50 likes | 237 Views
Comma Splice. In Plain English…. Please copy the following information down on a sheet of notebook paper and put it in the “Hmmm..” section of your notebook.
E N D
In Plain English… • Please copy the following information down on a sheet of notebook paper and put it in the “Hmmm..” section of your notebook. • Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS), such as and, but and or, join words and phrases and clauses of equal importance. Even though the comma splice appears to be a repeat of having no comma in a compound sentence, it’s not. This time the error lies in leaving out the coordinating conjunction and using a comma when a semicolon or a period would be more appropriate. • In a comma splice, the comma is there, but the conjunction is nowhere to be found.
What do you notice?... • He could be courteous and helpful on the surface, you never knew what was going on underneath. (p. 96) • His voice wasn’t loud, it commanded instant attention. (p. 99) • Maria had insulted him in front of everyone, he intended to make her pay. (p. 108) • The lotus garden was lit only by starlight, the air was warm and smelled of stagnant water. (p. 132) • She was wearing a fine black dress with jet beads sewn on the front, Matt thought she looked strange without her apron. (p. 151) • Let’s find each sentence’s two subjects and verbs. • What do you notice about the commas? • Which FANBOY sounds better? Why?
The dreaded SEMICOLON!!! Please copy the following information on your sheet of paper. Here is the funny thing, if you didn’t already realize it…many times a comma splice can also be corrected by inserting a semicolon where the comma previously spliced the sentence. • Change: I love dancing, it makes me warm inside (comma splice) • To: I love dancing; it makes me warm inside. • The compound sentence pattern helps writers link and combine choppy sentences. It gives a writer the option of joining two sentences with less separation than a period would provide. • The two sentences should be linked in some way, and the writer must use a semicolon or a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOY) to join them. • In the example below, notice how the conjunction but clues the reader to the link between the two sentences as well as the contrast. • Comma splice: Felicia balled up the napkin in her fist, she didn’t’ say anything. • Compound sentence with a comma and a conjunction (FANBOY): Felicia balled up her napkin in her fist, but she didn’t anything. • Compound sentence joined with a semicolon: Felicia balled up the napkin in her fist; she didn’t say anything.
Compound sentence hunt…but can you find a comma splice??? • Let’s take out our independent reading books and read over some of the pages you just finished reading. • See if you can find any compound sentences. Remember, look for those FANBOYS! • But here is the challenge, can you find a comma splice? Are you better than that book’s editor??? • Remember these are published books that professional editors and writers have gone over with a fine-toothed comb. Do you think they just missed one? Why might an author ‘break the rules’ in this way? Does it work?