Chapter 3: Avoiding Run On Sentences and Comma Splices

As your book tells you, if you put two independent clauses together without proper punctuation¹, you have made an error called a run-on sentence. Another name for this error is a fused sentence. Chapter Three explains techniques for figuring out if you have made this error in your writing, and if you have, how to fix it. Chapter Three will review much of what you learned in Chapter Two about coordination². Run-ons are generally created when you attempt to coordinate³ sentences and don't use the correct punctuation. In addition to run-ons, you will review how to correct comma splices⁴. Comma splices are created when you attempt to join two complete sentences with just a comma and no coordinating⁵ conjunction.