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English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

HenryXSenior Contributor25 May 2022, 7:17 pm AEST

English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

Members interested in reading this topic, regarding "comma-splices", in English language usage, may find the following references and information useful.

{All the website links, coloured in teal, in this note are active and will take you directly to the respective sites in a new browser tab.}

From the website:

https://canvas.hull.ac.uk/courses/213/pages/comma-splices

Quote: "What is a comma splice and how do you deal with it?

To avoid run-ons, some students punctuate the two ideas by adding a comma – but this is incorrect and creates a special kind of run-on called a comma splice. This is where two independent clauses (separate ideas that could theoretically stand alone as two sentences) are joined by a comma instead. Here are some examples:

The experiment was unsuccessful, the temperature was not controlled sufficiently.

The opening paragraph was incredibly moving, it touches on the common fear of losing a loved one.

Money is not the only motivating factor for people to work, self-worth and the need for more social interaction can also be reasons for working.

There are three ways to correct comma splices:

Replace the comma with a conjunction:
The experiment was unsuccessful because the temperature was not controlled sufficiently.
Replace the comma with a semi-colon:
The opening paragraph was incredibly moving; it touches on the common fear of losing a loved one.
Replace the comma with a full stop:
Money is not the only motivating factor for people to work. Self-worth and the need for more social interaction can also be reasons for working.

The method you choose will depend on your particular sentence and how closely you want the two clauses to be associated."

A few other English and Australian websites {I have not included websites from other countries}, to which I will also be referring for my own benefit, that may be of interest to others are:

https://www.griffith.edu.au/editorial-style-guide/punctuation

https://www.onlinegrammar.com.au/the-grammar-factor-serial-commas-apostrophes-in-place-names/

https://thegrammarexchange.infopop.cc/topic/comma-splice-in-british-english

http://www.editoraustralia.com/styleguide_commas.html

https://www.hitsend.com.au/avoiding-comma-splices/

https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/grammar-punctuation-and-conventions/punctuation-and-capitalisation/co...

With Best Wishes

@HenryX

PS. Please be gentle if you see errors in my English language usage to which you may wish to alert me.

10 replies

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In response to: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

wellwellwellnezSenior Contributor25 May 2022, 9:30 pm AEST

Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

Henry X! We were wondering when you'd be flying in on your beautiful little plane.

I actually think I might love "comma-splicing". Though, maybe not. My habits aren't quite like in the test examples. More like the ",coloured in teal," example near the top. So, that might be something else.

And, I use commas to put "and" at the front of sentences sometimes, which is probably a deeper sin. ("Also," is a bit more standard.) What I'm trying to say is, I'm comma happy. So comma happy. Think it's part of trying to drag scattered thoughts together.

In response to: Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

NatureLoverSenior Contributor26 May 2022, 8:24 am AEST

Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

@wellwellwellnez wrote:
What I'm trying to say is, I'm comma happy. So comma happy.

Haha @wellwellwellnez , you gave me a morning giggle 😄 Thank you!

@HenryX I didn't know that that phenomenon was called "comma-splicing" - thanks.

In response to: Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

HenryXSenior Contributor26 May 2022, 10:04 am AEST

Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

@NatureLover

The expression "comma-splicing" was new to me, though the application was not, until @Historylover mentioned it with regard to her written work for studies. It was only when I looked on the Web that I found the references that I have included in my earlier post. Those references will be useful for me when I want to tidy and polish my own writing. So, for that, I extend my appreciation to @Historylover . I also extend that appreciation to you, @NatureLover and @wellwellwellnez , for observations and the injection of some humour.

Cheers

@HenryX

In response to: Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

AppleblossomSenior Contributor26 May 2022, 11:49 am AEST

Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

Made me laugh too @wellwellwellnez

@HenryX I became a semicolon girl at uni .... and then years later I threw all the style manuals to the winds. Letting my hair free ... and my words flow ... with less formality.

Great to see you back.

In response to: Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

wellwellwellnezSenior Contributor26 May 2022, 4:31 pm AEST

Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

I also really really like .... using dots to construct pauses @Appleblossom . It's gives words .... breath.

In response to: Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

hanamiSenior Contributor27 May 2022, 10:09 am AEST

Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

Lol @Appleblossom

That sounds like me too! I was such a stickler for proper grammar when I was younger. I would read my kids' school newsletter and pick out all the errors. I was probably quite painful lol. Nowadays I'm less fussy and just write freely! 😀

hanami 💮

In response to: Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

NatureLoverSenior Contributor28 May 2022, 7:50 am AEST

Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

@wellwellwellnez wrote:
I also really really like .... using dots to construct pauses @Appleblossom . It's gives words .... breath.

@wellwellwellnez Me too! I am...quite...dotty! 😄

In response to: Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

AppleblossomSenior Contributor29 May 2022, 4:07 pm AEST

Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

I really needed to put the space in @hanami @wellwellwellnez @NatureLover @HenryX

My brain was/is overfull. lol Slowing down the flow, often helps.

In response to: Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

HenryXSenior Contributor30 May 2022, 2:32 pm AEST

Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

Hi @Appleblossom , @NatureLover , @hanami , @Historylover

@wellwellwellnez,

and others visiting this thread

I share that idea of over-fullness, @Appleblossom , and the need to slow things down. At my age, I'm growing accustomed, also, to monitoring the quantity of material flowing through, and to be addressed, as well as the time taken or allocated to address the material. Thank goodness also for the assistance of 'spell-checker'. All of such aids are well used and appreciated.

Since the topic of this thread is regarding the usage of English language, I welcome suggestions offered, by other members, about my writing that may improve the flow and, in particular, the grammatical correctness or in-correctness of the way that I express myself in writing. No offence will be take from any such observations but rather appreciation.

Cheers, @HenryX

In response to: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

BipolarPenguinSenior Contributor09 Oct 2023, 9:18 pm AEDT

Re: English Language Usage { Please Keep to Topic }

I am reading through old posts on the forum and I have found through reading this that I am so guilty of comma splices @HenryX!

I do it so naturally that I do not stop to think of it often; I had to put effort into using a semi-colon just then! XD

Great post.

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