Comma Splice Practice

The following sentence contains a comma splice:

Deka is nice, she always helps me with my homework.

Choose the option below that corrects the comma splice.

• Deka is nice. She always helps me with my homework.

• Deka is nice she always helps me with my homework.

Which sentence properly uses commas?

• I like dogs, cats, and birds.

• I like dogs cats, and birds.

• I like, dogs, cats, and birds.

• I like, dogs cats and birds.

Answer explanation

Remember that when writing a sentence that includes a list, you put a comma after every item in the list.

Which sentences below contain comma splices?

Choose all options that apply.

• I went to McDonald's, I bought french fries.

• My dad makes my lunch every day, I always enjoy it.

• French fries are my favorite food, but my sister likes chocolate better.

• We wanted to buy a dress, some shoes, and a pineapple.

​​ ​ ​ ​ Match the sentences with the proper answer.

• Sentence uses the Oxford comma.

• I like popcorn, chocolate and nuts.

• Sentence DOES NOT use the Oxford comma.

• She eats apples, grapes, and figs.

• Sentence DOES NOT use the Oxford comma.

• Fatima has frogs, dogs and cats

• Sentence uses the Oxford comma.

• I was surprised, hungry, and happy.

Answer explanation

The Oxford comma is used in a sentence containing a list of items. It is placed before the conjunction and the last item in a list.

For example:

I like apples, grapes, and berries.

I don't like apples, grapes, or berries.

The following sentence contains a comma splice:

I like peanuts, Maria prefers popcorn.

Choose all the options below that correctly repair the comma splice:

• I like peanuts; Maria prefers popcorn.

• I like peanuts Maria prefers popcorn

• I like peanuts, but Maria prefers popcorn.

• I like peanuts. Maria prefers popcorn.

Answer explanation

I like peanuts Maria like popcorn is a run-on sentence.

There is no punctuation showing us where one sentence ends and the other begins.

Why is there an apostrophe in McDonald's?

• To show that someone named McDonald owns the restaurant.

• Because there is a letter missing between the letter d and the letter s.

• Because all restaurants have apostrophes in their names.

• Because the apostrophe makes the restaurant name look important.

Answer explanation

Remember an apostrophe is often used to show possession.

"McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States." Wikipedia

Fix the following comma splice:

I want a good grade, I had better study.

A semicolon can be used to repair a comma splice.

• True

• False

A period cannot be used to repair a comma splice.

• True

• False

A comma and a coordinating conjunction (one of the FAN BOYS) can be used to repair a comma splice.

• True

• False