What is a “comma splice”?

A comma splice occurs when a comma is used to join two independent clauses. This error is also called a “run-on” sentence and can be fixed several ways. The following sentence contains a comma splice:

They will be policemen, they will be doctors and nurses.

The easiest way to fix a comma splice is to make each independent clause its own sentence:

They will be policemen. They will be doctors and nurses.

However, in this case, two sentences is not a very elegant solution. Instead, a semicolon may be substituted for the comma:

They will be policemen; they will be doctors and nurses.

A semicolon’s only job is to join two independent clauses that relate to each other closely. These relate, but a semicolon may not be the best choice here, either. Another way to fix the above comma splice would be to use a coordinating conjunction after the comma:

They will be policemen, and they will be doctors and nurses.

Perhaps the best way to fix our splice is by removing the repeated “they will be,” thereby making the second clause dependent:

They will be policemen, doctors, and nurses.

Notice, too, the inclusion of the necessary comma after “doctors.” Now a comma splice has been made into a concise, grammatically correct sentence.

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Composition FAQ