Examples of Comma Splices in Argumentative Writing (And How to Correct Them)

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🔍 A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses (complete sentences) are joined together by only a comma.
• ✍️ Independent clauses contain a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a sentence.
• ⛔ Example of a comma splice: *I went to the store, I bought milk.*
• ✅ Corrected: *I went to the store, and I bought milk.* (Adding a conjunction)
• ✅ Corrected: *I went to the store; I bought milk.* (Using a semicolon)
• ✅ Corrected: *I went to the store. I bought milk.* (Creating two separate sentences)
• 💡 Tip: Look for opportunities to use coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) after the comma.
• 📝 Tip: If the clauses are closely related, a semicolon can be a stylish and efficient choice.

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following sentences contains a comma splice?
   1. A. I love to read, I could do it all day.
   2. B. I love to read, and I could do it all day.
   3. C. I love to read; I could do it all day.
   4. D. I love to read. I could do it all day.
2. What is the best way to correct the following comma splice: "She is a talented artist, she paints beautiful landscapes."?
   1. A. She is a talented artist, because she paints beautiful landscapes.
   2. B. She is a talented artist, so she paints beautiful landscapes.
   3. C. She is a talented artist; she paints beautiful landscapes.
   4. D. All of the above.
3. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
   1. A. He enjoys hiking, but he hates camping.
   2. B. He enjoys hiking, he hates camping.
   3. C. He enjoys hiking he hates camping.
   4. D. He enjoys hiking; but he hates camping.
4. Identify the comma splice in the following:
   1. A. The sun was shining, birds were singing.
   2. B. The sun was shining and birds were singing.
   3. C. The sun was shining; birds were singing.
   4. D. The sun was shining. Birds were singing.
5. How would you correct this comma splice: "The movie was long, I almost fell asleep."?
   1. A. The movie was long, and I almost fell asleep.
   2. B. The movie was long; I almost fell asleep.
   3. C. The movie was long. I almost fell asleep.
   4. D. All of the above.
6. Which of these sentences is NOT a comma splice?
   1. A. She went to the market, she bought some fruit.
   2. B. She went to the market, and she bought some fruit.
   3. C. She went to the market, she found a good deal.
   4. D. She went to the market, she was happy.
7. Choose the best revision for the following comma splice: "It was raining, the game was cancelled."
   1. A. Because it was raining, the game was cancelled.
   2. B. It was raining; the game was cancelled.
   3. C. It was raining. The game was cancelled.
   4. D. All of the above.