Name ______Pd. _____

Revising Commas Splices

Commas splice (CS): A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses (IC) are

joined by only a comma.

Comma splice: IC, IC.


Example: We hiked for three weeks, we were very tired. ß INCORRECT

Easy Ways to Correct Comma Splices:

1. Change the comma to a period and capitalize the next word. (IC. IC.)

Correct: We hiked for three weeks. We were very tired.

2. Change the comma to a semicolon. (IC; IC.)

Correct: We hiked for three weeks; we were very tired.

3. Add a coordinating conjunction before the second independent clause.
Coordinating conjunctions (CC): and, or, but, nor, for, so, yet. (IC, CC IC)

Correct: We hiked for three weeks, so we were very tired

Caution: Don't simply delete the comma; this will create a run-on or fused sentence.

Exercise 1

Directions: For each sentence below, write CS if the sentence is a comma splice or C if the sentence is correct. Fix any comma splices using one of the methods from above.

______1. Every year I make New Year's resolutions, for example, I will try to drink more

water.

______2. Every year, however, I seem to fail at my resolutions.

______3. I did not want to fail this year, consequently, I changed my resolution.

______4. I finally understood that goals needed to be specific, so I modified my goal.

______5. This year I will drink four glasses of water every day, this goal is specific and

measurable.

______6. While this is a measurable goal, however, four glasses of water a day is not

sufficient.

______7. I don't care, at least this year I will be successful.

______8. Geoffrey broke his wrist by falling from a seesaw, he broke his arm by falling from

a ladder.

______9. The seesaw accident was not his fault, however, he should not have been on the

ladder.

______10. He was supposed to be watching his little sister, instead he was hanging lights for

an end-of-year party.