A COMMA SPLICE is an error where two sentences (two main clauses) are joined together with only a comma:
We have enough money, we can buy a piano.
It is almost midnight, however, I'm not tired.
A RUN-ON SENTENCE is an error where two sentences (two main clauses)
are joined together with no punctuation between them:
We have enough money we can buy a piano.
It is almost midnight however, I am not tired.
There are FOUR ways to correct a comma splice or run-on.
(1) Use a period.
We have enough money. We can buy a piano.
It is midnight. However, I'm not tired.
(2) Use a semi-colon.
We have enough money; we can buy a piano.
It is midnight; however, I'm not tired.
(3) Use a conjunction.
WHEN we have enough money, we can buy a piano.
We have, enough money, SO we can buy a piano.
AS SOON AS we have enough money, we can buy a piano.
It is midnight, BUT I'm not tired.
ALTHOUGH it is almost midnight, I am not tired.
(4) Change the sentence structure.
We have enough money to buy a piano.
Having enough money, we can buy a piano.
We have enough money for a piano.
I am never tired until long after midnight.
At midnight I'm not tired like other people.
DO NOT CORRECT A COMMA SPLICE BY ERASING THE COMMA. DO NOT CORRECT A RUN-ON BY INSERTING A COMMA.
