Two of the most common punctuation mistakes in student writing are the run-on sentence and the comma splice.
Run-On Sentences
A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are connected in a sentence without the proper punctuation. Here is an example of a run-on sentence:
Incorrect:
- Paul had to stay up all night to finish the project he had put it off for weeks.
This is a run-on sentence because there are two complete, independent clauses but no punctuation. Therefore, we must add punctuation and/or change the sentence by adding or removing words:
Corrected:
- Paul had to stay up all night to finish the project; he had put it off for weeks.
Other options:
- Paul had to stay up all night to finish the project because he had put it off for weeks.
- Paul had to stay up all night to finish the project that he had been putting off for weeks.
Comma Splices
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