Exercise 1
Recognizing Comma Splices And Fused Sentences
Directions: In the exercise that follows, you will read an item to determine if the error is a comma splice or a fused sentence.
To keep track of your answers, print the accompanying handout. If you are unsure which choice to make, consult the rules.
Before you begin, you should review the definitions of a comma splice and a fused sentence:
A comma splice contains two main clauses illegally joined by a comma. The problem looks like this:
Main Clause + , + Main Clause =
.
A fused sentence, on the other hand, contains two main clauses illegally run together with no punctuation whatsoever. The problem looks like this:
Main Clause + Ø + Main Clause =
As a writer, you must keep in mind that comma splices and fused sentences make you look like an amateur. They tell your reader that you cannot control the construction of a sentence, the most basic building block of a piece of writing. Learning to identify comma splices and fused sentences is the first step to fixing the problem.
Disclaimer: All prizes in this exercise are cyber, which means they have no physical reality and cannot be collected for use in the material world.