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“To splice” is to fasten together. A comma splice (CS) occurs when a comma (alon
is used to fasten together two independent clauses. This is incorrect punctuation.
Example:
The Sandia Mountains are east of Albuquerque, they rise
10,000 feet above sea level.
[A comma alone cannot connect two independent clauses.]
There are four primary ways to correct a comma splice:
1. Use a period to make two complete sentences.
Example: The Sandia Mountains are east of
Albuquerque. They rise 10,000 feet
above sea level.
2. Use a semicolon to join the two independent clauses.
Example: The Sandia Mountains are east of
Albuquerque; they rise 10,000 feet
above sea level.
3. Use a comma plus a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, nor, yet.
Example: The Sandia Mountains are east of
Albuquerque, and they rise 10,000
feet above sea level.
4. Make one clause subordinate or dependent.
Example: The mountains which are east of Albuquerque
rise 10,000 feel above
sea level.
Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions can also be used to make a clause dependent when one
idea can be logically subordinated to the other.
Example:
According to a forest service brochure, spruce and fir
trees grow at the crest, aspens and oaks grow at slightly lower elevations.
Correction:
According to a forest service brochure, even though spruce
and fir trees grow at the crest, aspens and oaks grow at slightly lower
elevations.
('even though' is a subordinating conjunction that shows contrast)
Other subordinating conjunctions include:
after, although, as, as far as, because, before, if, if only, in order that, since,
unless, whenever, and whether.
Recognizing comma splices in your work requires identifying independent and
dependent clause.
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