Comma Splices
A comma splice occurs when two main clauses are linked by only a comma.
Comma Splice Example: It was raining hard, I decided to stay at home.
Comma splices can be corrected by (1) replacing the comma with a period, (2) replacing the comma with a semicolon, or (3) inserting a coordinating conjunction immediately after the comma.
Depending on the meaning of the sentence, the following coordinating conjunctions could be inserted: and, but, or, not, for, so, yet.
Correction: It was raining hard. I decided to stay at home.
Correction: It was raining hard; I decided to stay at home.
Correction: It was raining hard, so I decided to stay at home.
Try It!
Below is a rough draft of an essay that includes several comma splices. Find and correct them to make the essay flow better.
The best kind of editor is one whose presence is not even seen. An editor is a behind-the-scenes person, she improves the grammar of the writer, she makes the message more understandable. An editor improves the image of the author. An editor is a silent advocate for the writer, making the author more trustworthy to the audience. Because the editor is a behind-the-scenes person, many people don’t realize the value of the editor, some never realize the value of the editor, others realize the value of the editor once it is too late and an image or trust has diminished.