Fused Sentences, Run-Ons, and Comma Splices
Grammar Rules Guide - Chapter 14
A fused sentence (also known as a run-on sentence) occurs when two independent clauses are joined without any punctuation or connecting word between them.
Example: It was close to fall the trees were losing their leaves.
A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined by only a comma.
Example: It was close to fall, the trees were losing their leaves.
Six Ways to Eliminate Fused Sentences and Comma Splices
1) Separate the clause into two sentences:
It was close to fall. The trees were losing their leaves.
2) Link the clauses with a semicolon:
It was close to fall; the trees were losing their leaves.
3) Link the clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction:
It was close to fall, so the trees were beginning to lose their leaves.
4) Recast the two independent clauses as one independent clause:
It was the time of year when trees begin to lose their leaves.
5) Recast one of the independent clauses as a dependent clause:
Because it was close to fall, the trees were losing their leaves.
6) Use a semicolon before a conjunctive adverb (also, anyway, besides, furthermore, incidentally, moreover, otherwise, and thus) or a transitional expression (after all, by the way, for example, in other words, and on the other hand) placed between independent clauses:
It was close to fall; consequently, the trees were losing their leaves.
Grammar Rules Guide Index
Active and Passive Voice - Chapter 1
Adjective, Adverb, and Noun Clauses - Chapter 2
Adjectives - Chapter 3
Adverbs - Chapter 4
Appositives - Chapter 5
Auxiliary Verbs - Chapter 6
Common and Proper Nouns - Chapter 7
Comparatives and Superlatives - Chapter 8
Complements - Chapter 9
Conjunctions - Chapter 10
Conjunctive Adverbs - Chapter 11
Dangling Modifiers - Chapter 12
Direct and Indirect Objects - Chapter 13
Fused Sentences, Run-Ons, and Comma Splices - Chapter 14
Homophones - Chapter 15
Independent and Dependent Clauses - Chapter 16
Interjections - Chapter 17
Mass and Count Nouns - Chapter 18
Misplaced Modifiers - Chapter 19
Noun and Pronoun Case - Chapter 20
Noun and Verb Phrases - Chapter 21
Nouns - Chapter 22
Parallelism - Chapter 23
Perfect and Progressive Verb Forms - Chapter 24
Prepositional Phrases - Chapter 25
Prepositions - Chapter 26
Principal Parts of Verbs - Chapter 27
Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement - Chapter 28
Pronouns - Chapter 29
Regular and Irregular Verbs - Chapter 30
Relative Clauses - Chapter 31
Restrictive and Non-Restrictive Clauses - Chapter 32
Sentence Fragments - Chapter 33
Sentence Types - Chapter 34
Subjects and Predicates - Chapter 35
Verb Mood - Chapter 36
Verbals and Verbal Phrases - Chapter 37
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