Month: September 2024

Howdy readers,

This is Lauryn, your brand new blog writer speaking. With October coming up swiftly, this is an excellent time to start discussing the spookiest thing of all: the comma splice.

The comma splice is an age-old horror–but do not fret; the comma splice is completely avoidable, as long as you have the right information.

So… what is a comma splice, you ask? A comma splice is the joining of two independent clauses with a comma. Independent clauses can stand on their own, and commas should only be used to join an independent clause with a phrase that cannot stand on its own.

For example, take into account the following statement:

I went to the store, they didn’t have apples.

“I went to the store” and “They didn’t have apples” are both complete thoughts. They can stand alone and function without more information, therefore making them independent clauses. These two clauses cannot be separated by a comma. The above statement is an example of a comma splice.

How can we fix this? I’m glad you ask. It’s nothing too complex! With practice, you too can avoid comma splices. Let’s take a look at two foolproof methods for taking down those pesky comma splices.

1. A Period

Using a period to separate two independent thoughts can sometimes be a solid move.

I went to the store. They didn’t have apples.

The example from before is now grammatically correct. However, this kind of writing can end up looking choppy and having a funky, stop-and-go flow that doesn’t always read very well. In college writing, we should look to have more complex, robust sentences.

So, here’s what I suggest:

2. A Semicolon

A semicolon is the perfect way to combine two independent clauses in a professional, smooth manner. A semicolon can and should be a frequently used resource in every writer’s toolbox.

The semicolon can replace your pesky comma splice in a jiffy. See below:

I went to the store; they didn’t have apples.

Good as new. The semicolon functions just the same as a period, but provides you with a smooth flow and look that mirrors the comma.

Don’t put up with terrifying comma splices any longer.

Use a semicolon today; it might just save your grade.

This is your blog writer speaking, Jacob Long, in my second year as a writing tutor and second year as a blog writer. We have a new blog writer on board with us this year, Lauryn Everly, who has ample experience as both a writer and a blogger. In the past, she blogged the progress of her pumpkin patch back in 2018, a particularly good year for the harvest. She was aiming to grow the largest pumpkin in the tri-state area for the Tri-State Tractor and Trade Festival. She spent months caring for her puny pumpkins, only to see them stay at typical pumpkin size, about the mass of a full fishbowl. So, one day, she made the decision to add plant food to her fertilizer, an illegal move in the contest, and from that moment on her pumpkins grew to the size of boulders. Sadly, an investigation was launched into her pumpkin procedures, as their size far exceeded natural limits, and she was disqualified from the contest. Her embarrassment was palpable, but she has since learned that cheating, especially in an academic context, is unacceptable and now lives a life dedicated to teaching others the same thing.

This story is totally fictitious, Lauryn never grew pumpkins, no less participated in the fictional Tri-State Tractor and Trade Festival, but the moral of the story is important: cheaters never prosper. So let’s make a commitment to each other to practice absolute academic integrity this year, and if we can succeed in that venture you’ll hear the story of my own run in with the Tri-State Tractor and Trade Festival law.