Flashcard 1 - ELAR: Writing Flashcard Set for the TSIA2

the joining together of two independent clauses using only a comma between them

A comma is not strong enough to link two independent clauses together by itself; to link two independent clauses you must use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or use a semicolon.

“Jake wanted pizza, Michael wanted spaghetti.”
(comma splice)

“Jake wanted pizza, but Michael wanted spaghetti.”
(comma splice fixed by adding the coordinating conjunction but along with the comma)

“Jake wanted pizza; Michael wanted spaghetti.”
(comma splice fixed by replacing comma with semicolon)