Run-on Errors and Comma Splice Errors Help

To be successful in English 101, a student has to master sentencing. One huge step toward this mastery is to learn how to identify and correct run-on sentence errors and comma-splice sentence errors.

Run-on sentences and comma-splice sentences are both results of the same sentencing error.

The error is we are trying to connect two sentences together without proper punctuation.

Here’s a run-on error:

Mitch loves coffee he goes to Starbuck’s every morning.

Note the two sentences join between the words “coffee” and “he,” yet only a blank space joins them—thus, we run right through to the next sentence which creates a run-on sentence error.

The comma splice error is much more common.

Here’s a comma splice error:

Mitch loves coffee, he goes to Starbuck’s every morning.

Again note the two sentences join between the words “coffee” and “he,” yet now we have only a comma to join them.

The rule to remember is simple: a comma by itself is NOT enough punctuation to join two sentences.

You can correct run-on and comma splice errors by using any of the following three methods:

1. Make two sentences:

Mitch loves coffee. He goes to Starbuck’s every morning.

2. Use a semicolon:

Mitch loves coffee; he goes to Starbuck’s every morning.

3. Use a comma and one of the “FANBOYS.” (The FANBOYS are “for,” “and,” “nor,” “but,” “or,” “yet,” and “so”).

The most useful of these are “and,” “but,” “yet,” and “so.”

Here’s the correction:

Mitch loves coffee, so he goes to Starbuck’s every morning.