To be such a tiny thing, the comma has been known to cause frustration in the life of the writer. If you can relate to that, read on; this article will cover the use of the serial comma, and fixing comma splices and run-on sentences.
Fixing Run-On Sentences
Run-on sentences (also called fused sentences) are sentences that have two or more independent clauses that are not properly joined. An independent clause is one that has a subject and a verb and, thus, forms a complete thought.
“Is this a run-on sentence?” That’s a question I see quite a bit. Sometimes a lengthy sentence will appear to be a run-on, and it can be difficult to know what to do with it. At some point in another article, we will talk about condensing lengthy sentences. For now, let’s look at a run-on sentence.
Ellie was struggling with the pattern she held in her hands, there was little she could do about it especially since she had never been able to sit down with someone who could properly teach her how to crochet, knit, or sew.
Does reading that sentence make you feel short of breath? As it is written, the sentence has two instances of proper punctuation: the commas in a series and the full stop (period) at the end. Below is a corrected example of the same sentence.
Ellie was struggling with the pattern she held in her hands; there was little she could do about it, especially since she had never been able to sit down with someone who could properly teach her how to crochet, knit, or sew.
The above sentence wouldn’t be considered a run-on sentence, because the clauses are joined correctly. Lengthy sentences aren’t incorrect if they are properly formed, punctuated, and flow well.
Separate independent clauses into sentences.
X I made an A on my final I have earned an A in the class.
This is a run-on (or fused) sentence.✔ I made an A on my final; I have earned an A in the class.
Placing a semicolon between the independent clauses connects the sentence properly.✔ I made an A on my final, and I have earned an A in the class.
Adding a comma and a conjunction (and, but, yet, so, or, nor, for) joins the two independent clauses.✔ I made an A on my final. I have earned an A in the class.
The two thoughts became two sentences.
Comma Splices
A comma splice takes place when two or more independent clauses are only joined with a comma. Most often, the easiest way to fix a comma splice is to also incorporate a conjunction with the comma. Let’s look at the following examples.
My dog barked, I knew she needed to go outside.
The above sentence shows an example of a comma splice. The comma placed here is incorrect without a conjunction following it. We have a few ways that we can fix this sentence.
✔ My dog barked, and I knew she needed to go outside.
The insertion of a conjunction (and, but, yet, so, or, nor, for) makes this sentence correct.✔ My dog barked; I knew she needed to go outside.
A semicolon joins these two independent clauses and makes this sentence correct.✔ My dog barked—I knew she needed to go outside.
The use of an em dash can be used to join independent clauses. Take caution to use it sparingly; frequent use of the em dash can be an annoyance to the reader. (See my article for more information on how to use the em dash.)
Now, let’s look at a more complex example.
It seemed to Ellie that she was never going to figure out the crochet pattern, it was so complex that she felt like her brain was about to check out, and to make matters worse, she had spent a lot of money on the project.
Poor Ellie! I’ve been there.
Perhaps the author is trying to show Ellie’s frustration and anxiety by throwing all her thoughts into one sentence. Unfortunately, it won’t jibe. A copyeditor would explain that there are three independent thoughts trying to come through, and punctuation and/or a recast would be suggested. Here are some ways we can fix the comma splices and still retain the author’s thoughts.
✔ It seemed to Ellie that she was never going to figure out the crochet pattern. It was so complex that she felt like her brain was about to check out. To make matters worse, she had spent a lot of money on the project. As you can see, the three independent clauses became three independent sentences.
✔ It seemed to Ellie that she was never going to figure out the crochet pattern; it was so complex that she felt like her brain was about to check out. To make matters worse, she had spent a lot of money on the project. In this example, the first two independent clauses were linked with a semicolon, and the last independent clause became its own sentence.
✔ It seemed to Ellie that she was never going to figure out the crochet pattern—it was so complex that she felt like her brain was about to check out. To make matters worse, she had spent a lot of money on the project. An em dash was used to link the first two independent clauses. The third independent clause became its own sentence.
Serial Commas
A serial comma, also often known as an Oxford comma, is the final comma in a series of words. Its placement appears before the coordinating conjunction.
The colors on her shirt are yellow, red, and blue.
The comma that you see after red is the serial comma. In recent years, the serial comma has been frequently dropped. Dropping that final comma can cause a little confusion (and sometimes laughter) for the reader.
I went for a walk with my dogs, son and husband.
Without the serial comma after son, the reader may think the son and the husband are the dogs.
For more information about the serial comma, watch this video by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s YouTube channel.
I hope this tutorial has helped sharpen your knowledge of commas. If you want to know more, see the resources below.
Be on the lookout for Part Two. More writing help will be coming soon!
Resources
- Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition
- http://www.writingenglish.com/comma.htm
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serial%20comma
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary YouTube Channel
