Comma splice
Encyclopedia
A comma splice is the use of a comma
to join two independent clause
s. For example:
Although acceptable in some languages and compulsory in others, comma splices are usually considered style errors in English.
, a popular American English style guide by E.B. White and William Strunk, Jr.
According to Joanne Buckley, comma splices often arise when writers use conjunctive adverb
s to separate two independent clauses instead of using a coordinating conjunction
. A coordinating conjunction is one of the following seven words: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. A conjunctive adverb is a word like furthermore, however, or moreover. A conjunctive adverb and a comma (or a conjunctive adverb between two commas) is not strong enough to separate two independent clauses and creates a comma splice. For example, "There is no admission fee, however you will be responsible for any food you order," contains—Buckley believes—a comma splice with a conjunctive adverb.
Only semicolons and periods are strong enough to separate two independent clauses without a conjunction. (Note that although Buckley refers specifically to coordinating conjunctions, it is equally acceptable to use other conjunctions such as although or since.)
Grammarians disagree as to whether a comma splice also constitutes a run-on sentence
. Some run-on sentence definitions include comma splices, but others limit the term to independent clauses that are joined without punctuation, thereby excluding comma splices.
The famous sentence I came, I saw, I conquered
falls into the same category.
Fowler (third edition, 1996) notes a number of examples by reputable authors:
The comma splice is often considered acceptable in poetic writing. The editors of the Jerusalem Bible
translate Isaiah 11:4 as:
The British author Lynne Truss
observes: "so many highly respected writers observe the splice comma that a rather unfair rule emerges on this one: only do it if you're famous." She cites Samuel Beckett
, E. M. Forster
, and Somerset Maugham. "Done knowingly by an established writer, the comma splice is effective, poetic, dashing. Done equally knowingly by people who are not published writers, it can look weak or presumptuous. Done ignorantly by ignorant people, it is awful."
Comma splices are also acceptable in passages of spoken (or interior) dialogue, and are sometimes used deliberately to emulate spoken language more closely.
. There are several ways to correct a comma splice:
In the colon (:) example above, the two clauses must be transposed. A colon often introduces a reason or explanation: the colon becomes a substitute for "because." The clause giving the reason ("it is nearly half past five") must follow the clause that needs explaining ("We cannot reach town before dark").
Comma
A comma is a type of punctuation mark . The word comes from the Greek komma , which means something cut off or a short clause.Comma may also refer to:* Comma , a type of interval in music theory...
to join two independent clause
Independent clause
An independent clause is a clause that can stand by itself, also known as a simple sentence. An independent clause contains a subject and a predicate; it makes sense by itself....
s. For example:
Although acceptable in some languages and compulsory in others, comma splices are usually considered style errors in English.
Prescriptive view
Comma splices are condemned in The Elements of StyleThe Elements of Style
The Elements of Style , also known as Strunk & White, by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White, is a prescriptive American English writing style guide comprising eight "elementary rules of usage", ten "elementary principles of composition", "a few matters of form", a list of forty-nine "words and...
, a popular American English style guide by E.B. White and William Strunk, Jr.
According to Joanne Buckley, comma splices often arise when writers use conjunctive adverb
Conjunctive adverb
A conjunctive adverb is an adverb that connects two clauses. Conjunctive adverbs show cause and effect, sequence, contrast, comparison, or other relationships.- Common conjunctive adverbs :*accordingly*additionally*also*anyway*again*as a result...
s to separate two independent clauses instead of using a coordinating conjunction
Grammatical conjunction
In grammar, a conjunction is a part of speech that connects two words, sentences, phrases or clauses together. A discourse connective is a conjunction joining sentences. This definition may overlap with that of other parts of speech, so what constitutes a "conjunction" must be defined for each...
. A coordinating conjunction is one of the following seven words: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. A conjunctive adverb is a word like furthermore, however, or moreover. A conjunctive adverb and a comma (or a conjunctive adverb between two commas) is not strong enough to separate two independent clauses and creates a comma splice. For example, "There is no admission fee, however you will be responsible for any food you order," contains—Buckley believes—a comma splice with a conjunctive adverb.
Only semicolons and periods are strong enough to separate two independent clauses without a conjunction. (Note that although Buckley refers specifically to coordinating conjunctions, it is equally acceptable to use other conjunctions such as although or since.)
Grammarians disagree as to whether a comma splice also constitutes a run-on sentence
Run-on sentence
A run-on sentence is a sentence in which two or more independent clauses are joined without appropriate punctuation or conjunction. It is generally considered a stylistic error, though it is occasionally used in literature and may be used as a rhetorical device...
. Some run-on sentence definitions include comma splices, but others limit the term to independent clauses that are joined without punctuation, thereby excluding comma splices.
Acceptable uses
Strunk & White note that splices are sometimes acceptable when the clauses are short and alike in form, such as:The famous sentence I came, I saw, I conquered
Veni, vidi, vici
"Veni, vidi, vici" is a Latin sentence reportedly written by Julius Caesar in 47 BC as a comment on his short war with Pharnaces II of Pontus in the city of Zela ....
falls into the same category.
Fowler (third edition, 1996) notes a number of examples by reputable authors:
The comma splice is often considered acceptable in poetic writing. The editors of the Jerusalem Bible
Jerusalem Bible
The Jerusalem Bible is a Roman Catholic translation of the Bible which first was introduced to the English-speaking public in 1966 and published by Darton, Longman & Todd...
translate Isaiah 11:4 as:
The British author Lynne Truss
Lynne Truss
Lynne Truss is an English writer and journalist, best known for her popular book Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation.-Early life:...
observes: "so many highly respected writers observe the splice comma that a rather unfair rule emerges on this one: only do it if you're famous." She cites Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
, E. M. Forster
E. M. Forster
Edward Morgan Forster OM, CH was an English novelist, short story writer, essayist and librettist. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society...
, and Somerset Maugham. "Done knowingly by an established writer, the comma splice is effective, poetic, dashing. Done equally knowingly by people who are not published writers, it can look weak or presumptuous. Done ignorantly by ignorant people, it is awful."
Comma splices are also acceptable in passages of spoken (or interior) dialogue, and are sometimes used deliberately to emulate spoken language more closely.
Correction
Simply removing the comma does not correct the error, but results in a run-on sentenceRun-on sentence
A run-on sentence is a sentence in which two or more independent clauses are joined without appropriate punctuation or conjunction. It is generally considered a stylistic error, though it is occasionally used in literature and may be used as a rhetorical device...
. There are several ways to correct a comma splice:
- Change the comma to a semicolon, colonColon (punctuation)The colon is a punctuation mark consisting of two equally sized dots centered on the same vertical line.-Usage:A colon informs the reader that what follows the mark proves, explains, or lists elements of what preceded the mark....
, or dash:- It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark.
- We cannot reach town before dark: it is nearly half past five.
- It is nearly half past five—we cannot reach town before dark.
- Write the two clauses as two separate sentencesSentence (linguistics)In the field of linguistics, a sentence is an expression in natural language, and often defined to indicate a grammatical unit consisting of one or more words that generally bear minimal syntactic relation to the words that precede or follow it...
:- It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark.
- Insert a coordinating conjunction following the comma:
- It is nearly half past five, and we cannot reach town before dark.
- It is nearly half past five, so we cannot reach town before dark.
- Make one clause dependentDependent clauseIn linguistics, a dependent clause is a clause that augments an independent clause with additional information, but which cannot stand alone as a sentence. Dependent clauses modify the independent clause of a sentence or serve as a component of it...
on the other:- Because it is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.
- It is nearly half past five, which means we cannot reach town before dark.
- Use a semicolonSemicolonThe semicolon is a punctuation mark with several uses. The Italian printer Aldus Manutius the Elder established the practice of using the semicolon to separate words of opposed meaning and to indicate interdependent statements. "The first printed semicolon was the work of ... Aldus Manutius"...
plus a conjunctive adverbConjunctive adverbA conjunctive adverb is an adverb that connects two clauses. Conjunctive adverbs show cause and effect, sequence, contrast, comparison, or other relationships.- Common conjunctive adverbs :*accordingly*additionally*also*anyway*again*as a result...
:- It is nearly half past five; hence, we cannot reach town before dark.
In the colon (:) example above, the two clauses must be transposed. A colon often introduces a reason or explanation: the colon becomes a substitute for "because." The clause giving the reason ("it is nearly half past five") must follow the clause that needs explaining ("We cannot reach town before dark").
External links
- The Elements of Style: full text of Strunk's 1918 edition