What is a comma splice?

• A. Joining two independent clauses without conjunction
• B. Using a comma to separate items in a list
• C. Using a comma before coordinating conjunctions
• D. Separating adjectives with a comma

Answer: (A)

A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses (complete sentences that can stand alone) are incorrectly joined together with just a comma, without a conjunction. For example, the sentence "I went to the store, I bought some milk" is a comma splice because both parts can exist as separate sentences. Proper ways to correct a comma splice include using a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), replacing the comma with a semicolon, or making them separate sentences entirely.

The other answer choices refer to different uses of commas. Separating items in a list involves using commas to delineate individual elements, while using a comma before coordinating conjunctions is part of proper sentence structure when connecting independent clauses. Separating adjectives with a comma is used to clarify that the adjectives are of equal importance or interchangeable. Each of these represents correct grammatical practices, unlike a comma splice, which is a grammatical error.