correct—the two sentences join between the words “butterflies” and “their” where we find a semicolon already in use.

10. a comma splice error occurs between the words “stunts” and “for.”

Try to correct all but Sentence 9 above using a variety of the three methods we discussed earlier.