How to Correct the Comma Splice

In grade 5, students learn to correct run-on sentences and comma splices. We previously wrote about run-on sentences, so today we’ll tackle comma splices.

What are comma splices?

When you join two sentences (or independent clauses) with a comma and no conjunction (such as and, but, if), it’s called a comma splice.

For example:

Whales and dolphins are not fish, they are mammals.

If we look at the above sentence in more detail, you’ll be able to tell it’s a comma splice.

Let’s look at the first part.

Whales and dolphins are not fish

This is a complete sentence.

Let’s look at the rest of the example sentence:

They are mammals.

That is also a complete sentence.

We have two complete sentences. They cannot be combined into one sentence with just a comma.

Some ways to correct comma splices

There are many ways in which you can fix the comma splice.

1.    You can add a conjunction to the sentence.

For example:Whales and dolphins are not fish, because they are mammals.

2.    You can change the comma to a semicolon. Whales and dolphins are not fish; they are mammals.

3.    You can write them as separate sentences. Whales and dolphins are not fish. They are mammals.

Grade 5 worksheets to practice fixing comma splices

In our grade 5 grammar section we have a series of worksheets to practice correcting comma splices.