COMMA SPLICES – Part One Plus Assignment
No. 1 – I love her, she hates me..
No. 2 – The boy went to the store, however, he had forgotten his money..
No. 3 – Babe Ruth was a great hitter, Ruth hit 714 home runs lifetime and had a career batting average of .342..
A comma splice consists of two consecutive sentences separated only by a comma. A fused sentence is a comma splice without the comma. Items one, two, and three above are comma splices. Comma splices and run-ons are serious mistakes..
You will be tempted to write a comma splice when the second part of the comma splice begins with a pronoun, as with item one. You will be tempted to write a comma splice when the second part of the comma splice begins with a conjunctive adverb, a word like “however,” as with item two. You will be tempted to write a comma splice when the second part of the comma splice explains information in the first part, as with item 3..
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You can correct a comma splice by replacing the comma that is between the two parts with a period. You will then have to capitalize the first word in the second part..
I love her. She hates me..
You can use a coordinating conjunction to link up the two parts of the comma splice. The coordinating conjunctions are and, but, or, for, so, and yet. For instance, you can say – I love her yet she hates me..
You can use a semi-colon and a conjunctive adverb to bring the two parts of a comma splice together. Five of the more commonly used conjunctive adverbs are the following:.
However, which means the same as “on the other hand.”.
Nevertheless, which is another way of saying, “In spite of that.”.
Therefore means “as a result.”.
Moreover is another way of saying, “Can you believe, on top of that?”.
Then means the same as “afterwards.”.
Except for “then” a conjunctive adverb is always followed by a comma..
Conjunctive adverbs are not conjunctions. By themselves, they cannot be used to bring sentences together. For a conjunctive adverb to connect two sentences, it must be preceded by a semi-colon..
Here are examples of sentences actually made up of two sentences connected by a conjunctive adverb..
The actor tried his best in the part; however, he had been miscast..
I want to go to college; however, I cannot read..
The New Orleans Saints had a good team last year; nevertheless, they did not get to the Super Bowl. .
The mayor worked hard for re-election; nevertheless, he lost to his rival…
Napoleon was outnumbered at Waterloo; therefore, he lost the battle.
He is an athlete; moreover, he is a scholar..
He lost his job; moreover, he was robbed on his way home..
The President vetoed the new spending bill; then he met with his advisors (note that there is no comma after “then.”.
I went to the movies; then I went home..
ASSIGNMENT.
Write three sentences for each of these conjunctive adverbs – however, nevertheless, therefore, moreover, then. Each sentence should consist of a sentence, a semi-colon, a conjunctive adverb, a comma, a second sentence, and a period. See the examples above. You will end up with a total of fifteen sentences.
