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Comma splices are the kind of thing that make grammarians write letters to The Times. They are one of the most common errors I come across. A comma splice involves replacing a full stop (or similar) with a comma. For example
Our competitors are doing well, call David Beckham for an underpants shot.
This comma is incorrect because it separates what are essentially two sentences. The comma can be replaced with a full stop, a colon or a dash. You could also add a conjunction:
Our competitors are doing well, so call David Beckham for an underpants shot.
However, nobody could seriously object to this use of the comma splice:
I came, I saw, I conquered.
Copywriting is partly about flow. If a comma works well for stylistic reasons, it's worth considering it even if you're breaking the rules. If you're using it accidentally, you'll usually come unstuck. |
