1. C OMMA S PLICES & F USED S ENTENCES Spring 2010 - Composition I

2. D EFINITIONS OF : COMMA SPLICES & FUSED SENTENCES A comma splice joins two sentences with a comma and no conjunction. Example: Sarah runs every morning, she runs three miles. Complete Sentence Comma Splice Complete Sentence A fused sentence joins two sentences without any punctuation. Example: Exercise is important it can keep your weight down. Complete Sentence Fused Complete Sentence

3. 5 WAYS TO CORRECT CS AND FS ERRORS 1) Use a period and a capital letter. 2) Use a semicolon. 3) Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction. 4) Use a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb. 5) Make the two sentences into one sentence with a subordinating conjunction (dependent word). Independent clause (Sentence)(Sentence) What goes here?

4. U SE A PERIOD AND A CAPITAL LETTER This is the easiest fix for comma splices and fused sentences. Example Comma Splice Periods = Writing is hard work, it takes time. Example Fused Sentence Writing is hard work it takes time. Correction Writing is hard work. It takes time. Complete Sentence Period Complete Sentence

5. U SE A SEMICOLON  A semicolon is like a period, not like a comma. Complete Sentence ; Complete Sentence.  Do not use semicolons often. Example Comma Splice and Fused Sentence I stopped by the grocery store, it was closed. I stopped by the grocery store it was closed. Correction I stopped by the grocery store; it was closed. Complete Sentence ; Complete Sentence.

6. U SE A COMMA AND COORDINATING CONJUNCTION If you use a comma to connect two sentences, you must also use a coordinating conjunction. Complete Sentence, CC Complete Sentence. There are only seven coordinating conjunctions. For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So  FANBOYS Example Comma Splice and Fused Sentence I want an A, I don’t want to study tonight. I want an A I don’t want to study tonight. Correction I want an A, but I don’t want to study tonight. Sentence, CC Sentence.

7. U SING C OORDINATE C ONJUNCTIONS To indicate addition, use and. Ex: Edgar Allan Poe wrote horror fiction in the nineteenth century, and Stephen King writes horror fiction today. To indicate contrast or contradiction, use but or yet. Ex: Poe wrote short stories, but King writes both stories and novels. Poe died young, yet his stories live on. To indicate a cause-effect connection, use so or for. Ex: I liked Carrie, so I decided to read King’s other novels. Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” is a chilling tale, for it is about a murder. To present alternatives, use or. Ex: I have to finish Cujo, or I won’t be able to sleep. To eliminate alternatives, use nor. Ex: I have not read The Green Mile, nor have I seen the movie.

8. U SE A SEMICOLON AND CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB Conjunctive adverbs connect complete sentences. You can only use them after a semicolon or at the beginning of a sentence. Sentence ; Conjunctive Adverb, Sentence. Add a comma after a conjunctive adverb. Conjunctive adverbs ≠ coordinating conjunctions They can’t join sentences with just a comma. Wrong: I finished my homework, then I partied. Correction I finished my homework ; then, I partied. Sentence ; CA, Sentence.

9. C OMMON CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS Only use these words at the beginning of a sentence or after a semicolon. Put a comma after them, never before them. Complete Sentence ; Conjunctive Adverb, Complete Sentence. I studied for the test ; therefore, I received an A. Conjunctive adverbs help you transition between ideas. They indicate time, addition, cause, effect, examples, and emphasis. Conjunctive adverbs accordingly besides converselyfinally also nonetheless furthermorehence meanwhile in fact accordinglyplus for instance in addition neverthelessnext likewise otherwise indeednonetheless consequently however besidessimilarly instead moreover as a resultstill for example thereforethensubsequently

10. U SING C ONJUNCTIVE A DVERBS To signal addition, use also, besides, furthermore, and moreover. Ex: Golf can be an expensive sport; besides, it can be hard to find a public golf course. To show cause-effect connection, use therefore, consequently, and thus. Ex. Professional baseball players are bigger and stronger than ever before; therefore, home runs have become more common. To indicate contrast or contradiction, use nevertheless, however, still. Ex. Some of the world’s best athletes are track stars; nevertheless, few of their names are widely known. To indicate present alternatives, use otherwise or instead. Ex. Shawn got a football scholarship; otherwise, he could not have gone to college. He didn’t make the first team; instead, he backed up other players. To indicate time relationships, use finally, meanwhile, subsequently, and then. Ex. The popularity of women’s tennis has been growing; meanwhile, the popularity of men’s tennis has been declining.

11. U SE A S UBORDINATING C ONJUNCTION You can add a subordinating conjunction to correct a comma splice or fused sentence. This makes one of the sentences a dependent clause. Fused Sentence: You asked nicely I will help you. Correction: Because you asked nicely, I will help you. SC Sentence, Sentence. Dependent Clause, Independent Clause.

12. D EPENDENT CLAUSES AND COMMAS Dependent Clause + Sentence  Add a comma Because you asked nicely, I will help you. SC Sentence + Dependent Clause  No comma I will help you because you asked nicely. SC Exception Sentence + Dependent Clause Showing Contrast Many people think a tomato is a vegetable, although it is really a fruit. SC

13. C OMMON S UBORDINATING C ONJUNCTIONS after although as as if as thoughas long as until becauseif before even though provided that since rather than so that though when, whenever whether unless where, wherever while

14. T HAT ’ S A LL F OLKS !