Comma Splice

In Plain English… Please copy the following information down on a

sheet of notebook paper and put it in the “Hmmm..” section of your notebook.

Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS), such as and, but and or, join words and phrases and clauses of equal importance. Even though the comma splice appears to be a repeat of having no comma in a compound sentence, it’s not. This time the error lies in leaving out the coordinating conjunction and using a comma when a semicolon or a period would be more appropriate.

In a comma splice, the comma is there, but the conjunction is nowhere to be found.

What do you notice?... He could be courteous and helpful on the surface, you

never knew what was going on underneath. (p. 96) His voice wasn’t loud, it commanded instant attention.

(p. 99) Maria had insulted him in front of everyone, he intended

to make her pay. (p. 108) The lotus garden was lit only by starlight, the air was

warm and smelled of stagnant water. (p. 132) She was wearing a fine black dress with jet beads sewn

on the front, Matt thought she looked strange without her apron. (p. 151) Let’s find each sentence’s two subjects and verbs. What do you notice about the commas? Which FANBOY sounds better? Why?

The dreaded SEMICOLON!!!Please copy the following information on your sheet of paper.

Here is the funny thing, if you didn’t already realize it…many times a comma splice can also be corrected by inserting a semicolon where the comma previously spliced the sentence.

• Change: I love dancing, it makes me warm inside (comma splice)• To: I love dancing; it makes me warm inside.• The compound sentence pattern helps writers link and combine choppy

sentences. It gives a writer the option of joining two sentences with less separation than a period would provide.

• The two sentences should be linked in some way, and the writer must use a semicolon or a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOY) to join them.

• In the example below, notice how the conjunction but clues the reader to the link between the two sentences as well as the contrast.• Comma splice: Felicia balled up the napkin in her fist, she didn’t’ say anything.• Compound sentence with a comma and a conjunction (FANBOY): Felicia

balled up her napkin in her fist, but she didn’t anything.• Compound sentence joined with a semicolon: Felicia balled up the napkin

in her fist; she didn’t say anything.

Compound sentence hunt…but can you find a comma splice???

Let’s take out our independent reading books and read over some of the pages you just finished reading.

See if you can find any compound sentences. Remember, look for those FANBOYS!

But here is the challenge, can you find a comma splice? Are you better than that book’s editor??? Remember these are published books that

professional editors and writers have gone over with a fine-toothed comb. Do you think they just missed one? Why might an author ‘break the rules’ in this way? Does it work?