The Comma Splice

Beware, citizen, for this is not really the Comma!   

This imposter is The Comma Splice, and as a sinister member of the Sabotage Squad (a.k.a. grammar mistakes), this counterfeit comma is out to fool you into making a classic grammar mistake: splicing together complete sentences.

Real commas are useful and powerful pieces of punctuation, but they don't have the power to join two complete sentences together.  That’s why true commas would never try to do such a thing.  But The Comma Splice is neither honest nor true, and that’s why she’s on a malicious mission to trick you into thinking that she has the power to join complete sentences.

For example:

They need help, I must fly to the rescue.

This sentence is not correct.  It’s a comma splice: a fake comma that is incorrectly splicing (or patching) together two complete sentences. 

Complete sentences cannot be correctly joined together by a single comma.  In order to be correct, complete sentences must either be: 1) ended with proper sentence-ending punctuation, 2) joined together by using the combination of a comma with a coordinating conjunction, or 3) joined together using a semicolon.  

To fix this sentence, we’ll use a semicolon, like this:

They need help; I must fly to the rescue.

There’s a correct way to join two complete sentences together, and there’s a wrong way; using a comma splice will never be a correct way.

So, citizen, now that you know about this counterfeit comma, The Comma Splice, don’t let her fool you into splicing your sentences together; because in the end, no matter how you splice it—it’s still a mistake!

EVIL POWER: 

The Comma Splice has the power to fool you into thinking that she can join together two complete sentences.

SUPER EXAMPLES:

1) 

I can’t believe it, he’s breaking loose.

comma splice: two complete sentences spliced together with a comma.

I can’t believe it.  He’s breaking loose.

Fix by: separating them out into two sentences, and  ended both with proper sentence-ending punctuation.

2) 

It’s true, I’m a mutant.

comma splice: two complete sentences spliced together with a comma.

It’s true; I’m a mutant.

Fix by:  adding a semicolon to properly join them into one sentence.

3)

You grab the cash, I’ll snatch the jewels.

comma splice: two complete sentences spliced together with a comma.

You grab the cash, and I’ll snatch the jewels.

Fixed by: adding a comma and a coordinating conjunction to join them into one sentence.

4)

Your muscles are strong, your mind is weak.

comma splice: two complete sentences spliced together with a comma.

Your muscles are strong, but your mind is weak.

Fixed by: adding a comma and a coordinating conjunction to join them into one sentence.

The Run-on Sentence

Don’t let The Run-on Sentence run away with your sentence correctness.  Complete sentences should never just run-on into each other to form extended sentences.  In order to be correct, complete sentences either need to be ended or they need to be properly joined together with the use of punctuation—but that’s the problem with The Run-on Sentence.  This hasty villain makes your first sentence run right past your punctuation and straight into the next sentence!  And, if you don’t watch your step, he’ll quickly make reading your stretched-out sentences seem like running a tiresome marathon.

EVIL POWERS: 

The Run-On Sentence makes you run past your punctuation.  After he’s finished, you’ll have extra long sentences that run on, and on, and on …

SUPER EXAMPLES: 

#1)

Gather the heroes together we’re going to attack in force.

Run-on: two complete sentences running together with no punctuation.

Gather the heroes together.  We’re going to attack in force.

Fixed by: adding a period and separating into two sentences.

#2) 

I can’t fly my powers are gone.

Run-on: two complete sentences running together with no punctuation.

I can’t fly; my powers are gone.

Fixed by: adding a semicolon to properly join into one sentence.

#3)

Follow my lead don’t fall behind.

Run-on: two complete sentences running together with no punctuation.

Follow my lead, and don’t fall behind.

Fixed by: adding a comma with a conjunction to properly join into one sentence.

 

#4)

You’ll never break those chains they’re made out of solid titanium even you don’t have that kind of strength.

Run-on: three complete sentences running together with no punctuation.

You’ll never break those chains.  They’re made out of solid titanium, and even you don’t have that kind of strength.

Fixed by: adding a period to separate the first two sentences, and then adding a comma with a conjunction to properly join the remaining two sentences into one. 

STOPPING THE RUN-ON:

Sometimes you need long sentences, and sometimes you need short sentences, but long or short, your sentences always need proper punctuation.  If you use the power of punctuation, you’ll be able to make correct sentences of any length, and you’ll always be able to stop The Run-On Sentence in his tracks!

The Fragment

The Sentence Fragment is a weak and crumbly bad guy who enjoys breaking up the strength and stability of your sentences.

Watch out for this character because there's nothing he loves more than putting your sentences on shaky ground.  He does this by making you use incomplete sentences.  A sentence needs both a subject and a predicate in order to be strong and complete.  If a sentence is missing either the subject or predicate, then it’s not really a sentence—it’s only a weak fragment.
  
SUPER POWERS:
The Fragment sneaks into your writing and makes your sentences crumble and fall apart, just like he does.

SUPER EXAMPLES:

#1)

The Mole King and his legions.

Fragment: missing a predicate (The Mole King and his legions are doing what?)

The Mole King and his legions are attacking.

Fixed: by adding a predicate

#2

Eating up the entire city.

Fragment: missing a subject (Who or what is eating up the city?)

Hipposaurus Rex is eating up the entire city.

Fixed: by adding a subject

#3)

With his x-ray vision.

Fragment: missing a subject and predicate (Who is doing what with x-ray vision?)

View Master spotted the bomb with his x-ray vision.

Fixed: by adding both a subject and a predicate

STOPPING THE FRAGMENT:
The Fragment loves a fractured sentence, but this cracked character is no match for the combined strength of The Subject and The Predicate.  As hard as he might try, he'll never be able to break down the stability of the Completion Team.  So remember, if you don't want your sentences to crumble and fall apart—never let The Fragment break up the team! 

Double Negative

They say that two negatives equal a positive—and this is true—but these two naysayers equal nothing but trouble for your sentences.  They are the Double Negative Team, and these two troublesome twins are always trying to trick you into making a gigantic grammar mistake.

One negative word in a sentence is fine, but if the Double Negative Team gets you to use two negative words in the same sentence then they’ve succeeded in tricking you into saying the exact opposite of what you mean. 

For example, if you want to say that you are not a villain, you can make a sentence that says, “I’m no villain.”  This sentence lets everyone know, very clearly, that you are not a villain.  Notice that this sentence only has one negative word: no. 

Now, let’s add a second negative word to the same sentence, “I’m not no villain.” It might sound like you’re saying that you’re not a villain, but the second negative word changes the sentence (and its meaning) into the opposite of what you wanted to say.  If you’re not no villain, then you must be a villain.

no villain = no villain              not no villain = yes villain

It’s a very sneaky trick, and it’s not always easy to catch, especially if you’re not prepared for it.  So, learn to recognize negative words, and the next time you see two of them in the same sentence—think twice.  It just might be the Double Negative Team trying to trick you with their double dealing double talk!

EVIL POWERS:
By tricking you into using two negative words in the same sentence, The Double Negative Team has the power to make you say the exact opposite of what you mean.

SUPER EXAMPLES:

#1)

You’re not no superhero.

Double negative: if you’re not no superhero, then you must be a superhero

You’re not a superhero.

Fixed: by removing the second negative, no

#2)

You can’t never stop me.

Double negative: if you can’t never stop me, then you can stop me

You can’t stop me.

Fixed: by removing the second negative, never

#3)

I don’t want nobody to get hurt.

Double negative: if you don’t want nobody to get hurt, then you must want somebody to get hurt

I don’t want anybody to get hurt.

Fixed: by changing the second negative word, nobody, into a positive word, anybody

#4)

I don’t know nothing about a robbery.

Double negative: (if you don’t know nothing about a robbery, then you must know something about a robbery

I don’t know anything about a robbery.

Fixed: by changing the second negative word, nothing, into a positive word, anything

 

*Grab this Double Negative lesson plan and worksheets for free!
Available at our Teachers Pay Teachers STORE!

STOPPING THE DOUBLE NEGATIVE TEAM:

Learn to recognize negative words and always watch out for more than one negative word in a sentence.  If you can do that, you’ll always win against the Double Negative Team. 

And remember:

NEGATIVE WORDS:

No, not, never, none, nothing, no-one, nobody, nowhere, neither, don’t, can’t, cannot, won’t,  wouldn’t, shouldn’t, couldn’t, isn’t, wasn’t—these are all negative words. 

Negative words are simply the opposite of positive words (yes, is, can, do, always…).

Negative words, on their own, are not bad or evil; in fact, you can use negative words to help you say a lot of very positive and useful things, like “No swimming in the piranha tank.”, “Don’t forget to fight crime today.” and “Never surrender without a fight!”  Without negative words, we couldn’t say any of these things, and that would, very positively, be a shame.

Don’t let their ominous looking name mislead you. Negative words—like positive words—are only here to help our sentences communicate as clearly as possible.  So, don’t stop using negative words; just make sure that you use them in a positive way!

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Here's a peek at an early concept drawings for Double Negative.  This sketch turned into the inspiration for the final look of the troublesome twin brothers.