Here's a breakdown:
What is a compound sentence?
A compound sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses (complete sentences that can stand alone).
What is an independent clause?
An independent clause has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.
Why is a comma splice wrong?
A comma alone is not strong enough to connect two independent clauses. It needs additional punctuation or a conjunction to form a grammatically correct sentence.
Example of a comma splice:
Incorrect: The sun was shining, it was a beautiful day.
Why is it wrong?
Both "The sun was shining" and "it was a beautiful day" are complete sentences. They're joined only by a comma, which is insufficient to create a grammatically correct sentence.
How to fix a comma splice:
1. Use a semicolon: The sun was shining; it was a beautiful day.
2. Use a conjunction (and, but, or, so, yet) with a comma: The sun was shining, and it was a beautiful day.
3. Separate the clauses into two sentences: The sun was shining. It was a beautiful day.
Remember: Avoid comma splices by using proper punctuation and conjunctions to correctly join independent clauses in your compound sentences.