Editing for Comma Splices and Run-Ons
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Transcript Editing for Comma Splices and Run-Ons
Editing for Comma Splices
and Fused Sentences
English 803
Independent Clauses
An Independent clause (IC) is a group of words with a
subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought.
Marty enjoyed his first year of college. (A sentence with
one independent clause)
He learned how to study, and he learned how to manage
his time. (a sentence with two independent clauses)
He had the time to complete his schoolwork properly and
time to spend with his friends.(a sentence with one IC
and a pair of infinitive phrases.
Subject Pretenders
Sometimes we mistake
words in prepositional
phrases for subjects of
clauses
She applied as a short
order cook at Gino’s.
“Short order cook” is not
the subject of this clause;
“She” is the subject.
One of my favorite comic
strips in the Sunday paper
is Doonesbury. “comic
strips” is not the subject
of this clause; “one” is the
subject.
Verb Pretenders
Ing words are not verbs
unless they have a form of
“to be” in front of them
(“was,” “is,” etc.)
We can spot the crew
rowing toward the shore.
(Although it looks like a
verb, “rowing” is not the
verb of this clause; “spot”
is the verb)
Yelling loudly, Peter hailed
the cab. (Again, yelling is
not the verb; “hailed” is
the verb of this clause.)
To + Verb: Infinitives are
not verbs.
Susan went to the store to
buy apples. (“to buy” is not
the verb in this clause;
“went” is the verb)
To study would be the
sensible thing to do. (“To
study” is not the verb in
this clause; “would be” is
the verb.):
Fused Sentences
Two or more IC’s without a
proper connecting word and
punctuation.
Three corrections:
IC. IC.
IC; IC.
IC, (FANBOY) IC.
Fanboys = coordinating conjunctions = For, And, Nor, But,
Or, Yet, So (These are crucial tools for connecting (or
coordinating) ideas into more complex sentences. Note: The
only time you must have a comma before a FANBOY is when it
connects two independent clauses.
Example
Fused
Sentence: I gave my dog Ralph the
bone he liked it so much that it was gone in
a minute.
I
gave my dog Ralph the bone. He liked it so
much that it was gone in a minute.
I gave my dog Ralph the bone; he liked it so
much that it was gone in a minute.
I gave my dog Ralph the bone, and he liked it so
much that it was gone in a minute.
Comma Splice
A
sentence with
two independent
clauses separated
only by a comma.
Three
IC.
Corrections
IC..
IC; IC.
IC, (fanboys) IC.
Example
Comma
Splice: My sister is still in law
school, she expects to finish in June.
My
sister is still in law school. She
expects to finish in June.
My sister is still in law school; she
expects to finish in June.
My sister is till in law school, but she
expects to finish in June.