1. Use a period (.) to separate the two independent clauses:
* Example: The cat was sleeping on the rug. The dog was barking at the door.
* Fixed: The cat was sleeping on the rug. The dog was barking at the door.
2. Use a semicolon (;) to separate the two independent clauses:
* Example: The cat was sleeping on the rug the dog was barking at the door.
* Fixed: The cat was sleeping on the rug; the dog was barking at the door.
3. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to connect the two independent clauses:
* Example: The cat was sleeping on the rug the dog was barking at the door.
* Fixed: The cat was sleeping on the rug, but the dog was barking at the door.
4. Make one of the independent clauses into a dependent clause by adding a subordinating conjunction (e.g., because, although, since, while, if, when):
* Example: The cat was sleeping on the rug the dog was barking at the door.
* Fixed: While the cat was sleeping on the rug, the dog was barking at the door.