English Assessment

COMMA SPLICES – Part One Plus Assignment

No. 1 – I love her, she hates me.. 

No. 2 – The boy went to the store, however, he had forgotten his money..

No. 3 – Babe Ruth was a great hitter, Ruth hit 714 home runs lifetime and had a career batting average of .342..

A comma splice consists of two consecutive sentences separated only by a comma. A fused sentence is a comma splice without the comma. Items one, two, and three above are comma splices. Comma splices and run-ons are serious mistakes..

You will be tempted to write a comma splice when the second part of the comma splice begins with a pronoun, as with item one. You will be tempted to write a comma splice when the second part of the comma splice begins with a conjunctive adverb, a word like “however,” as with item two. You will be tempted to write a comma splice when the second part of the comma splice explains information in the first part, as with item 3..

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You can correct a comma splice by replacing the comma that is between the two parts with a period. You will then have to capitalize the first word in the second part..

I love her. She hates me.. 

You can use a coordinating conjunction to link up the two parts of the comma splice. The coordinating conjunctions are and, but, or, for, so, and yet. For instance, you can say – I love her yet she hates me..

You can use a semi-colon and a conjunctive adverb to bring the two parts of a comma splice together. Five of the more commonly used conjunctive adverbs are the following:.

However, which means the same as “on the other hand.”.

Nevertheless, which is another way of saying, “In spite of that.”.

Therefore means “as a result.”.

Moreover is another way of saying, “Can you believe, on top of that?”.

Then means the same as “afterwards.”.

Except for “then” a conjunctive adverb is always followed by a comma..

Conjunctive adverbs are not conjunctions. By themselves, they cannot be used to bring sentences together. For a conjunctive adverb to connect two sentences, it must be preceded by a semi-colon..

Here are examples of sentences actually made up of two sentences connected by a conjunctive adverb..

The actor tried his best in the part; however, he had been miscast..

I want to go to college; however, I cannot read..

The New Orleans Saints had a good team last year; nevertheless, they did not get to the Super Bowl. .

The mayor worked hard for re-election; nevertheless, he lost to his rival…

Napoleon was outnumbered at Waterloo; therefore, he lost the battle.

He is an athlete; moreover, he is a scholar..

He lost his job; moreover, he was robbed on his way home..

The President vetoed the new spending bill; then he met with his advisors (note that there is no comma after “then.”.

I went to the movies; then I went home..

ASSIGNMENT.

Write three sentences for each of these conjunctive adverbs – however, nevertheless, therefore, moreover, then. Each sentence should consist of a sentence, a semi-colon, a conjunctive adverb, a comma, a second sentence, and a period. See the examples above.  You will end up with a total of fifteen sentences.