Comma Splice Grammar Podcast Transcript

Comma SpliceTranscript
Resources for Writers Grammar Podcast / 1

Comma Splice Grammar Podcast Transcript

Speakers: Narrator

Let's talk about grammar.

You’re heard the warnings: Don’t walk. Don’t talk back. Don’t feed the animals. Let’s add another don’t to your list: Don’t splice. While not quite as potentially dangerous as feeding the gorilla at the zoo, a comma splice is, nonetheless, a detriment to your writing.

You know what a comma is. That’s something that separates parts of a sentence, but do you know what a comma splice is? Let’s look at the word splice. In its purest sense, to splice means to join, merge, link, or tie together.But, in the case of the comma splice, this is not a good thing. Let’s backtrack a little bit and talk about what makes a comma splice a comma splice.

A writer who takes two independent clauses—I like coffeethe smell wakes me up—and jams them together, end to end, creates the error of a run-on sentence. When that same writer, hopefully not you, inserts a comma between the two clauses to add more separation, this misinformed writer has created a comma splice.

Here’s an example of a sentence with a comma splice: My dog is very playful [comma], she likes to take naps, too. Do you hear why there is a problem with this sentence? It has two complete thoughts that are not connected to each other.

There are a few ways—five specifically—to fix this problem. Listen carefully.

First, you can create two separate sentences, like My dog is very playful[period]. She likes to take naps, too. Do you hear the difference between the original sentence with the comma splice and this sentence? Do you hear how the second example with two separate and complete sentences makes more sense?
Second, you can use a coordinating conjunction to join the two sentences together. Remember, coordinating conjunctions connect or coordinate sentence elements that are parallel in structure, and there are seven of them: and, but, or, nor, so, for, and yet.

Watch this: My dog is very playful, but she likes to take naps, too. What’s the coordinating conjunction in that sentence? Did you say but? Good work.

Third, you can use a subordinating conjunction to correct your comma splice. Do you recall your subordinating conjunctions? If not, let’s review. Subordinating conjunctions include the wordsbecause, if, when, although, since,and while, which, when used, will help you have a cohesive sentence.

Let’s try it.Although my dog is very playful[comma],she likes to take naps, too.Which word in the sentence is the subordinating conjunction? If you saidalthough, you’re correct. Good job.

Fourth, use a semicolon. Listen to this dramatic change: My dog is very playful[semicolon];she likes to take naps, too.
And, finally, the fifth way to correct a comma splice is to use a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb, a word such as however, therefore, or furthermore, which makes connections between independent clauses.

Sounds more complicated than it is, but listen how simple it sounds: My dog is very playful[semicolon]; however, she likes to take naps, too.In thiscase, however is a conjunctive adverb. Can you hear how each part of the sentence can stand alone?

Okay, we’ve covered a lot of ground here. My suggestion would be to try out some of these techniques with sentences you create or go back to your handbook or grammar workbook and work through some of the sentences that I’m sure exist in there to help you combat the dreaded comma splice.

Good luck, and, remember, don’t feed the animals—and, more importantly, don’t splice!

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