Tuesday, October 22, 2019
3 Comma Splices and How to Repair Them
3 Comma Splices and How to Repair Them 3 Comma Splices and How to Repair Them 3 Comma Splices and How to Repair Them By Mark Nichol A comma often serves to link two independent clauses, but it does so in partnership with a conjunction (as shown in this sentence). When a pair of independent clauses butt up against each other with a comma but no conjunction, the grammatical infraction is known as a comma splice- the name refers to the writerââ¬â¢s effort to splice the clauses together with a comma, which is the wrong use of the tool. Which tool is the correct one? Several are available in your writerââ¬â¢s toolbox: The semicolon (a supercomma of sorts) is usually the best choice, but depending on the interrelationship of the clauses, you could, alternatively, employ a period (creating two distinct sentences) or even a dash (showing an abrupt break in thought). Here are three sentences containing a comma splice and their revisions. 1. ââ¬Å"You can sense the frustration, their morale is down,â⬠Smith said of his colleagues. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËYou can sense the frustration; their morale is down,ââ¬â¢ Smith said of his colleaguesâ⬠is the technically correct solution, but a semicolon is overly formal for a quotation. In this case, use the more casual dash: ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËYou can sense the frustration- their morale is down,ââ¬â¢ Smith said of his colleagues.â⬠Another option is to break the statement into two sentences; but insert the attribution between them: ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËYou can sense the frustration,ââ¬â¢ Smith said of his colleagues. ââ¬ËTheir morale is down.ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (Do not use a semicolon or a dash after an attribution.) 2. The devices themselves donââ¬â¢t use logarithms, rather they are tools to reduce multiplication and division of natural numbers to simple addition and subtraction operations. A transitional word such as rather between two independent clauses is a clear signal that a stronger punctuation mark than a comma is required, because one should follow the word, and a stronger punctuation mark should set the clauses off from each other. A semicolon will suffice: ââ¬Å"The devices themselves donââ¬â¢t use logarithms; rather, they are tools to reduce multiplication and division of natural numbers to simple addition and subtraction operations.â⬠(Rather can also begin a separate sentence, but the second clause is so closely related to the first that a semicolon seems more suitable.) 3. The frame was finished two years later- a little behind schedule, the structure was supposed to open in 1989. The inclusion of a dash in this sentence complicates it, because it introduces confusion about which phrase deserves the most emphasis. A simple solution is to demote the ââ¬Å"Hey, look at me!â⬠dash to a more workmanlike comma and use a semicolon to tack on the final phrase as an independent clause: ââ¬Å"The frame was finished two years later, a little behind schedule; the structure was supposed to open in 1989.â⬠One could use a dash in place of the semicolon, but the information that follows isnââ¬â¢t surprising enough to merit the attention-seeking punctuation mark. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for ââ¬Å"Leaderâ⬠Proved vs. Proven20 Movies Based on Shakespeare Plays
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