Which description best defines a comma splice?

• A. A comma splice is two independent clauses joined by only a comma.
• B. A sentence with a dependent clause at the end.
• C. A sentence fragment missing a verb.
• D. A sentence with a comma and a conjunction.

Answer: (A)

A comma splice happens when two complete thoughts are joined only by a comma. Each part can stand alone as a sentence, so connecting them with just a comma doesn’t give enough separation and creates a run-on feel. For example, “I went to the store, I bought milk” uses a comma to link two independent clauses, which is incorrect. The fix is to add a coordinating conjunction after the comma (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) as in “I went to the store, and I bought milk,” or to replace the comma with a semicolon: “I went to the store; I bought milk.” The idea described here—two independent clauses joined by only a comma—is what defines a comma splice. The other descriptions refer to different sentence issues: a dependent clause at the end isn’t a comma splice, a missing-verb fragment isn’t a complete thought, and a sentence with a comma and a conjunction is actually punctuated correctly.