American College Grammar_Chapter 2-Roumen Dinneff

CHAPTER TWO

 

Correcting Run-ons and Comma Splices

Run-on errors occur when two independent clauses run together and no punctuation or coordinating conjunction appears between the clauses. Comma splices, on the other hand, occur when two independent clauses are linked by a comma, not a semicolon or period. Appropriate punctuation and conjunctions can correct these common sentence errors.

                In the example below, you can see both of these errors.

Fuel emissions at Yosemite National Park can disrupt the delicate ecological balance, (A) authorities have acted firmly against pollution (B) they have banned the automobile in Yosemite Valley.

(A) Comma splice: Only a comma marks the point of contact between two independent clauses here. Commas alone are too weak to mark of independent clauses. (B) Run-on sentence: The end of one independent clause is not marked off by any punctuation.

                There are many ways to join or separate independent clauses.

a          Use a period or some other suitable end mark to set off independent clauses from one another.

A period at the end of an independent clause, followed by a capital letter, will give you two distinct sentences.

Fuel emissions at Yosemite National Park can disrupt the delicate ecological balance. Authorities have acted firmly against pollution. They have banned the automobile in Yosemite Valley.

You may sometimes use a question mark or an exclamation point to separate the clauses.

Run-on Sentence: Are liberal arts graduates desirable employees in business many corporations report their strong interest in women and men with humanities backgrounds.

Corrected: Are liberal arts graduates desirable employees in business? Many corporations report their strong interest in women and men with humanities backgrounds.

Comma Splice: I made it, I passed the bar exam, I can be a lawyer!

Corrected: I made it! I passed the bar exam! I can be a lawyer!

A question mark corrects the run-on error after the word business in the first example; the exclamation point replaces the commas and corrects the comma splices in the second example.

Exercise 1. The items below contain one or more run-on errors or comma splices. Correct them by creating complete sentences separated by appropriate end punctuation and, where necessary, appropriate capitalization.

1. Many states outlaw the sale of fireworks, every year they cause many children to lose their hands and eyes.

2. Despite the rise in fares, short ocean voyages continue to draw vacationers from all over America now “cruises to nowhere” have grown in popularity.

3. The art of welding is necessary to modern industry welding is an art that requires much care and patience.

4. How can noise ordinances protect urban dwellers against loud portable radios cradled like babies in the arms of strolling adolescents the police seem reluctant to arrest young offenders, since a loud radio is not a violent crime.

5. When my mother first started working, I had to make some sudden adjustments, I had to deal with an unexpected feeling of abandonment the first time I came home from grade school to an empty house and realized that Mom was not there to greet me and that everything seemed still and dead.

6. I stepped onto the road with care, expecting a joke, and kicked the abandoned purse gently, it jingled.

b          Use a comma to join two independent clauses only when it comes before a coordinating conjunction—and, but, or, nor, for, yet, or so.

A comma alone is not strong enough to mark off one independent clause from another. Notice how conjunctions serve correctly in the following examples.

Fuel omissions at Yosemite National Park can disrupt the delicate ecological balance, so authorities have acted firmly against pollution.

The comma and the conjunction “so” coordinate the independent clauses, giving us a compound sentence.

Comma Splice: Cortez first introduced chocolate to Europe, the Spaniards later added sugar for sweetening.

The comma after “Europe” incorrectly splices two independent clauses together.

Corrected: Cortez first introduced chocolate to Europe, and the Spaniards later added sugar for sweetening.

The conjunction “and” added after the comma correctly joins two independent clauses in a compound sentence.

Comma Splice: Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a morality play, it shows that some crimes are punished not only by society but also by the guilt criminals feel about their crimes.

Corrected: Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a morality play, for it shows that some crimes are punished not only by society but also by the guilt criminals feel about their crimes.

The comma and the conjunction “for” correctly link the independent clauses.

c          Use a semicolon between two independent clauses when those clauses are closely related in meaning, form, or both.

When the ideas in two independent clauses are closely related, semicolons help stress the connection in meaning. The first word after a semicolon begins with a lowercase letter unless the word is a proper noun. When a conjunctive adverb such as also, however, or therefore or a transitional expression such as “for example” or “on the contrary” appears between two independent clauses, you can separate them with a semicolon. Remember, however, that the period is a more usual mark of separation than a semicolon. When you use a period, you of course have two sentences; if you use a semicolon, you have one sentence.

Federal authorities in Yosemite National Park have acted firmly against pollution; they have banned the automobile in Yosemite Valley.

By connecting the independent clauses, the semicolon stresses the point that the second clause is a consequence of the first.

Comma Splice: A good researcher may not know all the facts however, she should know where to find them.

The word “however” is not a coordinating conjunction, and the comma before or after it cannot set off the independent clauses.

Corrected: A good researcher may not know all the facts; however, she should know where to find them.

The semicolon before “however” corrects the comma splice.

Run-on Sentence: Young children often watch television unsupervised as a result, they can see violence, fear, and danger in their own room.

The expression “as a result” cannot join the clauses sufficiently.

Corrected: Young children often watch television unsupervised; as a result, they can see violence, fear, and danger in their own room.

The semicolon joins the two clauses and helps emphasize the close relation between them that “as a result” suggests.

In the examples above, a period followed by a capitalized first letter would correct the run-on error or the comma splice by turning the two independent clauses into two distinct sentences.

                Occasionally, a writer will use both a semicolon and a conjunction to mark off independent clauses.

Nothing could be more racy, straightforward, and alive than the prose of Shakespeare; but it must be remembered that this was dialogue written to be spoken.

W. Somerset Maugham

                Both the semicolon and the coordinating conjunction “but” join the independent clauses appropriately; but instead of using the semicolon, the author could have used a comma before “but.”

When independent clauses are short and closely related in structure and meaning, some writers occasionally join them with a comma to achieve a special effect.

The sense fails in two ways. Sometimes it gives no information, sometimes it gives false information.

Sir Francis Bacon

You fly in with the goods, you fly out with the lucky.

John Le Carre

                The writers use commas to stress the close joining of the thoughts in the two independent clauses. A semicolon after “information” or after “goods” would have the same effect as the comma. A period, or a coordinating conjunction and a comma, would also connect the clauses correctly, but the writer would sacrifice the closeness of thought that the comma helps to establish.

Exercise 2. Correct run-on errors and comma splices in the following sentences. Use either a coordinating conjunction and a comma or a semicolon, but be sure that your corrections yield logical sentences.

1. The snow started falling at five o’clock then the wind began to blow hard from the north.

2. The best way to keep warm in icy weather is to wear layers of clothing moreover wool is much warmer than cotton.

3. She saw the cat spring through the air onto the bluebird she yelled.

4. Fewer jobs are open for teachers every year, yet many college students major in education to obtain teaching certificates.

5. The heavy black clouds meant rain, they came on swiftly with thunder and lightning.

6. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer  worked hard to make Tarzan’s yell sound like that of a real animal, in the 1930s sound-effects specialists recorded and studied, among others, the cries of a hyena, the growls of a dog, and the wail of a mother camel whose young had been taken away.

7. The head on some old engines was nothing more than a cast-iron lid, cast-iron was strong and heavy, just right to contain the explosions going on thousands of times a minute in the cylinders.

8. Cross-country skiing is cheaper than downhill skiing you can outfit two people with cross-country equipment for the price of outfitting one person with everything needed for downhill skiing.

9. Cramming for exams rarely helps, nevertheless many students stay up until dawn studying on the night before a big test.

10. Do not send cash or a check now simply phone in your order with a credit card number.

d          Use subordination occasionally to correct a sentence with independent clauses that are incorrectly joined with a comma splice or that are run together.

Comma Splice: Fuel emissions at Yosemite National Park can disrupt the delicate ecological balance of the region, authorities there have acted firmly against automobiles.

Corrected by Subordination: Because fuel emissions at Yosemite National Park can disrupt the delicate ecological balance of the region, authorities there have acted firmly against automobiles.

The subordinator “because” links the major thoughts in these clauses firmly by making the first clause dependent on the second.

Run-on Sentence: Authorities have acted firmly against pollution they have banned the automobile in Yosemite Valley.

Corrected by Subordination: Authorities who have banned the automobile in Yosemite Valley have acted firmly against pollution.

Here the relative pronoun “who” subordinates the clause following it, making that clause an adjective modifying the noun “authorities.”

Acting firmly against pollution, authorities have banned the automobile in Yosemite Valley.

The writer has changed one of the clauses into a participial phrase, acting firmly against pollution. The phrase serves as an adjective modifying “authorities.”

Exercise 3. Use an appropriate method of subordination to correct run-on errors and comma splices below.

1. Learning to read lips is not easy young children can adapt to this preferred method of teaching language to the deaf more easily than older people can.

2. At Bourda Market in Georgetown, Guyana, daybreak stirs a rush of activity, vendors set up their wares for the 6:30 A.M. opening.

3. Play, which allows a child’s free expression, helps early childhood education. However, children must keep some real control over the situation if play is to encourage real learning.

4. Different careers and different ambitions often separate childhood friends, they share only memories after a while and do not share any common experiences in the present.

5. The Super Bowl in January has now become an unofficial national holiday, people who hardly follow professional football during the regular season gather at parties before huge color television sets, eating and drinking and enjoying each other and sometimes watching the game.

Exercise 4. The following paragraphs contain numerous run-on sentences. On your paper, rewrite the paragraphs, correcting each of the run-on sentences.

SAMPLE              A polymath is someone with knowledge or skill in many different areas the Renaissance is famous for such people.

ANSWER             A polymath is someone with knowledge or skill in many different areas, and the Renaissance is famous for such people.

               Leonardo da Vinci was perhaps the most extraordinary mind of all time, almost no field of art or science was beyond the scope of his learning. Yet many other Renaissance men and women amaze us almost as much as Leonardo their talents and interests were so wide ranging. One of these many-sided geniuses was Benvenuto Cellini he was born a mason’s son in 1500, during the height of the Italian Renaissance.

               Cellini became the premier goldsmith of the age he was also a sculptor of great talent. This combination of skills is not surprising, the two fields have much in common. Many sculptors work in metal, a good goldsmith must have artistic talent. The surprising thing is Cellini’s other career he was a condottiere, a commander of mercenary soldiers. His services were sought by numerous powerful leaders they were fighting the frequent intercity wars of the period. Cellini did not restrict himself to being a soldier he was also a cannon maker, an explosives expert, and a fortification designer.

               We know more about Cellini than most people of his time, he revealed himself in his fascinating Autobiography. It shows him as a brash, brawling, extroverted man he was not above singing his own praises. Typically, Cellini was skilled as a writer he was skilled in all his other pursuits. The book amounts to an inside look at the Renaissance anyone interested in the era should read it.

e          Become alert to words, phrases, and punctuation that may cause run-one errors or comma splices.

Certain conjunctive adverbs, transitional expressions, or subject pronouns at the beginning of a sentence can mislead you into producing a run-on error or a comma splice. If you look for such words in your writing, you can proofread more carefully for comma splices and run-ons.

                Conjunctive adverbs in this category include words such as accordingly, also, anyway, as a result, besides, consequently, finally, furthermore, hence, however, incidentally, indeed, instead, likewise, meanwhile, moreover, nevertheless, now, otherwise, still, suddenly, then, therefore, and thus.

Comma Splice: The price of gold varies greatly every year, nevertheless, speculators purchase precious metals in large quantities and hope always for a price rise.

A comma before “nevertheless” incorrectly marks the boundary between the two independent clauses.

Corrected: The price of gold varies greatly every year; nevertheless, speculators purchase precious metals in large quantities and hope always for a price rise.

A semicolon correctly joins the two clauses before the conjunctive adverb. A period and a capital letter would also separate the two clauses appropriately by converting them into two sentences.

Run-on Sentence: Salt air corrodes metal easily therefore, automobiles in coastal regions require frequent washing even in cold weather.

“Therefore” neither links nor separates the clauses adequately.

Corrected: Salt air corrodes metal easily. Therefore, automobiles in coastal regions require frequent washing even in cold weather.

The period before “therefore” and the capital letter correct the run-on error and create two complete sentences. A comma and the conjunction “and,” or a semicolon alone, would work just as well here.

                Some of the transitional expressions that may lead to comma splice or run-on errors are the following: after all, after a while, as a result, at any rate, at the same time, for example, for instance, in addition, in fact, in other words, in particular, in the first place, on the contrary, on the other hand.

Comma Splice: Richard Rodgers’s music continues to delight audiences everywhere, in fact, revivals of Oklahoma, Carousel, and The King and I pack theaters every year.

The transitional expression “in fact” made this writer believe that the two independent clauses are correctly joined. But “in fact” is not a coordinating conjunction, and a comma is not strong enough to help the expression connect the two clauses.

Corrected: Richard Rodgers’s music continues to delight audiences everywhere. In fact, revivals of Oklahoma, Carousel, and The King and I pack theaters every year.

A period after everywhere followed by a capital letter established the boundaries of the two sentences.

Run-on Sentence: Americans continue their love affair with the automobile at the same time they are more successful than ever before in restricting its use.

The transitional phrase “at the same time” does not serve to bind the two independent clauses together grammatically.

Corrected: Americans continue their love affair with the automobile, but at the same time they are more successful than ever before in restricting its use.

The coordinator “but” joins the two clauses correctly.

The subject pronouns that may lead to comma splices and run-on sentences are the following: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, and who.

Comma Splice: Disneyland is fun for everyone, I think I enjoyed it as much as my ten-year-old niece did.

The comma does not adequately set off the two independent clauses.

Corrected: Disneyland is fun for everyone; I think I enjoyed it as much as my ten-year-old niece did.

The semicolon coordinates the two independent clauses correctly. A period placed where the semicolon is would make two complete sentences.

Run-on Sentence: The weather disappointed Vermont vacationers they wanted snow in January, not warm, sunny skies.

The subject pronoun “they,” despite its close connection to the noun “vacationers,” its antecedent in the previous clause, cannot join the two clauses grammatically.

Corrected: The weather disappointed Vermont vacationers because they wanted snow in January, not warm, sunny skies.

The addition of the word “because” connects the two clauses by subordinating the second one.

In divided quotations or in consecutive sentences within a quotation, be sure to punctuate complete sentences correctly.

                In a dialogue, commas are not sufficient to set off independent clauses.

Comma Splice: “Speak up, amigo,” Juanita said, “I can’t hear you.”

Commas frequently precede quotations, but in constructions like this one, we have two distinct sentences, and the punctuation should show that fact. One sentence ends after the word said; another begins with the word I.

Corrected: “Speak up, amigo,” Juanita said. “I can’t hear you.”

The period separates the two sentences correctly.

Run-on Sentence: Finally he shrugged and said, “You don’t love me you never have loved me!”

Although only one person speaks the words within the quotation marks, the sentence boundaries must be properly marked.

Corrected: Finally he shrugged and said, “You don’t love me! You never have loved me!”

An exclamation point keeps the independent clauses apart and stresses the emotion of the speaker. You could use a period or a semicolon instead of the exclamation point; the semicolon would not be followed by a capital letter.