RUN-ONS AND

COMMA SPLICES
Definition
◦ more than one complete idea run together without proper punctuation

◦ X My tomato soup exploded on my white blouse I looked like I had been in a

gun battle.

◦ X My tomato soup exploded on my white blouse, I looked like I had been in a

gun battle.

◦ My tomato soup exploded on my white blouse. I looked like I had been in a

gun battle.
How do I fix these errors?
◦ Use a period and a capital letter to separate the two thoughts.
◦ Use a comma and a joining word (FANBOYS).

◦
Use a semicolon. ;
◦ Use a semicolon and a groovy joining word.
◦ Use subordination.
The following sentences contain
errors:
◦ X My home keyboard has sticky keys apparently, my son didn’t understand
the “no-orange-pop” rule.
◦ …keys; apparently,…
◦ X My car smells like coolant, I hope I’ve not blown a head gasket.
◦ …coolant. I hope…
◦ X Cutting a frozen bagel with a knife is never a good idea I always jab
myself in the hand.
◦ X Doing anything with a knife when in a hurry is never a good idea, I’ve
shed lots of blood in cooking accidents because I’ve not taken my time.
These contain errors, too:
◦ A five-year-old child knows over six thousand words he or she also knows a
few prize swear words by that age.
◦ My husband suffers from “refrigerator blindness” he’s passed the gene on to
my son.
◦ Our dog loved going to the ice cream store vanilla was his favourite flavour.
◦ I need a new dog unfortunately my husband doesn’t have the same need.