ESL Grammar Quiz: Comma Splices and Run-On Sentences with Answers

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 📝 A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined together by only a comma. Incorrect: I went to the store, I bought milk.
• 💡 A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are joined without any punctuation or conjunctions. Incorrect: I went to the store I bought milk.
• ✅ To correct these errors, you can: use a period, a semicolon, a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet), or subordinate one of the clauses.
• 🔑 Correct Examples: I went to the store. I bought milk.; I went to the store; I bought milk.; I went to the store, and I bought milk.; Because I went to the store, I bought milk.

📝 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following sentences is a comma splice?
   1. I enjoy reading books and watching movies.
   2. I enjoy reading books, I also like watching movies.
   3. I enjoy reading books; I also like watching movies.
   4. I enjoy reading books, but I also like watching movies.
2. Which of the following sentences is a run-on sentence?
   1. She went to the park, and she flew a kite.
   2. She went to the park she flew a kite.
   3. She went to the park; she flew a kite.
   4. She went to the park, so she flew a kite.
3. Which of the following correctly fixes the comma splice: "He was tired, he went to bed early."?
   1. He was tired he went to bed early.
   2. He was tired, so he went to bed early.
   3. He was tired, but he went to bed early.
   4. He was tired, he went to bed.
4. Which of the following correctly fixes the run-on sentence: "It was raining they decided to stay inside"?
   1. It was raining, they decided to stay inside.
   2. It was raining; they decided to stay inside.
   3. It was raining, so they decided to stay inside.
   4. It was raining and they decided to stay inside.
5. Identify the error (if any) in the following sentence: "The dog barked loudly, it chased the squirrel."
   1. Correct.
   2. Comma Splice.
   3. Run-on Sentence.
   4. Fragment.
6. Identify the error (if any) in the following sentence: "The sun was shining birds were singing."
   1. Correct.
   2. Comma Splice.
   3. Run-on Sentence.
   4. Fragment.
7. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
   1. I like coffee, I also like tea.
   2. I like coffee I also like tea.
   3. I like coffee; I also like tea.
   4. I like coffee, but also tea.