![]() ![]() The comma, the weakest of the available marks, suggests the closest possible relationship between the two ideas. It’s an option.Ī comma splice isn’t an error-it’s an option.Ī comma splice isn’t an error (it’s an option).Ī comma splice isn’t an error, so it’s an option.Įach alternative introduces a different emphasis. For example, where the clauses are repetitive and short, a comma splice can work well, especially if the tone is informal:Ī comma splice isn’t an error, it’s an option.Ī comma splice isn’t an error it’s an option.Ī comma splice isn’t an error. Is a comma splice ever “correct”?Įven Strunk and White recognized that a comma splice is sometimes the best choice. In most prose, creative or otherwise, any of these alternatives will be an improvement over the comma splice. A semicolon is stronger than a comma.Ī period is stronger than a semicolon, and a semicolon is stronger than a comma. Most of us also know how to fix such an error-for example, by replacing the comma with either a semicolon or a period or by supplying a coordinating conjunction:Ī period is stronger than a semicolon a semicolon is stronger than a comma.Ī period is stronger than a semicolon. The result is a type of run-on sentence, † and again, most writers and editors (and teachers too) will see this as an error. The comma splice, also known as a comma fault (both terms are in Merriam-Webster), is widely considered to be an error.Ī period is stronger than a semicolon, a semicolon is stronger than a comma. Most writers and editors learn not to join (or splice *) two independent clauses with a comma alone. ![]()
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