Common Sentence Errors: Fused Sentence/Comma Splice

Carefully read Chapter 18, Comma Splices and Fused Sentences, pages 360-366, paying close attention to page 360, “Punctuation of two or more main clauses,” and, on page 662, “Revision of comma splices and fused sentences.”

In order to understand what constitutes a fused sentence, you need to know that a main clause is a word group that can stand alone as a sentence. It makes a statement using a subject and predicate: Pizza Hut rocks.

Examples:

Sarah likes hamburgers.

Hot wings sizzle on the grill.

But sometimes things go wrong! Not that the meat stops sizzling, but that two sentences get fused into one:

Example:

Sarah likes hamburgers hot wings sizzle on the grill.

There are four options for fixing this error:

Separate into two sentences:

Sarah likes hamburgers. Hot wings sizzle on the grill.

Use a semi-colon:

Sarah likes hamburgers; hot wings sizzle on the grill.

Add a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

Sarah likes hamburgers, but hot wings sizzle on the grill.

Add a subordinating word (although, because, since, etc.)

While Sarah likes hamburgers, hot wings sizzle on the grill.

Another repair method is to rearrange the words in the sentence – but the grammar book wants you to pick one of these four solutions, so don’t choose that approach when you complete the assigned exercises!

The second type of fused sentence error is the comma splice. Here’s an example:

Taco del Mar has yummy fish tacos, they also serve a delicious Mundo burrito.

When you use a comma without inserting a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or subordinating one of the clauses (with a word like while, because or since), you end up with a comma splice. To fix the one above, you have the same choices as above:

Taco del Mar has yummy fish tacos. They also serve a delicious Mundo burrito.

Taco del Mar has yummy fish tacos, but they also serve a delicious Mundo burrito.

Taco del Mar has yummy fish tacos; they also serve a delicious Mundo burrito.

Although Taco del Mar has yummy fish tacos, they also serve a delicious Mundo burrito.

But there’s one more thing you need to know about main clauses before you complete assigned exercises!

See page 364, about conjunctive adverbs and transitional expressions. This always trips students up, but you need to use a semi-colon or start a new sentence when you start a “consequently” or “therefore” clause:

Todd doesn’t like fast food; therefore, you will never see him hanging out at takeout windows.

Trish is not so keen on beans. Consequently, she usually passes on the taco salad.

To sum up . . .

First aid for fused sentences and comma splices:

1. Make fused main clauses into separate sentences

2. Add a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, or yet)

3. Separate the main clauses with a semi-colon (;);

4. Restructure the sentence, perhaps by subordinating one of the clauses (subordinators: although, after, as, because, before, if, since, that, though, unless, until, when, where, whether, which, while, who, whom, whose)

5. Transitional expressions and conjunctive adverbs must be preceded by a semi-colon.

Assigned Practice Exercises: complete the following exercises: 18.1 (1-5), 18.2 (1-5), 18.3 (1.5) and 18.4, and POST (copy and paste into a new message) your corrected sentences and paragraph in the Week 3 Discussion area labeled “Practice Exercises: Repairing Fused Sentences.” After you post your answers, you will be able to look at everyone’s posted exercises. Choose TWO (2) posted exercises that have not yet been corrected, and see if you can spot any errors, and post a short comment, noting any incorrect answers. This will help everyone get ready for the fused sentence quiz on Friday of Week 3.

As always, please let me know if you are unsure how to fix a sentence, unclear about the repair rules, or anything else related to unfusing fused sentences. Thanks.

I will use examples from your posted answers to help you get ready for the quiz on Friday.