![]() The characters are speaking and thinking, after all – not writing. Alice Munro uses one in “The Peace of Utrecht” when she has Aunt Annie say, “I washed this by hand, it looks like new.” George Saunders uses one in “The Tenth of December” when he has his narrator think, “This was concerning, this was very concerning.” In both cases, the comma splice makes the line feel like it belongs to the character rather than the author. Most people don’t speak or think with semicolons, and so the comma splice can make a line feel more like spoken language or internal thought rather than writing.Īnd in fact, many fiction writers use comma splices intentionally for those exact qualities. A semicolon in that context might feel too rigid or fussy. That’s probably why people use them a lot in text messages, even people who know better. The comma splice does seem to capture something more colloquial, unguarded, spur-of-the-moment. However, more solid punctuation, or else tweaking of the clauses, is needed to make the sentence complete and. Usually writers stick a comma between them, and leave it at that. ![]() Then again, there are other writing situations where we might want a less formal tone. What is a comma splice Simply put, the comma splice is when two independent clauses are smashed together in a single sentence without adequate punctuation. In academic or professional writing, however, it is generally best to avoid comma splices and to use one of the methods outlined above to clearly separate independent clauses. At the very least, it makes the writing feel less formal, which probably isn’t a quality you want when you’re putting together a term paper or a business report. Comma splices can be used for effect in creative writing, such as in poetry or fiction, to convey a specific rhythm or pace. The comma splice, on the other hand, is like a sign post pointing the wrong direction, or with the pointer ripped off. All of these constructions show slightly different nuances of meaning, and those nuances are signaled by the punctuation, helping to ease the reader through the flow of ideas. Or, because each clause can stand on its own, you could just use a period. ![]() Or you could keep the comma and add a coordinating conjunction: “I ate the last waffle, and it was delicious.” Or you could, depending on your meaning, possibly use a subordinating conjunction, a dash, a colon, or parentheses. Learn more about the origin, usage, and alternatives of comma splices from examples and sources. \'The hat does not fit, it's too tight.\' It is an error in formal writing, but it can be carried off in informal writing with some rules.
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