Two common mistakes that students make in writing are run-on sentences and comma splices.
Run-on Sentences
A run-on sentence is two independent clauses that are connected without punctuation.
- The weather in summer is beautiful here people come from all over the world to enjoy the beaches.
There are several ways to correct a run-on sentence:
- use a period, and start a new sentence
- The weather in summer is beautiful here. People come from all over the world to enjoy the beaches.
- use a comma with a coordinator (and, but, so, or, for, yet, nor)
- The weather in summer is beautiful here, and people come from all over the world to enjoy the beaches.
- use a linking device to make a complex sentence
- As the weather in summer is beautiful here, people come from all over the world to enjoy the beaches.
Comma Splices
A comma splice is two independent clauses that are connected with only a comma. This is incorrect.
- The weather in summer is beautiful here, however, the season is very short.
There are several ways to correct a comma splice:
- use a period, and start a new sentence
- The weather in summer is beautiful here. However, the season is very short.
- use a comma with a coordinator (and, but, so, or, for, yet, nor)
- The weather in summer is beautiful here, but the season is very short.
- use a semicolon
- The weather in summer is beautiful here; however, the season is very short.
Exercise
Open the exercise to begin the activity. Follow the instructions in the document.