The English Corner at Richland College
Comma Splices
An independent clause is a sentence that can stand alone. It has at least one subject and one verb.
Comma splices occur when a writer incorrectly connects two independent clauses with only a
comma.
Incorrect: The restaurant debuted its buffet service in 2010, it has maintained a five-star
rating since then.
Writers have five options for fixing a comma splice:
1. You can separate the independent clauses and construct two sentences.
The restaurant debuted its buffet service in 2010. It has maintained a five-star rating
since then.
2. You can replace the comma with a semi-colon. Be sure that your sentences intimately relate
to each other when using a semicolon.
The restaurant debuted its buffet service in 2010; it has maintained a five-star rating since
then.
3. You can add a coordinating conjunction after the comma. The coordinating conjunctions are
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. FANBOYS is the acronym to help you remember.
The restaurant debuted its buffet service in 2010, and it has maintained a five-star rating
since then.
The next two ways of correcting a comma splice are advanced writing techniques.
4. You can rewrite one independent clause as a dependent (subordinate) clause.
Since the restaurant debuted its buffet service in 2010, it has maintained a five-star
rating.
5. You can change one of the clauses into a phrase.
Debuting its buffet service in 2010, the restaurant has maintained a five-star rating since
then.
Handout created by Numair A. Choudhury
www.richlandcollege.edu/englishcorner