Comma splice

A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are improperly connected by a comma alone.

Eg – The company’s performance was a lot better this month, this could be due to the budget distribution should be The company’s performance was a lot better this month. This could be due to the budget distribution.

Eg – We are running a Mother’s Day competition, head over to @CompanyName to stand a chance to win an amazing hamper should be We are running a Mother’s Day competition, so head over to @CompanyName to stand a chance to win an amazing hamper.

 An independent clause is a full sentence, with its own subject and verb, that can stand alone. If it’s joined to another independent clause, it must be with a suitable word or phrase, or correct punctuation, or both (but never a comma alone).

Eg – A full stop ends a sentence, a comma shows a pause should be A full stop ends a sentence, while a comma shows a pause or A full stop ends a sentence; a comma shows a pause.

 Tracey Hawthorne, Scout’s copy editor, is a writer and editor with more than 35 years of editorial experience. In the editing realm, she has edited upwards of 50 books, copy-edited for many major South African magazine titles, and worked as a subeditor for newspapers, large corporates, marketing companies and private clients.