Questions tagged [comma-splices]

Questions on comma splices, i.e. commas used to join two independent clauses.

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Which punctuation is best for connecting the latter longer clause in this sentence, or is the comma splice okay? [closed]

I am proofreading a colleague's work. And I know that you should use a connective/conjunction to join two clauses together rather than a comma splice, and so, in the past I have made such corrections ...
MarkB's user avatar
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2 answers
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Is it grammatical to use parallelism (omit the subject) when the first clause is passive and the second is active? [closed]

Here's the example: "They are first taught the basic procedures for scuba diving, including safety and communication with fellow divers, then familiarize themselves with the equipment before ...
Masoud's user avatar
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2 answers
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Oxford comma list with more than one verb

A friend has pointed out that in an Oxford comma separated list, either every clause needs a verb, or each clause must be the object of the first verb. This seems to make sense to me, but would this ...
Mike's user avatar
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Comma joining a question and a quoted speech

I find this sentence in a paper: If this coming to awareness is true good luck, why would Shi Tiesheng need designer luck, he asks: “perhaps I’m already the darling of fate?” Apparently, the author ...
thatness's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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Naming and writing about an LLC proper comma use [closed]

So when filing with the state the long argued debate of using a comma before LLC or not has essentially been settled. The answer being it doesn’t matter AT ALL and in fact some attorneys have always ...
Elisabeth G's user avatar
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Comma Use Before And [closed]

Should a comma be used before "and" in this line? Give in to the darkness and you'll leave this world prematurely. Similar line, same question: Always do what is right and you can keep ...
Craig's user avatar
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1 answer
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What invokes a comma splice error? [closed]

The results of the study were inconclusive, therefore more research needs to be done on the topic. According to what I read, this is a comma splice. So it will be changed from ", therefore" ...
rain soupreme's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
118 views

Why is 'therefore' an adverb?

He is hungry, therefore he ate. I do not understand how therefore is an adverb. It does not modify the verb hungry in this case, in any way. I understand it is a conjunctive adverb but it is still an ...
rain soupreme's user avatar
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When ending clause in a comma, which is followed by a colon, should there be a space in-between [closed]

Say that I am giving an introductory clause with a list of things, using the colon. If I also use a secondary clause, by way of a comma to explain the first clause, do I separate the comma and colon ...
ARGYROU MINAS's user avatar
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1 answer
52 views

Should a period or comma be used before "instead" in "Because bananas are not orange, instead, bananas are yellow"?

Joe: This banana is orange. Niel: No, this banana is yellow. Joe: Why do you say that? Niel: Because bananas are not orange, instead, bananas are yellow. Joe: You think in a funny way. Another way ...
ananta's user avatar
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When "I think" and "It would seem" appear offset by a comma at the end of a sentence, can they create a comma splice?

I am unsure whether what I have written below constitutes a comma splice error because of the addition of "it would seem" at the end. "He is a very clever man, almost too clever, it ...
JJ_Doogal's user avatar
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Semicolons, full-stops and comma-splices [duplicate]

I came across these two sentences whilst editing today, and wondered what your opinions on the correct variations would be: They're great, I love them. vs. They're great; I love them. vs. They're ...
MSR's user avatar
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1 answer
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Is there a comma splice AND is this a restrictive or nonrestrictive clause?

I am still having trouble discerning restrictive vs non-restrictive (or essential vs non-essential) clauses when I am not modifying a noun with descriptions. Here is my example: My professor was ...
tab_philomath's user avatar
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a project involving training for children, teachers, and parents(,) was the most effective [duplicate]

is adding the comma before was necessary? a project involving training for children, teachers, and parents(,) was the most effective
M Bourmad's user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
361 views

Are comma splices more common in British English or American English?

To me it seems that they are more common in British English than in American English (and I say that as a Brit). From what I have noticed, American politicians' writing tends to have fewer comma ...
Eric's user avatar
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Why does this not cause a comma splice?

This sentence appeared on an SAT writing section Healthy arctic marine mammals have a thick layer of fat beneath the skin, whereas tropical marine mammals have very few fat reserves in their bodies” ...
Banan's user avatar
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Can someone tell me if this sentence contains a comma splice?

My friend and I have been arguing about whether the construction of this sentence is correct. Here is the sentence in question: I love all of those books, some would say too much. He argued that this ...
liz's user avatar
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Clause between comma [duplicate]

When the number of observations is even, say 2n, it is customary to define the median as the average of the nth and (n +1)st rank-ordered values. The clause 'say 2n' between two comma appears to be ...
Cường Đặng Cao's user avatar
-2 votes
2 answers
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Proofreading for punctuation [closed]

His movies took the world by storm and set important conversations into motion #1[,] from criticizing domestic violence #2[,] which he had been a victim of #3[,] to advocating for free speech #4[,] a ...
idoitforthesalt's user avatar
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What is a comma splice without a verb called? [duplicate]

Take as an example the sentence: "The monk is skinny, his arms lean from years of cardiovascular exercise." I've seen similar sentences and am curious about the grammar, since a similar ...
Jerald Jeraldson's user avatar
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Usage of comma before ‘but’ in a long / complex sentence

I’m subtitling a spoken word piece, and the phrase, which is an answer to a question, is Identifying and accepting something not in its true form but as something else. I think there should be a ...
AM 1008's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
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How would I punctuate a sentence structured in this way? [closed]

Let me start by saying I am not good at grammar by any means. I am prone to run-on sentences and comma splices, so this sentence is most likely rubbish. But, here it is: "In this reading, ...
Lexie's user avatar
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How to add possessive to comma clause specifying pronoun?

Not exactly sure what the comma rule is called, but how would I add a possessive in the following sentence where the dog belongs to David? I had to take my brother, David, ('s?) dog to the vet.
Jack's user avatar
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Comma splices correction

Which one is correct? In the Middle Age a lord’s intricate wall hangings were more than mere tapestries ; they were and were a measure of his consequence and wealth.
user367639's user avatar
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1 answer
153 views

Is combining two short complete sentences with a comma proper grammar? [closed]

Would this be correct grammar? I can see it on his face, he feels dumb. They are both complete sentences but related and very short. Would it be more appropriate to combine this with a semicolon? I ...
sml's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
684 views

Is a comma splice always a mistake?

Here is an excerpt from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: 'He threw away a copy of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , he threw away a copy of Godspell: he wouldn't need them where ...
Joe's user avatar
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Is the comma correct? Or should it be two separate sentences or should I use a semicolon? [closed]

Is the comma correct in the following statement? Stay skeptical of news about foreign countries, especially news about countries with which we are not allied.
Tommy O'Neill's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Using commas for lists containing independent clauses

To be clear, a is the acceleration of the object, F is the net force on the object, and m is the mass of the object. Can we use commas for connecting independent clauses as a list? Is the above ...
Oregon.Vlogrago's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
84 views

Proper use of pauses: semicolons or commas

Am I using the proper phrasing in the following sentence? In times like these, the first thing we run out of is time; and since none of us can create more of it, the only solution we have is to ...
tornikenats's user avatar
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1 answer
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What does the phrase refer to after the comma?

The line below is taken from an article published in The New York Times. In 2012, Fran Lebowitz, the humorist and noted nemesis of Michael Bloomberg, who was then New York City’s mayor, sneered ...
Monu Chaudhary's user avatar
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1 answer
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How the sentence below isn't a run-on sentence?

A wire brush periodically swept the cotton off the blade and prevented the machine from jamming. Shouldn't the sentence be like this? A wire brush periodically swept the cotton off the blade, and ...
Meraki's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
95 views

How do I use a question as an embedded quotation when it also deserves a comma?

So I asked "Shall I do the thing?" and he responded with "Yes." In that sentence, should the ? exist? It kind of feels like it should be a comma, given its place in the sentence. ...
RackAttack's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
60 views

Correct use of comma in "Hamburgers first, the rest second"

A slogan for a hamburger bar I saw was "Hamburgers first, the rest second" meaning that they (hamburgers) are considered above all else. Is this a comma splice and should there be second comma "...
OrigamiEye's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

How can I combine two imperative sentences into one sentence to avoid comma splice?

Do I need to put a comma between two imperative sentences ? How does the comma rules apply in the following case? Can you provide me complete detail about combining two imperative sentences? ...
Rajesh Poudel's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
134 views

Use of comma before the words "irregardless", "where" and after a period in time

I'm unsure as to whether or not to include a comma within the two sentences outlined below (I've bolded the specific sections). In the first sentence, I have a feeling a dash might be more appropriate....
George K's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
67 views

Why is a comma needed here?

She would start applying to law schools soon and she wanted to know what the law looked like in action. According to Princeton Review, this sentence is incorrect and to fix it, a comma should be ...
Shouko Nishimiya's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
42 views

Is this sentence grammatically correct? Is it a comma-splice if it's a list?

This is the sentence: "Many wore mere sweatpants and ragged t-shirts, several wore no shirts at all, and few carried backpacks." My question: does having a comma after "t-shirts" make the sentence a ...
ThatCrazyCow's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
176 views

Comma grammatical function

Could someone please name the grammatical comma use in the sentence below? It looks like an interrupter (parenthetical), but I'm unsure if the usage is correct. "The title of the song “This is ...
commonone's user avatar
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1 vote
4 answers
985 views

Is this an independent or dependent clause?

Look at the following example 'But she was so tired, she did not finish painting.' Is the first clause an independent or dependent clause? If it is an independent clause, should I remove the comma ...
jamal crowder's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
50 views

Comma inserting [closed]

Should we insert a comma before Except to in the sentence below: They are called organic because they have spread in different directions with no precise plan except to accommodate the growing ...
Zain Alabidin's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
286 views

Why does President Trump add a second comma in this sentence to Kim Jong Un?

In the President's letter to Kim Jong Un, I noticed a comma which confused me : I felt a wonderful dialogue was building up between you and me, and ultimately, it is only that dialogue that matters....
Nigel J's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is Microsoft Word's usage of commas correct?

Now I was fairly certain that my comma usage is accurate, but Microsoft Word is second-guessing me, and I can't be certain whether it's correct or not. I have a sentence like this: Based on his ...
Lou's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
692 views

How can "for instance" create a comma splice? [closed]

Example sentence Take Bartlett 29 pears for instance, unless they are treated with exactly the right amount of 1-MCP at exactly the right time, they will remain hard and green until they rot, and ...
John Rawls's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
189 views

Split a dependent clause from an independent clause

The first clause in the following sentence has no subject, nor verb: From the first agricultural settlements to the rich Emirates of the Arabian peninsula, the Middle East has always had an ...
user175035's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
490 views

FANBOYS-RULE (Coordinating conjunctions)?

How do I figure out when to use a comma before "so"? 1) I put it on my blog so you can read it. (means: I put it on my web blog because I want you to be able to read it.) 2) I didn't find any eggs ...
Faust1808's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
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Adjective refers to one word only or to more words

Please consider the next case: 1) Financial structure and policy. 2) Financial structure, and policy. Can case (1) be read as "Financial structure and financial policy."? Does "Financial" in case (2) ...
user58915's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
94 views

Comma splice or complete sentence? [closed]

Understanding what feeds procastination is only step one. The next step, stopping it, is a bit bigger. Understanding what feeds procastination is only step one, the next step, stopping it, is a bit ...
Harout's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
1k views

Why is the comma splice an error? [duplicate]

It's always drilled into us that we shouldn't use comma splices. They're bad, to be avoided and poor form. But why? What makes the comma a faulty choice in something like this: I never liked ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
193 views

Is there a comma splice in this sentence found in a news article?

The 26-year-old Frenchman’s strike-rate had caught the attention of Mourinho , his 129 goals in 275 games for Lyon made him an interesting prospect as a successor to Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Old Trafford....
CareBears07's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
451 views

Is "For example, he brought it, and she stacked in the shelves?" correct? [closed]

I need to combine the following sentences into one. For example, he brought it. He brought it, and she stacked in the shelves. How do I combine these? Is the following combination correct? For ...
user183590's user avatar