Two of the most common mistakes in student writing are the run-on sentence and the comma splice.

Run-On Sentences

A run-on sentence is a sentence consisting of two or more clauses which is missing the appropriate punctuation.

Incorrect:

  • Research has shown that musical preferences and personality are linked however little is known about other influences on preferences such as cognitive styles.

The above sentence is a compound sentence consisting of two independent clauses which must be punctuated.

Corrected:

  • Research has shown that musical preferences and personality are linked; however, little is known about other influences on preferences such as cognitive styles.
  • Research has shown that musical preferences and personality are linked. However, little is known about other influences on preferences such as cognitive styles.

Comma Splices


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Exercise

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