In the last post, we learned about avoiding the run-on sentence. A run-on sentence happens when we run two complete thoughts together. It is important to keep each thought separate from another.
Sometimes we think that we can avoid a run-on by putting a comma between the two thoughts, but a comma is not stop punctuation. A comma between two complete thoughts is called a comma splice.
Comma splice example: I’m hungry, let’s go eat.
I’m hungry is one complete thought. Let’s go eat is another complete thought.
Two complete thoughts cannot be joined with just a comma. Use stop punctuation to separate two complete thoughts: a period, comma, FANBOYS, or a semicolon.
1. Use a period. I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.
2. Use a comma with one of the FANBOYS. I’m hungry, so let’s go eat.
3. Use a semicolon. I’m hungry; let’s go eat.
Never use a comma alone to separate two complete thoughts in a sentence. If you use a comma, be sure to use comma, FANBOYS.